YRMC, a 400 bed hospital system located in the Yuma, Arizona, market was enjoying solid operating margins but knew that pending pressures were mounting. In spite of its strong market position, YRMC's senior management wanted to be proactive in strengthening their current quality program to ensure YRMC's continual success. Aggressive benchmarks indicated that YRMC could achieve more than $7 million in operating expenses if it could close 50% of the gap between its current performance and the 75th percentile. Of special concern was to maintain the proper focus of quality while maintaining positive relationships with the medical staff and employees.
YRMC Implements 100 Day Workout Productivity SeriesYRMC engaged Caldwell Butler to implement the 100 Day Workout Method as its quality system for driving performance improvement. Caldwell Butler implemented an on-site mentoring and apprenticing program for selected members of the YRMC staff. Leaders and managers received training in the 100 Day Workout Methodology for the purpose of identifying waste and developing effective strategies for waste recovery. Each cycle of the 100 Day workout focused on a different priority:
Cycle 1 - Waste Walk: Prior to launching the program, Caldwell Butler assisted YRMC in establishing aggressive benchmarks and setting goals for each department. After receiving the aggressive benchmarks, Caldwell Butler conducted a workshop in the techniques of 50% Gap Closure for Non Negotiable Goal Setting. Each department head and manager also received training in the seven categories of waste, 18 concepts and strategies for waste recovery, followed by mentoring in the creation of department-level 100 Day Action Plans. YRMC used EXCELeratorTM , a proprietary tool of Caldwell Butler, to create a 100 Day Action Plan for every manager.
Cycle 2 - 2:00 PM Discharge/ ED Length of Stay/ Rapid Cycle Testing: YRMC launched its second cycle of the 100 Day Workout by electing to focus on the reduction of ED Length of Stay (< 4 hours) and achievement of 2:00 p.m. discharge (>80%). Caldwell Butler assisted YRMC's leadership in organizing directors and managers into multi-disciplinary teams chartered with identifying and implementing potential changes in the work process. Caldwell Butler provided training in Rapid Cycle Testing to accelerate the rate of implementing and testing change in operating procedures. YRMC staff received training in Lean-Six Sigma techniques and in using easy-access templates for measuring the effectiveness of any changes to a work process or procedure. In addition, managers received individual coaching in the application of these methods. The training reduced human barriers to change and ensured that concepts were rapidly evaluated so that time and resources were not wasted on concepts that were not producing gains in performance or generating the recovery of quality waste.
As a direct result of the services provided by Caldwell Butler, YRMC received:
Measurable Benefits: