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Fistulas May Save a Fist Full of Dollars
Georgia’s regional nephrology team cut the time dialysis patients spent on chest catheters by 13 percent.
- Dialysis patients with a fistula in their forearm have lower infection rates than those who use chest catheters.
- Educating patients about the benefits of a fistula versus a catheter to deliver the dialysis
Teamwork Keeps Inventory in Check
This pharmacy team reduced the cost of expired medications by 90 percent after partnering with data specialists to identify and remove outdated drugs from the shelf.
- Keeping outdated medications in stock is a waste of money and a potential safety hazard if dispensed to patients.
- Unit-based team members worked with pharmacy analysts to identify slow moving medications and monitored the inventory to avoid over-stocking them.
How to Boost Team Morale
Improved workflow and coordination help a short-staffed telemetry team reduce overtime and schedule an RN to cover them while on break, boosting staff morale.
- Overtime costs can put a dent in department budgets and overworked employees are at greater risk for workplace injuries.
- Scheduling a relief RN to cover staff members on break, reducing the frequency of missed breaks
Raise Awareness to Reduce Costs
This Behavioral Health team improved care and saved $1 million by educating patients about Emergency Department use.
- By educating members about their care options, we reduce our reliance on expensive outside providers and improve service and access, ensuring that patients receive the right care at the right time.
- Team members analyzed claims data for the 20 patients who had the highest number of Emergency Department visits
Costco and Goldilocks Inspire Savings
This outpatient pharmacy team saved more than $1 million in five months by increasing bulk purchasing and ordering just the right amount—no more, no less—of high-cost medications for members.
- By ordering the right amount of drugs, the pharmacy saved money and helped keep KP affordable for our members.
- Working with pharmacists to better manage the ordering of specialty drugs
Team Works Out New Gym
This UBT went from meetings with a handful of representatives to including the entire team, which helped it complete a major project.
- Getting everyone involved in team projects leads to improved results and more buy-in from UBT members.
- Including the entire department in UBT meetings, projects and decisions
Oversight Reduces Scanning Errors
This team ensured accuracy in scanned documents by educating team mates and openly learning from mistakes.
- Document errors can lead to problems with quality and service.
- In-service to demonstrate proper scanning workflow
Provide Care With Secondary Tubing
By using secondary tubing , which can be just as safe as primary tubing for many IV uses, this team saved a bunch of money.
- When not medically necessary, primary tubing is wasteful.
- Switching from primary tubing to secondary tubing, whenever appropriate
Spread the Love and Loyalty
After making outreach calls to new members before their first appointments, this team saw their service scores soar.
- A welcoming environment builds loyalty in KP.
- Teaching everyone the importance of welcoming new members
Reduce Stock of On-Hands
Purging its excess supply of rarely used pharmaceuticals helped this team keep costs under control.
- Spending money on little-used items is not effective.
- Working with providers to reduce costs and quantities of meds
Stretch to Workplace Safety
Materials Management team drastically reduced workplace injuries when it involved the whole team in healthy prevention strategies, including start-of-shift stretches.
- On-the-job injuries are preventable and costly.
- Adding a stretch routine to daily morning huddles
Calls Resonate for Ultrasounds
Patients did a better job of showing up for appointments when members of this Radiology team simply called to remind them.
- No-shows adversely affect care and the entire lab.
- Dividing reminder calls among several staffers