- Respond to at your classmates’ or your instructor’s posts. Your responses should include elements such as follow-up questions, a further exploration of topics from the initial post, or requests for further clarification or explanation on some points made.
Peers # 1
The Triple Aim is a framework developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement back in 2007 with the intention to assist healthcare systems in optimizing performance, reducing costs, and improving patient care through a variety of interventions and metrics (Norman, 2020). According to Norman (2020), achieving the Triple Aim is crucial to the success of healthcare organizations that are moving toward value-based payment systems.
One of the primary goals of the Triple Aim is to improve the experience patients have when they are interacting with the healthcare system (Norman, 2020). Before a healthcare system can improve patient experience, they must assess the overall health of the communities they serve, identify any existing concerns, and assess overall mortality (Norman, 2020). One example of how healthcare systems are improving patient experience is with the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs). EHRs lead to increased patient satisfaction because they reduce wait times, decreased unnecessary tests and immunizations, improve communication with patients, encourage patients to take ownership of their health, and provide patients with quick, easy access to their health information (HealthIT, 2019).
Another goal of the Triple Aim is reducing cost. The United States has the most expensive healthcare system in the world, and while the cost of healthcare services is rising, the quality of those services is not (Norman, 2020). This component of the Triple Aim encourages healthcare organizations to find ways to reduce the cost of care while increasing quality, as well as identifying at-risk populations and addressing concerns of the community (Norman, 2020). One example of how healthcare systems can reduce cost is by leveraging technology (Tomlin, 2020). The use of technology can bring efficiencies to scheduling and increase patient compliance that ultimately leads to lower costs. One study found that hospitals using perioperative mobile apps can save up to $300 per procedure through a 40 percent reduction in same-day cancellations (Tomlin, 2020).
The third goal of the Triple Aim is improving population health. Understanding what the most likely reasons would be for members of a specific population to engage with the healthcare system can help organizations preemptively develop strategies to offset costs and provide improved, patient centered, and coordinated care (Norman, 2020). An example of how healthcare systems are improving population health is through community-based partnerships. Bringing healthcare providers, educators, business leaders, social service providers, community organizations, and clergy together to promote health behavior, improve access to primary and preventative care, and reduce health disparities have been proven to increase population health (Hostetter & Klein, n.d.). In South Carolina, there is a program that relies on volunteers to implement screening programs for blood pressure and diabetes, provide peer-to-peer health coaching, and build community gardens where vegetables are in short supply (Hostetter & Klein, n.d.).
Peers # 2
The Triple Aim framework was developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement that describes an approach to optimizing health system performance (IHI, 2020). The three different aims all cater to their own mission. Respectively, they all focus on bettering the health care system overall and the patient care as well. Aim #1, improve the patient experience of care is tremendously important. An example for this aim would be doing surveys for patient satisfaction and seeing where the levels are at and improving on that. If patients are saying wait times are too long, then creating a plan to decrease wait times will help patient satisfaction. Aim #2, the health of populations, tending to different groups of individuals and being more accessible, will create a wider network of patients. Researching where certain populations are lowerAim #3, reduce the per capital cost of health care, involves many different aspects. When it comes to financials of a hospital, costs and budgets are the priority. If saving can be done within a hospital, the organization will try to find the most appropriate solution. For example, if there is no cardiology department or speciality, then referrals to that hospital wouldn’t tend to certain cardiac tests or procedures and certain cardiac equipment would not be necessary for the budget.
Reference:
IHI. (2020). Triple Aim Initiative. http://www.ihi.org/Engage/Initiatives/TripleAim/Pa…
Peers # 3
I think the most effective action to control healthcare costs is to consolidate freight across manufacturers. This entails combining shipments from multiple manufacturers which are bound for the same destination. Most truckloads only run at 65% capacity. Converting those trucks to full truck loads increases the amount of supplies delivered in one trip and cuts down on the product going through multiple changes which also results in less damage and losses. (Doone, 2014).
As an administrator one can have influence to implement consolidating freight across manufacturers. Presenting data on the potential cost savings that can occur as a result of consolidating the freight can build a case to implement the action. Not only do organizations need to stay competitive, but also the manufacturers. Administrators presenting the benefits of a freight consolidation program will demonstrate that it will cut costs down not only for the organization, but also for the manufacturers shipping products.
I think having a low inventory may cause issues in the long run which may impact patient care. I think there needs to be a balance between having enough inventory, but also not too much or too little. I think back to when the pandemic started and there were shortages in PPE such as facemasks, N95s, and gowns. I think it is important to be in a position to respond to a sudden change, but also not be overstocked where supplies will be wasted. In addition, I think there needs to be a manner to monitor stock and rotate the stock so the oldest supplies are utilized first.
I think an alternative manner that could be effective in decreasing spending in the supply chain is to automate manual processes. Human errors can contribute to increased spending in the supply chain. Inaccurate ordering or data collection can lead to ordering excess supplies or too little supplies. Organizations need to have a manner to accurate capture data related to the supply chain. (Wilson, 2021).
Peers # 4
Quality patient care provided efficiently in healthcare organization is important to achieve positive outcome, but it comes with a cost. Having the sufficient amount of supplies to treat patient is an ongoing problem in healthcare industry. The most effective way to improve healthcare costs is to eliminate excess inventory (Doone, 2014). Having too much inventory in the shelves can cost a lot of money instead of allocating the budget in taking care of the patient (Doone,2014). Maintaining excess inventory is rampant in the healthcare settings to prevent lack of supply when it is backordered or not available. If the staff in-charge of keeping supply will do research on how many of a certain supply is needed for a certain amount of time will prevent hoarding and having excessive supply that will expire at certain time. Keeping a track of usage of a certain product from one end of supply chain to another can help to reduce the cost and prevent excess inventory (Doone, 2014).
One way of preventing excess supply is to have a warehouse supply that will deliver the supply requested within 1 to 2 days after request or orders have been submitted. If the request or orders will be delivered within few days, it will prevent hoarding of supply. I am in charge of ordering supplies in the Operating Room and the supplies gets used daily for certain supply and I will order extra for that particular item to prevent shortage and not able to perform the surgery. Keeping inventory of frequently used items and seldom used will keep supplies being used and prevent them from being expired. We also do borrow supplies from other facilities and return them when our order arrives and same token when they ran out of a certain supply. Having a person in charge of ordering will prevent having excess supply in the shelves. As a healthcare administrator, I will implement the same plan to prevent hoarding or having excess supplies in the shelves. Having a shelves that is glass covered to see the number of supplies inside the shelves and prevent over ordering supplies and save money. Practice the first-in, first-out idea to prevent waste by having expired product which will cost a lot of money. Regular checking of expired item or keeping track of expiration dates. Keeping a par level and order if below the par level will also help having over supply in the shelves.
Supply chain and medical devices are so costly, so it is better to have better alignment to meet the growing challenges in healthcare and having a flexible design or solutions to be more cost-effective (Doone, 2014). Implementing cost effective strategies will be challenging but it is possible to achieve and have success in the new fast -changing world of technology in healthcare organizations. Operation planning to target initiatives and projects to help improve processes on how to best use the facility resources (Langabeer & Helton, 2016). Having a short-term and long-term plan will ultimately drive improved financial productivity and result of operation to help in cost-effective projects.
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