A Study of Efficiency of the Department of Primary Care at Keller Army Community Hospital
Abstract
The survivability of any health care system is largely dependent upon its ability to use resources efficiently. In the Military Health System efficiency is especially important because of the implementation of TRICARE, and the eventual, but uncertain form, of enrollment based capitation. This capitated managed care model will force Military Treatment Facility (MTF) leaders to make tough decisions regarding the health care services provided based on the limited resources available. Therefore, it is critical that MTF leaders are able to measure and track how efficiently they are able to deliver health care service. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of the Department of Primary Care at Keller Army Community Hospital (ACH) using the Economic Efficiency Factor (EEF) and compare those levels with that of the Departments of Primary Care in homogeneous and like-sized MTFs within the United States Army Medical Command (MEDCOM). Methods: This quantitative study of the efficiency of the Department of Primary Care is longitudinally designed and descriptive in nature. The EEF was computed by using data downloaded from various Department of Defense data systems. Results: According to the EEF metric, the Department of Primary Care at Keller ACH is operating very efficiently. Furthermore, Keller ACH ranks high in efficiency compared to homogeneous and like-sized facilities within the MEDCOM. Conclusions: This study demonstrates how the EEF metric can be used to evaluate the efficiency of specific service lines or overall hospital operations. The usefulness of the information yielded by performing this study is virtually unlimited. The Keller ACH leadership can make better management decisions by using the EEF study to identify trends, to compare Keller ACH to other MTFs, to establish goals and benchmarks, to identify possible outsourcing of services, and to educate staff.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 14, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA409854
Entities
People
- Eric R. Schmacker
Organizations
- Academy of Health Sciences