XcellenceFirst performance improvement can positively impact large healthcare organizations to small physician practices. XFI leverages a Lean/Six Sigma approach and because of this type of approach, a variety of projects can be undertaken with success. Despite so much attention being placed in recent years on technology, ultimately, solid processes are essential for any organization to thrive in these uncertain times.
If we look at USA rankings on the effectiveness and efficiency of care delivery, it is clear that the country lags well behind other countries and despite medical advances; we have much work to do more to become more efficient in our delivery approach. The Joint Commission recently recognized the value of Lean/Six Sigma; this gesture validates not only the need for improvement strategies but the merit that Lean/Six Sigma in particular offers.
Only one variable can be maximized or minimized in a system with limited resources. A goal of producing the highest possible quality of care at the lowest possible price “does not compute.” Therefore, health care’s strategic decision makers must decide whether efficiency or effectiveness is the variable to be optimized by their organization. Mark Hagland
Leadership must think creatively and strategically to improve efficiency, delivery and quality of care.
XFI consultants will use Lean/Six Sigma along with other techniques to address:
- Process redesign with technology implementations
- Operational requirements such as Length of Stay, Left without Being Seen, Staffing and Acuity load balance
- Transitions in care leveraging standards such as Project Red
- Pathway to Baldridge
- Lean culture transformation and “seeding” of Lean/Six Sigma as a quality strategy into organizations
- Also part of the Process Improvement repertoire is a focus on Human Factors Engineering. Together with our analyst resource pool we will streamline your data entry/documentation process for less clinical time spent at the workstation and more time at the bedside
Lean/Six Sigma organizations can reap benefits that yield greater throughput, improved turnaround times, and improved clinical outcomes as a secondary benefit of having appropriate staff-workload balance.
Process improvement can also assist organizations as they adjust to the demands of the Affordable Care Act, Meaningful Use as well as other regulatory initiatives. By addressing processes as part of a technology implementation, total transformation can be achieved.