Three Health Systems Honored for Successful Care Transformation Initiatives

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advisory Board Company's Consulting and Management division announced on Tuesday that it has recognized three top-performing health systems with national awards for innovative initiatives that improved care quality and patient experience while lowering cost. 

"As health care adopts elements of true consumerism—with increasingly cost-sensitive patients making their own care decisions—providers are finding that quality and consistency of care are significant competitive advantages," said John Deane, President, Advisory Board Consulting and Management.  "These three health systems have shown national leadership in patient-centered initiatives that improve care efficiency and the health of their communities." 

The awards honored the following providers:

UCLA Health System received a Transformation Award in Physician Practice Management for a comprehensive improvement program for more than 140 ambulatory practice sites that enhanced the patient experience, care consistency within and across facilities, and care access.  The system created a Patient Experience Enhancement team, which collaborated with the Advisory Board to develop "The Golden 15," a complete roadmap for the patient experience that includes key areas such as scheduling, the check-in process, patient safety, training, overall practice appearance, and use of practice management metrics.  The Golden 15 outlines 106 standards of excellence, including the standards set forth in UCLA Health System's pioneer inpatient experience program CICARE (Connect, Introduce, Communicate, Ask, Respond, and Exit).  In the first 45 days of the Patient Experience Enhancement transformation, adherence to the standards of excellence improved by 38%.    

Memorial Health System (MHS) received the Transformation Award in Hospital Performance Management.  The two-hospital system in Marietta, Ohio, was facing declining reimbursements and other market factors that threatened its financial sustainability.  In response, MHS undertook initiatives to improve efficiency in its staff, surgical, and patient care processes. As a result of the initiatives, MHS improved labor productivity for a savings of $1.3 million, increased surgical volume by 10% without capital investment, and reduced average length of stay for a decrease of more than 1,800 patient days per year.  The health system was also able to recruit more physicians and surgeons and enhance market position.  Collectively, the initiatives improved MHS's bottom line by more than $3 million, achieving financial sustainability for the health system under its current private model.

Sparrow Health System (SHS), a five-hospital system based in Lansing, Michigan, received a Transformation Award in Value Based Care.  SHS sought to enhance its market position by becoming a leader in the transition to population health management.  The shift required the system to align its physicians and integrate multiple entities: SHS employs 250 physicians and has 900 in its physician hospital organization. The system engaged 29 physician leaders to create a 500-physician clinically integrated network, the Sparrow Care Network (SCN), as part of its journey to become an Accountable Care Organization.  Sparrow Care Network is expected to join the Medicare Shared Savings Program and has established more than 140 quality initiatives. 

The three systems were selected by a judging panel as award winners from among more than 200 engagements completed by Advisory Board Consulting and Management.  The Awards are being presented across the three days of the annual Consulting and Management Institute, a senior executive summit in Nashville, Tennessee. 

For more information on Advisory Board Consulting and Management, please visit www.advisory.com/consulting. 

About UCLA Health System
The UCLA Health System has for more than half a century provided the best in health care and the latest in medical technology and research to the people of Los Angeles and the world.  The UCLA Health System is among the most comprehensive and advanced health systems in the world, comprising Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica; the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA; Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA; and the UCLA Medical Group, with its wide-reaching system of primary care and specialty care offices throughout the region.  For more information, visit www.uclahealth.org.

About Memorial Health System
The Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system governed by a volunteer board of community members that are committed to providing comprehensive services that meet the needs of its region.  MHS is comprised of a network of two hospitals, outpatient service sites, assisted and long-term care facilities and a retirement community.  The system works in innovative ways to meet the healthcare challenges of today, while preparing for the health needs of our communities in the future. MHS's dedicated physicians, nurses, technicians and support staff work to provide compassionate, patient-centered care with some of the most advanced technology and treatment options available in healthcare today.  For more information, visit www.mhsystem.org.

About Sparrow Health System
Founded in 1896 as Lansing's first health service, Sparrow Health System has grown to become the region's premier health care organization.  A leader in quality, compassionate, cost-effective health care, Sparrow is nationally recognized for excellence and is the regional center for cancer, trauma, pediatric, orthopedics, neonatal intensive care and neurological care.  Sparrow has two Lansing campuses, hospitals in Ionia, St. Johns and Carson City, an acute long-term care facility, as well as dozens of satellite care centers, primary care and home care networks, laboratories, imaging centers, rehabilitation facilities and pharmacies.  For more information, visit www.sparrow.org.

About The Advisory Board Company
The Advisory Board Company is the leading provider of insight-driven technology, research, and services for the health care and higher education industries. Through its innovative membership model, the company collaborates with more than 200,000 leaders at 4,500 member organizations to elevate performance and solve their most pressing problems. The company provides strategic guidance, actionable insights, web-based software solutions, and comprehensive implementation and management services. For more information, visit www.advisory.com.

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