Nurs Econ
-
A process improvement initiative aimed at decreasing emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) and thereby improving patient satisfaction was implemented. Any attempt to improve ED LOS requires intense focus on the goal and involvement of many departments of the hospital. While the LOS targets were not met, decreasing the LOS to the achieved levels resulted in the highest levels of patient satisfaction ever achieved and sustained in the ED.
-
Comparative Study
The effects of preferred provider organizations on costs and utilization of hysterectomy.
In this study, the costs and service utilization of preferred provider organizations (PPOs) were compared against traditional indemnity plans with similar benefits and utilization review for hysterectomy, a potentially overused procedure. PPOs were associated with significant cost savings, achieved primarily through lower utilization rates.
-
In an era that is primarily focused on cost reduction and outpatient facility development, justification for inpatient unit expansion projects is an issue that plagues most nurse managers. Championing Change encourages nursing leaders to develop business plans that highlights their endeavors. This concept was developed after witnessing first-hand a futile attempt to expand intermediate intensive care beds and telemetry monitoring capabilities on a neurology/neurosurgical unit. The experience of one unsuccessful quest of an expansion endeavor is discussed.