BTS collaboration helps Mercy Iowa City reduce Cath Lab supply use
Mercy Hospital Iowa City is a 234-bed acute care community hospital and regional referral center for southeast Iowa, providing a full range of medical services. Opened in 1873, it is a not-for-profit corporation owned by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Regional Province of Chicago.
Situation:
At Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, additional savings are always welcome in the area of supply utilization.
Solution:
The hospital cath lab team participated in Premier’s Collaborative Breakthrough Series (BTS), aiming to reduce diagnostic and interventional supply expense by 2 percent. The BTS uses the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s model for improvement. Participants commit to collaborate with peers from other healthcare organizations to accelerate improvements and implement changes that will significantly improve operations and potentially eliminate millions of dollars of unnecessary expenses.
Result:
The hospital achieved estimated annual savings $240,000. Through successful teamwork, savings were achieved by reducing utilization, in some cases more than 20 percent; negotiating new contracts; and changing products.
"Premier provided lots of value in many different areas which all add
up. The Breakthrough Series benchmarking targets, as well as established
worksheets and strategies, helped the team reaffirm what they were doing well
and provided the confidence necessary to tackle areas identified for further
improvement."
Greg Kuntz
Cardiovascular Services Manager
Mercy Hospital Iowa City