Manage Labor Costs While Improving Patient Care
The Impact of Throughput on Labor Cost
Improving hospital throughput maximizes the use of hospital assets – time, space, capacity, equipment, and human assets. Maximizing those assets leads to significant productivity gains. When throughput is increased, unnecessary work can be eliminated and existing staff can process added patient volume more effectively.
Throughput improvement is especially effective for hospitals experiencing or anticipating substantial growth or for hospitals approaching the limits of their capacity.
The Added Benefits
Increasing patient services throughput simultaneously achieves important corollary objectives, such as:
- Increased capacity
- Improved patient satisfaction
- Improved physician satisfaction
- Decreased length of stay
Four Common Areas of Focus
Although Compass Clinical Consulting can conduct house-wide throughput initiatives, it is usually best to focus efforts where the greatest benefits can accrue. The following four areas most often present this kind of opportunity:
- Emergency Department
- Perioperative Services
- Inpatient Units
- Outpatient Diagnostic Imaging
When strategically executed, throughput work can produce quick wins as well as sustainable systemic improvements.
Filed Under: Financial Performance
Case studies to learn more about ways in which Compass Clinical has worked to create better American hospitals.