The Management of Variability Program (MVP) provides consultative services to hospitals and other health care providers on improving their quality of care and financial performance by applying variability methodology developed by the Program as well as other operations management tools. Click here to view a list of our clients/collaborators.
Several hospitals' actual experience working with the MVP, including the results and benefits of the engagement, have been captured in a video prepared by JCAHO's affiliate, Joint Commission Resources, Inc. The video also presents important information about compliance with JCAHO's new Leadership Standard on Managing Patient Flow. For ordering information, contact Joint Commission Resources, Inc.
In addition to benefiting individual health care providers, these consultative services provide the type of practical experience and required data collection that serve the Program’s larger goal of carrying out research and demonstration projects that promote the application of OM tools and techniques to the health care delivery sector.
“When you use the Science [of flow management] properly, you get phenomenal results.” Donald Berwick, CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Boston Globe interview, January 25, 2005
“The hospital is committed to using a more scientific approach to management. ‘Otherwise, we are squandering a huge, very expensive community resource,’… ‘We are saying, ‘This makes good business sense, and it make good sense for our patients.’” Dr. John Chessare, VP and CMO, Boston Medical Center, OR Manager, Vol. 19, No 11, November 2003
“The power of flow management lies in making administrators think more analytically… The Alliance’s Cambridge Hospital used software developed by Litvak to predict patient numbers…to adjust employee schedules rather than scrambling to hire nurses on days when numbers jump, while cutting in half the number of patients transferred to other hospitals because of staff shortages… ‘Over time, you use fewer [temporary nurses] and overtime… so you achieve cost-savings that really do offset the higher levels of staffing.’” Dennis Keefe, CEO, Cambridge Health Alliance, Boston Globe interview, January 25, 2005
“ …[T]he efficiency at which that quality[of care] is provided has been greatly improved. 45% reduction in rooms running ‘after hours’, [an] increase in volume of at least 5% in the ‘business portion of the day’ and ability to accommodate growth in overall surgical volume of 10% annually for the last two years.[An] increase in revenue and reduction of overtime by approximately 2%...This reduction [in variability] has led to increased throughput of patients… increased revenue, decreased overtime, and increased satisfaction." Christy Dempsey, VP, St. John’s Regional Health Center, Sisters of Mercy Health System, Commentary on services provided by MVP, February 2005
“The learning process involved with understanding and managing variability was powerful but not overwhelming… solutions used by business were very transferable to the healthcare environment… Dr. Litvak’s commitment … [and] his understanding of issues affecting healthcare organizations … were extremely valuable. His recommendations enabled us to make a positive impact on daily operations very quickly.” -- Susan Leavitt Gullo, Elliot Hospital
|
“[The] quality of the simulation model was excellent, demonstrating various scenarios and the effects of each.” -- Dennis Keefe, CEO, Cambridge Health Alliance
“The quality of the service [MVP] was excellent” -- Dr. John Chessare, VP and CMO, Boston Medical Center
When asked if they were satified with the Return on Investment, clients responded:
"Absolutely" and "Extremely satisfied.” -- John Chessare & Susan Leavittitt Gullo
"I was the skeptic and because of the success of our projects utilizing the tenets from IHI and Dr. Litvak's work, I'm definitely a convert - I've seen it work." -- Dr. Kenneth Larson, Surgeon, St. John's Regional Health Center, Sisters of Mercy Health System
|
