RESUMEN
Recent data suggest unnecessary medical testing and treatment is relatively common in Canada. A number of harms to patients can arise as a result of unnecessary tests and treatments. In addition to patient harm, unnecessary tests and treatments add to the cost of medical care. Inspired by the Choosing Wisely campaign, St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, developed a hospital-wide program to address many different forms of overutilization at our hospital. The program prioritizes harm reduction over cost-containment and aims to create sustainable change through grassroots clinician engagement. This article will review important lessons learned from the St. Michael's experience.
Asunto(s)
Procedimientos Innecesarios/estadística & datos numéricos , Control de Costos , Costos de Hospital , Hospitales/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Ontario , Procedimientos Innecesarios/economíaRESUMEN
In response to a challenging financial environment and increasing patient demand, St. Michael's Hospital needed to find long-term sustainable solutions to continue to provide high-quality patient care and invest in key priorities. By conducting Operational Reviews in focused areas, the hospital achieved $7.4 million of in-year savings in the first year, found standardizations, process efficiencies and direct cost savings that positioned itself for success in future funding models. Initiatives were grounded in evidence and relied heavily on the effective execution by the leadership, front-line staff and physicians. As organizations face similar challenges, this journey can provide key learnings.
Asunto(s)
Ahorro de Costo/métodos , Hospitales de Enseñanza/economía , Auditoría Administrativa/métodos , Desarrollo de Programa , Hospitales Religiosos/economía , Hospitales Religiosos/organización & administración , Hospitales de Enseñanza/organización & administración , OntarioRESUMEN
Emergency department (ED) overcrowding and long wait times are major concerns in health systems the world over. Many ED-focused innovations--such as revising staff mix, improving internal processes and exploiting decision-support software--have been implemented to address these complex problems, often with limited success. Beginning in 2008, St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, which had some of the most challenging ED overcrowding and longest wait times in Ontario, has charted a different course. By taking an organization-wide corporate approach to the challenge of patient flow throughout the hospital, St. Michael's has significantly improved key ED flow metrics for both its admitted and non-admitted patients.