4 Tips to Improve Hospital Bottom Lines without Cutting Staff

Dec. 18, 2008 - PRLog -- WESTLAND, MI—Not even health care is immune to current economic conditions.  As a result, hospitals are reducing staff to control their increasing loses.  One consulting firm suggests this is a bad idea.
Reducing staff in an industry that is so reliant on people can have serious consequences.  Especially with factors such as a nursing shortage and the increasing importance of patient satisfaction—which studies show is strongly correlated with employee satisfaction.  Layoffs incur direct costs to organizations in the form of severance pay, human resource time and potential litigations.  Down the road additional costs could show up when conditions improve and it comes time to replace those let go.  The cost of recruiting and training new staff is often underestimated.
Unfortunately many hospitals feel they have no other choice but to reduce staff.  They’re usually in a position where they don’t have time to find alternatives or simply don’t have the staff to do it.  To help this dilemma, Enovasis Healthcare Solutions offers a several tips in its most recent healthcare improvement newsletter that hospitals should consider before getting out the axe.
Assessing transfer DRG payments, ensuring proper documentation, making “three-day rule” corrections and preventing falls are all tactics that can all quickly contribute to a healthy bottom line.  More tips and details can be found at www.MichiganHealthcareImprovement.com/NewsandTools.html.
“Cutting more jobs will only worsen the economy,” says Barbara O’Connell, Principal of Enovasis Healthcare Solutions.  “We want to do something to help hospitals use staff cuts as a last resort and maintain morale and appropriate staffing levels to better serve their patients.”  
About Enovasis, LLC
Enovasis Healthcare Solutions is a consulting firm specializing in finding unique, cost-effective and ready-to-implement opportunities to improve hospital performance.  Its experts rely on methods such as data analysis and process studies to uncover hidden opportunities in the areas of finance, quality and patient satisfaction.  For more information, visit www.enovasis.com.

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Enovasis Healthcare Solutions is a consulting firm specializing in finding unique, cost-effective and ready-to-implement opportunities to improve hospital performance. Its experts rely on methods such as data analysis and process studies to uncover hidden opportunities in the areas of finance, quality and patient satisfaction. For more information, visit www.enovasis.com.