Discover the power of benchmarking
Impact Process in Detail
-
First, we participate in a "kick off" session in which top management introduces the program to department heads, explains the reasons it is being implemented, and outlines expectations of how it will be used. We are then introduced to describe the benchmarking process, explain how the PROFILE benchmarking database is designed, and deal directly with "apples-to-apples" issues and other typical concerns.
-
Next, we interview each department head individually in 30-minute sessions scheduled by the hospital. This structured interview helps us select the best comparative peer and facilitates department head "buy in." When department heads are satisfied that their input has been received they are more confident in the process.
-
Concurrent with the department head interviews, the hospital provides payroll and activity data for the previous year (or some other representative period selected by the hospital). We use these data and the interviews to perform a complete staffing review.
-
After the staffing review is completed, we present the results of the hospital wide staffing review to executive management and the department heads. In addition to individual department reports, the hospital receives an executive summary that:
Compares department overtime utilization against expected ranges.
Compares department hours worked to hours paid ratio against typically observed ratio.
Compares department paid and worked hours per unit of service at the observed peer group mean and -1 SD.
Compares department actual paid and worked FTEs against the activity-based peer group mean and -1 SD.
Compares labor expense (salaries and wages) at current levels vs. the peer group mean and -1 SD at the hospital's current average hourly rates.
Develops a comparison of actual FTEs/AOB vs. two "virtual" hospitals staffed at the activity-based mean and -1 SD.
This information can be used as the basis for performance improvement action using methods we will describe during the presentation.
Our process is designed to produce useful management information and department manager buy-in. It imposes virtually no administrative burden on the hospital or demands on management time. We help move from data to action, quickly, cost-effectively, and constructively.