More than 700 healthcare leaders responded to a 2012 Premier survey (pdf), indicating the top five hurdles they face in resource optimization. The respondents, who are all members of Premier, also identified the strategies they use to overcome these barriers and strategies they employ to increase hospital savings.
Most common barriers preventing resource optimization
1. Misaligned incentives between hospitals and physicians — 51.3 percent
2. Lack of discrete data systems to measure performance — 48.1 percent
3. Real or perceived lack of time and/or resources to implement initiatives — 45.9 percent
4. Physician relationships with suppliers and vendors — 37.4 percent
5. Hospital relationships with suppliers and vendors — 13.8 percent
Most popular strategies to achieve resource optimization
1. Using clinical data sets to identify resource optimization opportunities — 24.9 percent
2. Improving hospital-physician alignment — 22.4 percent
3. Formalized cost savings goals built into incentive plans — 22 percent
4. Focused consulting engagements — 16 percent
5. Standardization of treatment protocols and physician order sets — 14.7 percent
Most popular strategies to increase hospital savings
1. Quality improvement infrastructure and task force — 76.7 percent
2. Patient safety task force — 71.9 percent
3. Value analysis team — 63.8 percent
4. Labor management system and culture — 56.1 percent
5. Lean program — 54.9 percent
6. Operations improvement infrastructure and task force —52.2 percent
7. Six Sigma program — 26.4 percent
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