Intelligence Unit
Special Reports
Special Events
Subscribe/Buy
Sponsored
Departments
- Leadership
- Finance
- Technology
- Physicians
- Community Hospitals
- Health Plans
- Marketing
- Quality
- Nursing
- HR
Follow Us
DEMYSTIFYING PATIENT THROUGHPUT TO OPTIMIZE REVENUE & PATIENT SATISFACTION
Zimmerman, April 25, 2004
It’s not about increasing bed capacity, it’s about optimal patient placement.
In the 1990’s, conventional wisdom indicated that widespread HMO coverage would diminish future utilization in the nation’s hospitals. Hospitals responded by consolidating services, reclassifying beds and closing hospitals. However, this prognostication has proven untrue as the American public “voted out” HMOs in favor of PPOs. Since PPOs are a less stringent gatekeeper, utilization of services has risen steadily and the industry is in the midst of a capacity and patient throughput crisis. Problems with patient throughput have resulted in lost revenue, ineffective policies and procedures, and dissatisfied patients.
In response to the increased patient demand for services, many hospitals are redesigning patient flow and facing a wide array of unsolved issues. These issues include overcapacity, diversions to competitor facilities, excessive wait times, poor bed placement control and a poor discharge process.
By Patricia Kloehn, Executive Vice President, West Coast Region
Zimmerman
www.zimmermanrcm.com
In the 1990’s, conventional wisdom indicated that widespread HMO coverage would diminish future utilization in the nation’s hospitals. Hospitals responded by consolidating services, reclassifying beds and closing hospitals. However, this prognostication has proven untrue as the American public “voted out” HMOs in favor of PPOs. Since PPOs are a less stringent gatekeeper, utilization of services has risen steadily and the industry is in the midst of a capacity and patient throughput crisis. Problems with patient throughput have resulted in lost revenue, ineffective policies and procedures, and dissatisfied patients.
In response to the increased patient demand for services, many hospitals are redesigning patient flow and facing a wide array of unsolved issues. These issues include overcapacity, diversions to competitor facilities, excessive wait times, poor bed placement control and a poor discharge process.
By Patricia Kloehn, Executive Vice President, West Coast Region
Zimmerman
www.zimmermanrcm.com
Most Viewed
Most Emailed
- Urologists 'Outraged' Over PSA Test Challenge
- New Facebook Page Gathers Stories of Medical Harm
- Luxury Hospital Facilities Put Patient Experience First
- Five Hospitals Share Three Secrets to Improve Knee Surgery Outcomes
- Heartland Health Joins Mayo Clinic Network
- Beleaguered Fairview Health CEO to Retire in July
- Health Insurance Exchanges Put Defined Benefits to the Test
- Challenging Physicians to Help Improve the ED
- For hospitals and insurers, new fervor to cut costs
- The Power of Plugged-In Physicians
