A Community Hospital
Much is on the line for healthcare organizations today, with patient safety and risk management initiatives a high priority, transparency for quality outcomes the norm, fines levied for medical errors, and reimbursement reductions on the horizon. In light of these facts, the balance of cost and quality is a high priority for hospitals today. Quality/Performance Improvement departments have grown in scope and size, with the expansion of accreditation standards and new legislation for data collection and reporting. For maximum efficiency and effectiveness Quality/Performance Improvement programs may need to be reevaluated, and in some cases redesigned, to achieve the desired results.
A Community Hospital contracted with Lumetra Healthcare Solutions to evaluate the structure of their Quality/Performance Improvement program, which has evolved over the course of several years. We have worked with hundreds of hospitals over the past ten years, helping them achieve improvement in patient care processes and outcomes. With a staff of consultants experienced in hospital operations, including quality and risk management, utilization and case management, patient safety and culture change, health information management and reporting, Lumetra Healthcare Solutions is also uniquely qualified to help individual hospitals learn from effective programs that we have observed.
This two-week engagement began with a pre-work review of documents, including the Quality Improvement (QI) and Risk Management Plans, Organizational Charts, Hospital Committees, Medical Staff QI Plan, and various Policies and Procedures. Telephone interviews with the CEO and other key individuals were conducted to ascertain priorities for focused attention. The onsite visit involved individual and group interviews, attendance at various hospital committee meetings, and review of QI Reports and Board minutes.
An expedient and efficient report of recommendations identified several opportunities for this hospital to consider, including operational efficiencies to be gained by adjusting the staffing structure, areas for risk management focus, and strategies to improve reimbursement. Options for redesign were presented to maximize quality outcomes, reduce risk of medical errors, and strengthen the role of the Board of Directors in strategic design for hospital quality.
