Linen program saves $135,000 a year
June 1, 1997 2 minutes read
Linen program saves $135,000 a year
Institutions look for innovative ways to cut costs
Just a few simple changes in the way it uses linens saved Hermann Hospital at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston more than $135,000 a year. The hospital has managed to reduce linen costs dramatically by converting to knit fitted sheets, snap IV gowns, lighter-weight underpads, and dual cover spreads.
The Houston facility worked with the University Healthcare Consortium (UHC), in Oak Brook, IL, in a benchmarking and quality improvement project last year to identify alternative linen products. UHC is a group of 70- plus teaching hospital systems across the United States.
Using value analysis
"The savings were in acquisition and processing," says Marian Thomas, value analysis facilitator at Hermann. The facility also is exploring additional ways to save on linens, including a standard bed-making procedure, further changes in types of linens used and reuse of medication-stained underpads to reduce waste in the burn unit.
At the heart of Hermann Hospital’s project was UHC’s new Value Analysis Program. The program helps medical facilities reduce their expenses and improve performance by providing on-site assistance to ensure the cost-effective use of products, promote product standardization, and implement findings from initiatives such as benchmarking projects and technology assessments.
Facilitators recommend changes only when the quality of care provided to patients can be maintained or improved. Facilitators identify inefficiencies, redundancies, and waste within hospitals, then help to implement cost-saving alternatives.
LA Medical Center saves $100,000
All of the participants in the pilot program on the linen initiative have begun to achieve savings. Gene Cabico, value analyst facilitator at the Los Angeles Medical Center, says a recent cost-reduction initiative in orthopedic surgery will save more than $100,000 annually at his facility.
After reviewing a UHC Group Purchasing Program agreement for orthopedic knee implants with the main operating room staff, we determined that the medical center already met the commitment level for the highest discount and decided to access the agreement," Cabico says.
Chicago facility taps into database
At the University of Illinois’ Chicago Medical Center, quality managers have accessed another UHC Value Analysis Program resource, its information management system. The system provides easy access to the UHC clinical database. Cindy White, the value analysis facilitator at Chicago Medical and assistant director for the program, is working to help the facility find ways to implement the system effectively.
"The medical center is using networkwide comparative clinical and administrative data to improve its operational and clinical processes," she explains.
A UHC representative says the potential for success of the program at institutions is high because it requires participation and commitment by senior management. Additionally, all value analysis facilitators are hospital employees who report to the institution’s chief operating officer.
The program will be phased in at participating facilities over the next two years. So far, 15 institutions have signed up.
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