5. Evaluate impact.
Even before you implement a solution, select metrics to measure impact and set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals. As your implementation moves forward, do not let up or give up – continue to evaluate impact, remove barriers, refine your solution to get back on track if needed, and constantly communicate to share ongoing project results and lessons learned.
6. Sustain improvements.
Sustainable improvements require well-designed solutions integrated into provider workflow, but that is just the first step. Once you demonstrate the impact, consider including the metric (e.g., telemetry or urinary catheter utilization) in your team and/or individual provider performance dashboard, regularly reviewing and discussing performance during your team meetings to maintain engagement, and if needed, making improvements to get back on track.
Successful adoption of high-value care practices requires a disciplined approach to design and implement solutions that are patient-centric, evidence-based, data-driven and integrated in provider workflow.
Dr. Farah is a hospitalist, Physician Advisor, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. She is a performance improvement consultant based in Corvallis, Ore., and a member of The Hospitalist’s editorial advisory board.
References
1. From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: National Health Expenditure Projections 2018-2027.
2. Peterson-Kaiser Health System Tracker: How does health spending in the U.S. compare to other countries?
3. Creating a new culture of care, in “Best care at lower cost: The path to continuously learning health care in America.” (Washington: National Academies Press, 2013, pp. 255-80).
4. Choosing Wisely: SHM – Adult Hospital Medicine
5. Qaseem A et al. Appropriate use of screening and diagnostic tests to foster high-value, cost-conscious care. Ann Intern Med. 2012 Jan 17;156(2):147-9. 6. Cho HJ et al. Right care in hospital medicine: Co-creation of ten opportunities in overuse and underuse for improving value in hospital medicine. J Gen Intern Med. 2018 Jun;33(6):804-6. 7. Wray CM et al. Improving value by reducing unnecessary telemetry and urinary catheter utilization in hospitalized patients. Am J Med. 2017 Sep;130(9):1037-41.