How a three-campus heart service line improves clinical processes and outcomes

In 1993, Intermountain Health Care's three Salt Lake Valley Hospitals formed service lines in four clinical areas, one of which was heart services. After experimenting with various organizational structures, the Salt Lake Valley Hospitals formed a cardiac executive council and three specialty work teams--the clinical process and outcome, satisfaction, and resource teams--to allow for unified planning and greater teamwork. CASE STUDY--OPEN HEART TEAM: The team mapped out the current process and identified areas for potential improvement in the care of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. One of the key processes selected for study was extubation. Patients were extubated for an average of 20.41 hours (range, 6 to 120 hours). Analysis of practice patterns demonstrated that extubation was related to staffing patterns, not the patient's readiness. The team created a weaning path, which reduced extubation time to an average of 8.89 hours.

A common vision and an organized structure to support integrated services is essential. Cross-training of staff helps ensure that the same standards of care apply across the three campuses. Even when the medical staff and hospital departments each have their own structures for dealing with quality issues, cohesiveness among physicians treating a certain group of patients, such as cardiac patients, can be promoted. In conclusion, a "cardiac culture" that is evident throughout the three hospitals promotes performance improvement.