Healthcare
A children's hospital that planned nursing and supplies around demand
Nursing demand forecast within 7%, 17 rosters became one, and urgent blood-sample compliance rose from 20% to 52%.
In numbers
The situation
A children's hospital wanted an operational excellence programme focused on the patient experience. Demand for nursing and supplies changed every day, but planning did not. Nurse rostering sat across 17 sheets, nursing leaders pulled reports together by hand, and nurses spent time on paperwork, stock checks, patient queries and chasing lab reports. Medicines and consumables were planned on historical averages.
Predict nursing demand.
We analysed three years of bed occupancy, patient volumes and length of stay, and built forecasts that allow for the seasons and for each department. Forecast variance is 7%, against a target of under 15%.
Turn the forecast into staffing plans.
One central planning tool replaced 17 roster sheets, allowing for leave, training and nurse-to-patient ratios, with a dashboard for nursing leaders. We also reworked the management structure, bringing the span of control from about 23 direct reports to about 15.
Give nursing time back to patients.
We worked out where nursing time went, and moved tasks that do not need a nurse to the teams better placed to do them. Non-nursing queries were answered 62% faster, with 25% less nursing effort. Urgent blood samples meeting the one-hour target rose from 20% to 52%.
Plan medicines and supplies from the forecast.
A forecasting tool now covers about 6,000 items and picks the best method for each, in place of historical averages. A master list reconciles brand and name changes, so history is not lost when a medicine is substituted.
The aim throughout: nurses spend their time on nursing, and the hospital plans its people and supplies around demand instead of reacting to it.
Some results are measured and complete. Others are designed and scheduled for wider rollout.
The result
- Nursing demand forecast to within 7%, against a target of under 15%.
- Urgent blood-sample compliance with the one-hour target rose from 20% to 52%.
- Non-nursing queries were answered 62% faster, with 25% less nursing effort, in the improvement study.
- Supply forecasting now covers about 6,000 items.
More on this theme: Healthcare, or what we do.
You built the business. We help it scale.
Start a conversation