LAS VEGAS, May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- In a study of better performers in orthopedic care, Premier has identified notable trends and essential business and clinical processes which should help other hospitals consistently achieve operational cost efficiencies and superior patient outcomes. Project results were released today at Premier's national Breakthroughs Conference in Las Vegas.
Ten Premier member hospitals that utilize its Perspective(TM) quality measurement and reporting system for comparative data on total joint replacement (TJR) surgery were selected to participate in this national field research project. Its notable insights included:
-- Many hospitals in the sample had negative profit margins on TJR cases,
which is consistent with a growing nationwide trend among hospital TJR
programs.
-- Even among the majority of better performers, there was substantial
opportunity for improvement in the cost paid for implantables.
-- There was no pattern of correlation between clinical outcome and the
vendor of choice in a particular program.
-- All commonly used orthopedic appliances appear to perform adequately in
the hands of qualified practitioners working with an experienced team
in a well-run program.
"Escalating costs of orthopedic implantables along with declining reimbursement over the last several years have had a significantly adverse impact on the acute care hospital's bottom line," said Michael B. Guthrie, M.D., M.B.A. senior vice president, Physician Preference Services at Premier, Inc. "By participating in this study, these hospitals have allowed us to contrast and compare practices and begin to better understand the essential day-to-day clinical and operational functions that lead to improved outcomes."
The 10 hospitals were selected for participation using the following criteria: 1) Submitted data was evaluated and deemed credible as representative of the hospital's operational and clinical performance; 2) The hospital uses procedure-based cost accounting methodologies, rather than ratio-of-cost-to-charges accounting methodologies; 3) Hospital data for patients who have undergone orthopedic (DRG 209) major joint replacement and handled over 100 cases reported on in calendar year 2001.
Field research for the study included in-depth two-day on-site visits for each of the participating hospitals from a six-person Premier clinical review team comprised of nationally recognized and published medical experts and registered nurse reviewers, with backgrounds in healthcare management and clinical supply chain performance improvement. The research team observed, documented and asked questions about each hospital's overall process for total joint replacement, starting with the decision to have surgery and ending with post-discharge policies, procedures and outcomes measuring tools.
The 15 specific areas covered were: scheduling, pre-operative patient screening and education, admission and patient preparation, facility preparation, surgical intervention, anesthesia/pain management, support demands, post-anesthesia care, rehabilitation, nursing floor/length of stay documentation, discharge criteria, post discharge, organizational characteristics, physician engagement and data management.
Hospital Participant List PROVIDER NAME Address City ST Zip KETTERING HOSPITAL 3535 Southern Blvd. Kettering OH 45429-1221 ST. RITA'S MEDICAL CENTER 730 W. Market St. Lima OH 45801-4602 WALLS REGIONAL HOSPITAL 201 Walls Dr., Hwy 67W Cleburne TX 76031 HOLY FAMILY HOSPITAL 5633 N. Lidgerwood Spokane WA 99208-1224 BAYSTATE MEDICAL CENTER 759 Chestnut St. Springfield MA 01199-1001 ST. MARY MEDICAL CENTER (WA) 401 W. Poplar St. Walla Walla WA 99362-2846 ALEGENT-MERCY HOSPITAL 800 Mercy Dr. Council Bluffs IA 51503 SACRED HEART MEDICAL CENTER 101 W. Eighth Ave. Spokane WA 99204 FIRSTHEALTH MOORE REGIONAL 155 Memorial Dr. Pinehurst NC 28374-3000 PENINSULA REGIONAL MEDICAL 100 E. Carroll St. Salisbury MD 21801-5493 About Premier, Inc.
Premier, Inc., is a strategic alliance in U.S. healthcare, entirely owned by nearly 200 of the nation's leading hospital and healthcare systems. These systems operate or are affiliated with nearly 1,500 hospital facilities in 50 states and hundreds of other care sites. Premier provides an array of resources supporting health services delivery in the key areas of supply chain improvement and group purchasing, comparative data and benchmarking, and insurance. Premier is headquartered in San Diego, CA, with offices in Chicago, IL; and Charlotte, NC. Advocacy and policy offices are located in Washington, DC. For more information, visit http://www.premierinc.com/ .
Premier, Inc.CONTACT: Peter Duckler of HLB Communications, +1-312-423-4930,pduckler@hlbcomm.com
Web site: http://www.premierinc.com/
