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Cardiovascular benchmarking saves hospital nearly $897,000
Insights
Erlanger Medical Center achieved significant cost savings by implementing standardized cardiac care paths. Treating cardiovascular surgeons as a unit improved efficiency, reducing patient stays and supply costs by $896,000.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Clinical Operations
- Health Economics
Background:
- Erlanger Medical Center sought to optimize cardiac patient care pathways.
- Benchmarking revealed the need to standardize surgeon practices for efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To implement evidence-based care paths for cardiac patients.
- To achieve financial savings through improved operational efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Internal benchmarking of cardiovascular surgeon practices.
- External benchmarking against high-performing regional and national hospitals.
- Development and incorporation of best practices into new care plans.
Main Results:
- Identified best practices through combined internal and external benchmarking.
- Successfully implemented standardized care plans for cardiac patients.
- Achieved $896,000 in savings through reduced length of stay, improved utilization, and supply chain standardization.
Conclusions:
- Standardized care paths, informed by benchmarking, are effective for cardiac patient management.
- Consolidating surgeon practices into a unified approach drives significant cost savings.
- Operational efficiencies in healthcare delivery can be realized through strategic benchmarking and implementation.
Abstract:
When Chattanooga, TN-based Erlanger Medical Center wanted to implement care paths for cardiac patients, its benchmarking team found it had to treat its cardiovascular surgeons as one unit rather than as individual practitioners. Best practices emerged as a combination of internal benchmarking and study of care paths from top performing hospitals in the region and nationally. When incorporated in Erlanger's new care plans, these practices netted savings of $896,000 through reduced stays, utilization, and standardization of supplies and processes.