Healthcare Headache or Improvement Opportunity?
As we move forward, the healthcare industry will be serving a double edged sword, and in an effort to reduce or eliminate the pain, the MAGNUMUS need for process improvement and quality metrics is ESSENTIAL. Specifically in these times it is necessary to eliminate non-value added items. Times are tough for all, and to reduce waste is paramount.
As the baby boom generation ages, the US will see the majority of its population in their senior years. Adding to the already short supply of medical professionals, the increasing services that will be needed, if not already overwhelming, will be out of control. To add to that, President Obama's Healthcare plan, which is an overall positive effort to improve quality, will unfortunately increase regulation, policies, and constraints on the industry. Thus, causing another dramatic financial burden on all facilities.
Process improvement consultants can design and implement real solutions that draw on an organization's collective know-how to deliver proven results to healthcare organizations. Process performance improvement firms can and will provide value added consulting and implementation services that target bottom line results in quality of care, efficiency, patient satisfaction and organizational improvement. Returns on investments have succeeded 200%.
Many hospitals look inward to their own organizations, imbedded in the medical profession to make these changes occur. That may have some immediate benefit, but to embrace continuous improvement and to keep pace with the industry, it is necessary to look outside the box. GO LEAN with those that are experts in Lean Six Sigma, who just may have had their roots in manufacturing.
A sampling of what six sigma and process improvement firms can do for your facility:
Increased Patient Satisfaction and Care
• Higher satisfaction scores
• Fewer complaints
• Reduced wait times and variation
Increased Physician Satisfaction
• Fewer physician complaints
• Dramatically improved throughput
• Reduced scheduling delays
Reduced Costs / Cost savings
• Better financials and higher annual savings
• Less rework and waste
• Better recruiting and retention power - both clinical and administrative
• More efficient emergency departments
• Fewer medical errors
Applying Lean Six Sigma Tools will eliminate the waste now placing you in a better position as our country's demographics as well as government policies continue to change.
About the Author:
Marie Ketaner is the co-founder of QUALACO, Inc., a Total Quality Management Consulting firm, specializing in Process Performance Improvement. She manages the direct daily business operations for the firm, and is directly responsible for managing its client base and overseeing projects that directly relate to Process Performance Improvement , Supplier Quality and Root Cause Analysis Program Development.
www.qualaco.com
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423
Date Published :
Feb 18 2009