Case Studies
The American Hospital Association produces case studies on its member organizations across a wide range of health-care topics.
The organization sought to create a root cause analysis (RCA) structure that endowed greater focus, efficiency and effectiveness in the process. The health system had already broadly implemented a Lean Six Sigma-based (LSS) approach to quality improvement, which led to tremendous gains for the…
The organization used both discrete event and live simulation methodologies to ensure the smooth relocation of a perioperative services department. Within the Lean Six Sigma Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC) framework, it examined current state process mapping, future state process…
Evidence-based practice supports early goal-directed therapy for patients with sepsis. Improving identification of and intervention methods for septic patients in the emergency department (ED) and inpatient units enhances patient safety, while reducing costs and mortality. By using Lean Six Sigma…
The 2012 New England Compounding Center tragedy and ongoing drug shortages have caused a dramatic increase in internal compounding at many tertiary hospital pharmacies. These increased demands, coupled with intravenous (IV) compounding room space constraints, exposed significant opportunity to…
Studies show lipase to be as sensitive as and more specific than amylase in diagnosing pancreatitis; performing amylase with lipase adds no value over lipase testing alone. Nonetheless, analysis of a tertiary emergency department (with 70,000 visits per year) between January and April 2014 revealed…
The CK-MB Test is a traditional blood test of a cardiac marker used to assist in the diagnosis of life-threatening acute coronary syndrome. Recent evidence shows that CK-MB testing adds no incremental benefit over troponin in such diagnostic assessments, although the two tests are frequently…
This project has decreased cycle time for medication reconciliation at time of admission and for documentation of the home medication list. The organization utilizes enhanced electronic health record functionality and pharmacy students hired as medication reconciliation technicians, who contact…
Surgical site infections (SSI) lead to patient suffering, morbidity and mortality, extended length of stay and avoidable costs of additional care. SSI rates are disproportionately higher among patients following colorectal surgery, occurring in 5 to 45 percent of cases at an average cost of $26,000…
Operational and physician leaders identified an opportunity to decrease the use of off-site telemetry monitors. Evidence indicated that decreasing use would reduce cost, increase the number of available beds and decrease alarm fatigue. The issue was further prioritized by the problems caused when…
The goal was to reduce delay in patient care by decreasing patient wait times for a CT exam from requested time to start time in the emergency department. Process defects were identified as CT exams that a patient was not ready for and point of care testing not being used on patients who required…