A Resolution for the New Year

Hospitals and healthcare systems across the country are struggling to increase care quality, employee engagement, and patient satisfaction while simultaneously reducing costs. An article in the Journal of Healthcare Management estimated some of the costs associated with poor communications in healthcare. I was shocked at the numbers:

•  U.S. hospitals waste over $12 billion annually from communication inefficiencies among care providers
• Increase in length of stay accounts for 53 percent of that annual economic burden

• A 500-bed hospital loses over $4 million annually as a result of communication inefficiences  

Improving communications is a great opportunity to make strides on quality, satisfaction and cost initiatives. How about a New Year’s resolution to:

• Help providers connect quickly using mobile communications 
• Improve the quality of care by ensuring efficient communication of radiology and lab results to ordering physicians
• Increase patient satisfaction with faster responses and a quieter environment 

Here are success stories from Lake Norman Regional and others to serve as inspiration!