An Assessment of the Efficacy of a New Admissions Process at Madigan Army Medical Center.
Abstract
During this period of escalating medical costs and constrained resources, new and innovative methods of conducting business must be adopted. In response to this changing environment, Madigan Army Medical Center has focused attention to efficient and effective utilization management programs. One change in process that is the result of this focus was the institutional change in the admissions procedure for non-emergent surgeries. This change in admissions policy is exemplified by the establishment of a pre-Admission Unit (PAU) in which all Pre-admission testing, education, pre-certification and discharge planning occur in one centralized location. Like many other changes in procedures, there had been no prior evaluation of the effectiveness and efficacy of the new unit. A retrospective analysis of 518 patients who had been admitted for one of six surgical DRGs was conducted to determine if there had been any change in the average length of stay for those patients being admitted in accordance with the new procedure. Findings indicate that the establishment of a PAU has resulted in an average savings of 2.08 occupied bed days (OBDs) per procedure. The potential fiscal savings and conservation of resources resulting from this decrease in lengths of stay are enormous.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA292930
Entities
People
- Steven C. Rhodes
Organizations
- Academy of Health Sciences