Dashboards and Scorecards

Labor and delivery nurse staffing as a cost-effective safety intervention

Numerous studies have identified a relationship between staffing levels and nurse-sensitive outcomes for medical and surgical patients, but little has been published on the impact of nurse-sensitive outcomes for the childbearing family and even less that examines the relationship of intrapartum staffing on adverse perinatal outcomes.

Use tracking tools to improve patient flows in hospitals

This article describes how real time patient tracking technology has improved patient flow through the use of case studies.

How's the health of your state?

The America's Health Rankings website has an interactive map that shows the relative status by state for a number of health-related conditions and environmental factors including overall death rate, incidence of cancer and STDs, and levels of pollution.

Efficient clinical workflows enhance user acceptance and other EHR benefits

This was a presentation at the 2013 SHS Healthcare Systems Process Improvement Conference
Hospitals and health systems spend millions of dollars to acquire and meaningfully use certified EMRS and EHRS nationwide. This presentation from the 2013 SHS Healthare Systems Process Improvement Conference describes a for-profit health system's experience in deploying efficient workflows that lead to increased acceptance and usuage by physicians and other stakeholders to realize many benefits including receiving CMS incentives.

Implementation of a hospital-wide labor productivity monitoring system; a Case Study

This presentation at the SHS Healthcare Systems Process Improvement Conference 2013 describes how UF and Shands launched a major initiative to develop a labor productivity system to right-size the organization and to provide a sustainable tool to department directors helping them manage resources.

Surviving the global healthcare perfect storm

The authors describe the application of operational planning and capacity management methods to improve patient care, improve revenue, and lower costs. Article 

What's a departmental assessment and how do you make it successful?

This presentation at the 2012 SHS Healthcare Systems Process Improvement Conference, describes how to do a departmental assessment. Long-time SHS member and Diplomate, Frank Overfelt, shares his many years of experience of how to take the roll of consultant in conducting a successful assessment.

So, what's on your dashboard?

In this publicly available presentation from the 2007 ICSI/IHI Colloquium, Lloyd provides a comprehensive perspective on the use of measurement and reporting to better drive performance improvement in healthcare.

Video presentation on models, measurement techniques, and tests for analyzing adherence and performance of evidenced based medicine

In this 2010 presentation at the Dartmouth School of Engineering, SHS contributor and past president, James Benneyan, Ph.D., from the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Northeastern University discusses that challenges of measuring performance of evidenced-based medicine and provides solutions to address these challenges.

Adding Value to the Surgical PAT Process

Using Lean Six Sigma tools, a hospital redesigns its PAT department process so that all charting is completed 72 hours prior to the day of surgery.

Management Engineers

Management Engineering: What is it?

Improving Medical Equipment Availability at Barnes-Jewish Hospital

One hospital details improvements to their medical equipment retrieval, cleaning, and distribution process.

Sustaining VAP Bundle Compliance in the ICU: A Model of CQI

Using Lean Six Sigma tools, a hospital redesigns and implements new ICU protocols for patients on mechanical ventilation.  The article details how the initial sustainability effort failed, but was brought back into long-run control.

Optimizing Caregiver Workflow in a PICU

Physician and Nursing roles and responsibilities within a PICU are redefined using lean tools to decrease LOS while increasing outcomes.

5 Projects, 5 Hospitals: Using DMAIC for Rapid Quality Improvements

Pressure Ulcer, Falls, Catheter-Associated UTI, Central Line Infection, and Objects Left in Surgery are addressed using process improvement methodologies.

Hospitals Need IE Data to Drive Staffing Decisions

Examples are used to detail the need for use of IE methods in the setting of departmental staffing levels

Additional Thoughts Regarding our Roundtable with the Experts

Karen Martin describes the steps needed to ensure an improvement effort is successful at a system level, and ways for a performance improvement consultant to continuously improve their professional skills.

Work Measurement in Skilled Labor Environments

Methods of measuring work done by skilled labor are discussed

SHS Staffing budgets: It’s not just FTEs

A system for appropriate oversight of budgeted FTE's is discussed.

SHS Paging Dr Toyota

Discussion of applications of lean within the OR.

SHS Development and Implementation of a Healthcare-Based Economic Evaluation Methodology

A methodology for standardized evaluation of the financial impact of operational and patient care improvements is discussed.

SHS In by 9 out by 6 - Load Leveling

Detailed description of a lean project to improve TAT in the CT Scan department.

SHS Building Lean From the Ground Up

The surgical admitting process is targeted with a lean event.  Current and future state is described, the process of improvement is shown, and results are discussed.

SHS In the Quest for Performance Excellence: Deployment of Lean Manufacturing Principles in Healthcare Delivery Processes

Three successful lean projects are discussed in detail.  The ED, Radiology, and HR departments all show significant improvement.

SHS Using Lean Methodology to Improve Patient Safety and Clinical Quality

Three successful lean projects are discussed in detail.  Specimen Labeling, Surgery and Endoscopy Pre-Op, and Inpatient Nursing Crash Cart projects all demonstrate significant improvement.

SHS Productivity and Quality Indicator Monitoring

A productivity monitoring system is installed and used to manage budget

SHS Establishing Nursing Staffing Requirements in an Imaging Environment

A study is done to improve the communication between and expense of the nursing staff associated with all imaging modalities.

SHS Re-positioning Accountability in Labor Management: Success Stories

Implementation of productivity monitoring programs are discussed

SHS Get em In - Get em Out

Multiple projects and results are discussed in the goal to continuously improve patient flow.

SHS StaffingMatrix - A Powerful Tool for Balancing Staffing and Demand

A hospital implements improvements in staffing to hourly changes in RN demand.

SHS Enhancing Performance Excellence: Total Emergency Services Redesign

All processes in an ED are redesigned, with multiple outcomes showing improvement.

SHS The Journey Toward a Lean ED

A 100,000 annual visit hospital ED is redesigned using lean principles. Wait times decrease and pt satisfaction and revenue increases.  Simulation shows further viability of new processes.  This presentation is made by a MD who became a lean coach.

SHS Applying Redesign Principles to Design ED and Hospital Patient Flow Processes

This is an overview of several lean redesign projects in the ED with overall solutions discussed and analyzed.

SHS A Revolution in ED Patient Throughput Management

ED throughput process improvement projects are discussed.  The presenter is a MD.  Several changes are shown with great results.

SHS Going Beyond - Finding New Ways to Analyze Revenue Cycle Performance Improvement

Issues with billing denials can be addressed by creating and addressing a Pareto chart of top reasons for lack of payment.  This is analyzed through implementation.

SHS Creating a Flexible Position Control Process--Linking Management Engineering and Human Resources

Process improvement within the HR department is shown through this project dealing with RN flex staffing.

SHS Using Six Sigma Principles to Reduce Billing Errors

Billing error reduction as a Lean Six Sigma project

SHS Using Six Sigma to Improve ICU Patient Flow

A Lean Six Sigma project focusing on ICU throughput times is completed.  Lessons learned and successes are shared.

SHS Lean Concepts for the Service Industry: Healthcare Pharmacy Example

A lean project is done with a general physician clinic and an outpatient pharmacy; results are discussed.

SHS Improve Outpatient Clinic Access and Service with Lean Six Sigma

A lean project is done at a cardiac clinic.  Problem is to reduce wait time for an appt and cycle time of the appointment.  Results are discussed.

SHS Creating a WOW! Experience At the First Point of Contact

A performance improvement team tackles a call center.  Issues and lessons learned are discussed.

SHS Putting Data Into Action in the Operating Room Setting

New ways to display OR data are proposed in this presentation.

SHS Improving Patient Care - Case Carts and the Operating Room

Reasons for delay in creation of case carts are addressed.  SPD often has inefficient workarounds as part of their daily routine.

SHS Streamlining Your OR

A hospital undertakes a systemic improvement of their OR suite.  The process and final results are detailed.

SHS Optimization of Overtime Costs and Operating Room Utilization

A program is proposed that effectively confronts a majority of the issues with scheduling patient surgeries.

SHS Size Matters; How Big Does Your ED Need to Be?

A Premier consultant discusses lessons learned from performing many Lean ED projects during her career.

SHS Managing Variability in Patient Flow - Data, Process, Sustainability

Methods of confronting and smoothing the variability of patient flow are discussed.

SHS Weekend Services: The Patient is Here, So Why Aren't We?

A 848-bed hospital is experiencing long LOS and targets ancillary service availability as one potential source of improvement. The project discussed tracks the data, demonstrates immediate results, and suggests future improvements.

SHS Optimizing Cargiver Workflow in a New Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

A lean project generated proposals for rescheduling the providers' workload. During testing of the proposals, daily departmental volume was completed significantly earlier in the day.

 

SHS A World of Innovation: Beyond Productivity at The Ohio State University Medical Center

A system-wide reporting tool for each cost center is developed and implemented. It is adopted as part of the budgeting process.

SHS Lean in the Laboratory and Radiology: A Patient Throughput Imperative

Lean improvements within the radiology suite and laboratory workspace yield notable improvements. Project benefits are discussed.

SHS A Better Way to Manage Supplies

Two supply cost projects are described, analyzed, and discussed.

SHS Enhancing Hospital Health Information Management Using Industrial Engineering Tools

Lean principles are utilized during analysis and transformation of a HIM department. Results and lessons learned are discussed.

SHS Under Pressure - Efforts to Reduce Hospital Acquired Bed Sores

Root cause analysis was conducted to determine reasons for bed sores. This presentation and paper is the result of their team's effort. Sustainability and ongoing improvements are discussed.

SHS Sustaining VAP Bundle Compliance in the ICU: A Model of CQI

The IHI Bundle was implemented; metric changes are documented and discussed. Several nursing practices were also changed.

SHS Premium Pay - Are You Paying Too Much for Your Labor?

HCA discusses its methodology for monitoring its usage of premium pay to ensure they use as little as possible.

SHS Connecting the Revenue Cycle to the World Wide Web

A pre-registration Internet interface was successfully developed. Lessons learned and sustainability are also discussed.

SHS Reducing Inventory Waste Through Material Pull

A pull system is implemented within a surgical suite, saving on inventory cost. Other accomplishments and lessons learned are discussed.

SHS Lessons Learned Implementing Lean Sigma in Healthcare

Any organization implementing lean six sigma will experience both success and failure. This presentation describes some of the "growing pains" of one system, as well as a methodical demonstration of the lean tools utilized in their improvement efforts.

SHS Beginning a Hospital Lean Improvement Journey in the Clinical Laboratory

Motivation is made for performing lean improvements within the lab.

SHS A Six Sigma Approach to Denials Management

Payment denials were decreased, resulting in a cost savings of $1.6 million annually. This project steps through the list of improvements made.

SHS Using Lean Techniques to Improve Turnaround Time and First Case Starts in the Operating Room

Turnarounds and first case starts are improved using a variety of lean techniques. Sustainability, achievement of buy-in and metric details are also discussed.

SHS Improving Surgical Services Through Enhanced Ancillary Support

Lean improvement projects are performed within the supplies delivery function of a surgical services suite.

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