snapshots of change how ubts are getting results examples of operational success june 2012

SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE

How UBTs are getting resultsExamples of operational success

June 2012

SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE Frederick Medical Center UBT

Clinic makes KP.org sign-ups easy for members

WHAT THEY DOInstead of having receptionists, clinical assistants and providers all taking time to register members on KP.org during appointments, this Mid-Atlantic States team has receptionists or clinical assistants collect member email addresses. Then they begin the on-line registration process for members during their downtime, thus avoiding long lines and clinical delays.

Members who use kp.org are more satisfied with their care and more likely to stay with KP.

Visit LMPartnership.org for ideas and tools for your team.

SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE Inpatient Transportation

Transporting patients on the fast track

WHAT THEY DOThis team moves patients around and out of the San Diego Medical Center faster and easier by:

» positioning gurneys and wheelchairs where needed on various floors

» cleaning and preparing equipment immediately after each use

» using downtime to check the equipment and put fresh sheets and blankets on gurneys

» designating a staff member to ensure equipment is in its proper place


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE

Morale and service go hand in hand at busy call center

WHAT THEY DOThis Silver Spring, Md, team manages high volumes of anxious members seeking medical attention or advice. To help staff members deal with their own stress and frustrations, the team created a series of fun, healthy diversions: “crazy hat day,” a ’70s costume contest and lunch-time karaoke, among other things.

Clinical Call Center


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE

Fighting the flu face-to-face

WHAT THEY DIDThis facility-wide UBT in Orange County encouraged employees to get vaccinated by:

•distributing fliers and emails to tell employees about the vaccines, vaccinations and where to get them

•conducting face-to-face discussions with co-workers and physicians about the safety of the vaccine

•providing free and easy access to vaccinations via a mobile flu cart with an assigned LVN during all shifts

•offering the FluMist® alternative for employees who don’t like needles

Santa Ana Medical Office Building UBT


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE

Bolder communication helps diagnose malnutrition

WHAT THEY DOTo improve the identification and diagnosis of hospital patients who are clinically malnourished so they can receive treatment, this Roseville, Calif., unit-based team:

•uses key phrases in their patient assessments and bolds the recommended diagnosis, to better catch the physician’s attention

•sends messages with the dietitian’s evaluation and recommendation directly to physician

•verbally communicates with physicians when clinical dietitians see they are available


Clinical Nutrition

SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE

Better workflow helps control blood pressures

WHAT THEY DIDThis UBT in Largo, Md., got more hypertensive patients’ blood pressure under control by:

•developing specialized scripts for the clinical nursing assistants (CNAs), who manage the schedule for blood pressure checks and make outreach calls to patients with hypertension

•developing scripts for the receptionists, who make appointment reminder calls

•sending patients with elevated blood pressure to nurse practitioners for management

•referring patients with complex blood pressure medication management for additional consultation


Primary Care

SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE Landscape Maintenance

Team overcomes barriers to complete KP’s health assessment

WHAT THEY DIDThis Oakland Medical Center UBT overcame barriers by:

» helping team members with limited English language and computer skills sign up at KP.org

» highlighting the health benefits of completing KP’s total health assessment (THA)

» emphasizing that completing the THA is a wellness goal of Northern California’s Performance Sharing Program (PSP)


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE

Teams spread successful practices via webinars

WHAT THEY DOEVS workers in the Northern California region connect bimonthly up via webinars to keep with the region’s goals and to share practices. Some of the practices that have been adopted as a result include:

•tent cards and “right words at the right time,” used by workers to identify themselves and better communicate with the patients whose rooms they clean

•standardized room and cart set-ups

•new ways of communicating, identifying and recognizing safe work practices

Environmental Services


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE

Team takes on health assessment goal with workshops and Zumba

WHAT THEY DOThis Fontana, Calif., unit-based team:

•provides onsite Healthy Workforce training on how to take the total health assessment (THA)

•provides a healthy activity—a monthly Zumba-style exercise class, for example—and in conjunction with the activity, provides time to complete the assessment

RESULTSHealthy living is catching on! Employees are wearing pedometers to see how many steps they can take in a day as they work, and they now are taking quick walks together every day during lunch. Visit LMPartnership.org for ideas and tools

for your team.

Ophthalmology

SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE Ambulatory Surgery Center, Colorado

Missed antibiotic orders greatly reduced

WHAT THEY DOBefore patients at the surgery center in Colorado are sent to an operating room, a pre-operative nurse and an OR nurse together review a checklist that includes last-minute orders from physicians. Previously, only one nurse reviewed the list. The team rarely misses antibiotics orders now that two nurses review the list.


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE East Bay Scanning Center, Northern California

Cross-training speeds entry of medical records

WHAT THEY DOEmployees are trained to do all jobs in the department, so any member of the team can jump in when and where needed to prepare and review paper records, scan and index records, and do any of the other tasks involved in the scanning process.


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE Positive Choice Wellness Center, San Diego

Attendance improves with wellness campaign

WHAT THEY DO• Hosts a monthly gourmet salad potluck• Opens the clinic earlier so that staff members can

have more time during lunch to exercise • Encourages staff to sign up for kpwalk.com• Educates staff members about the Family and

Medical Leave Act and the LMP attendance program, which includes life balance days and vacation time.


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE Lab, Vancouver, Northwest

Saving money one needle at a time

WHAT THEY DOPhlebotomists at the Orchards Medical Office are monitoring themselves to reduce the use of butterfly needles. They used to use the needle—which costs nearly $1 more than a standard one—on most patients. Two other labs in the region have followed suit.


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE Sleep Apnea Team, Colorado

Sleep clinic reduces rework, wait times and waste

WHAT THEY DOBy tracking sleep studies that had to be redone and standardizing the procedures for attaching the apnea machine to patients, team members at the Skyline Medical Office were able to isolate the problem: the locks that fastened the device around a patient’s torso weren’t working properly. The manufacturer then replaced the locks.

Fewer repeat studies means patients can get appointments faster.


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE General Surgery, Ohio

Communication improves patient satisfaction

WHAT THEY DOA new whiteboard in the nurses’ station of the Cleveland Heights surgery department in Ohio shows which providers are on duty that day—and any appointment delays. A nurse communicates that information to waiting patients.


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE Health Information and Management, Northern California

Data helps team boost service

WHAT THEY DO» Team members at the Fresno Medical Center regularly review customer satisfaction survey responses

» Disability clerk now sits at the front desk to better serve members

» Restaurant-style pagers allow members the freedom to move around the facility while they wait

» A new sign directs members with disability questions to one window


SNAPSHOTS OF CHANGE Radiology, Colorado

No-show rate cut in half

WHAT THEY DOThe Ultrasound UBT at the Lakewood Medical Office in Colorado found that when staff members call and remind patients of their appointments, the likelihood of them not showing up is greatly reduced. No-shows impact patient access because when appointments are rescheduled, other patients wait longer.


snapshots of change how ubts are getting results examples of operational success june 2012

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