Reducing clinical variations for pneumonia treatment can lead to significant cost reduction since the condition is one of the highest volume DRGs in the country, according to a blog post from Verras.
The post examined 183 cases of pneumonia from one hospital, finding several instances of clinical variation. Some physicians wrote "open orders" for respiratory treatments, meaning patients received treatments every day until discharged. Others adjusted their orders to either reduce or discontinue treatments during the patient's stay. Once the medical staff implemented an agreed-upon protocol, however, open orders were reduced by 19 percent.
There were also variations in practices for physicians' utilization of medical imaging, such as chest X-rays, CT scans and MRIs. When the hospital implemented a physician "gatekeeper" to monitor compliance for MRIs, there was 22 percent overall reduction of that imaging technique.
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The post examined 183 cases of pneumonia from one hospital, finding several instances of clinical variation. Some physicians wrote "open orders" for respiratory treatments, meaning patients received treatments every day until discharged. Others adjusted their orders to either reduce or discontinue treatments during the patient's stay. Once the medical staff implemented an agreed-upon protocol, however, open orders were reduced by 19 percent.
There were also variations in practices for physicians' utilization of medical imaging, such as chest X-rays, CT scans and MRIs. When the hospital implemented a physician "gatekeeper" to monitor compliance for MRIs, there was 22 percent overall reduction of that imaging technique.
Related Articles on Clinical Variations:
Getting Ahead of the Curve – 12 Weeks to Evidence-Based Best PracticesThe Role of Physician-Directed Best Practices in Creating Successful Accountable Care Organizations
Is Your Organization Ready For Accountable Care? How to Implement a Readiness Assessment and Establish Priorities