Improving revenue and profit by expediting patient throughput

Session
Emergency Services

Authors
Jim Smith
Senior Consulting Manager
IMA Consulting

Susan Werthem
Consulting Manager
IMA Consulting

Description
Each time hospitals go on diversion, revenue opportunities are lost and physician / patient / hospital relations are jeopardized. Beyond theory, this presentation will offer "real-life" proven strategies for managing patient throughput. By the end of the session, participants will understand the essentials of a successful hospital-wide patient throughput initiative.

Abstract
The inability to consistently accept patient admissions through the front door or ambulance patients through the back door resulted in lost revenue for one 500-bed regional EMS referral hospital. Additional earnings were lost when patients and / or physicians switched to the competition for future health care needs. Over a two-year period this facility's Capacity Project Team identified and addressed the issues contributing to the patient capacity challenges, resulting in a 75 percent reduction in hospital bypass hours while increasing admissions by 22 percent and revenue by 25 percent.

We will explore ways in which "real-life" proven strategies, as described in a feature article published in the September 2002 issue of Modern Healthcare, can benefit your organization. Paybacks include improved customer satisfaction and increased revenue and patient volume.

Topics include:

Developing an access command center with a peak census plan and code system for critical communication
Establishing a leadership response team
Dealing with cultural resistance
Selling capacity strategies to the medical staff and senior hospital leadership
Measuring effectiveness and retaining the gains
Incorporation of throughput objectives into leadership pay for performance plans

Improving patient throughput prepares your organization to maintain or gain market share while reducing patient wait times.