Hospital Management Justification Report [Type Text] [Type

Hospital Management Justification Report

[Type text] [Type text] [Type text]

Transmittal

Maintenance Notice | Patient Satisfaction

Transmittal ii

Terminology

Major Sections of the Report

VMC Utility Tie Breaker Maintenance

Procedures preparation For Total Power Outage

This report from the Facility Director conveys information about an item related to general hospital maintenance and a description of a plan to improve patient satisfaction. The general maintenance notice provides guidance and instructions for preparing for the annual maintenance shutdown of the VMC Utility Tie Breaker. All department heads are responsible for reading the information in this report that will enable them to seamlessly prepare for the maintenance shutdown. In addition, department heads are responsible for communicating the plans for addressing patient satisfaction scores. It is recommended that department heads convey the patient satisfaction plans in writing so that staff has it for future reference, and also provide time to discuss the plans at an upcoming staff meeting. Any questions about items in this report may be directed to the Facility Director, unless other contact personnel have been identified.

Hospital Management Justification Report

Introduction

Two matters are addressed in this report: The annual maintenance of the VMC Utility Tie Breaker, and, 2) a review of staffing, patient satisfaction, and the general budget focused on improving patient care.

Problem Statement

It has been 10 years since the hospital's patient satisfaction scores have seen a rise. Patient satisfaction scores are an indicator of how well the hospital is carrying out its mission. Our patient satisfaction scores impact the reputation of the hospital important in several ways. When hospital services are being provided at optimal levels, we are effectively serving the community, and we are providing a revenue stream that enables the hospital to invest in important technology, ensure staff receive training in the most current and effective clinical practices, and that expansion of hospital services and facilities reflect the increasing population in our catchment area in our client base. To accomplish these important goals, hospital staff will conduct continuous quality improvement activities that are directed at addressing this problem in ways that positively impact all stakeholders.

Terminology

VMC Utility Breaker - The VMC Utility Tie Breaker provides the sole connection between the hospital and the energy power grid; the breaker requires annual maintenance, during which time it is disconnected.

Major Sections of the Report

1. The VMC Utility Tie Breaker, which connects the hospital and the energy power grid, requires annual maintenance, during which time it is disconnected. The purpose of this communication is to ensure that each department has reviewed and identified the lighting and loads that need to be connected to the emergency power source. Any questions should be directed to the engineering department, which will be fully staffed during the outage.

2. The hospital will engage in various activities over the coming year, which are aligned with our continuous quality improvement policies, and are designed specifically to improve patient satisfaction scores and deliver higher levels of patient care. Surveys will be conducted with staff, and with patients following discharge, in order to better understand how the hospital's resources can be directed toward improving patient care and ensuring we are good stewards of our resources.

Scope and Limitations of the Research

This report will address the standard operating procedures associated with VMC Utility Tie Breaker annual maintenance. Further, the report will outline a plan for researching and implementing an participatory action research project that enables the hospital to identify strategies and practices that maximize responsiveness to patient needs while balancing the budget, with a particular focus on discretionary expenditures.

VMC Utility Tie Breaker Maintenance

The VMC It Breaker Maintenance is scheduled for Monday, September 15th from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The work is expected to take approximately 6 hours. During the outage we will operate the facility on Generator power only.

Each department is to evaluate its areas prior to and during the outage to identify lighting and loads that need to be connected to emergency power. All departments need to review their contingency plans. During this outage, the engineering department will be fully staffed. Check your emails for any further information or details prior to the outage date. The engineering department is ready to answer all your questions and concerns, and to help departments prepare for this procedure. Further, please see Appendix I - Procedural Instructions for VMD Total Power Outage.

Improving Patient Satisfaction and Patient Care

Patient satisfaction scores are impacted by many variables, which is a challenge to the hospital as we seek to continuously improve our services. Administrative staff is aware of many of the conflicting priorities the hospital faces in efforts to improve patient care, attract new patients, maintain the existing patient base, and upgrade the services we provide. To address these many issues in a coordinated, efficient manner, hospital staff will engage in a participatory action research project that will enable evidence-based research to be integrated with clinical and administrative practice.

Staff who will be charged with designing, coordinating, and implementing the participatory action research project include: Hospital Unit Nurse managers, house supervisors, the hospital's CEO, and various department heads, including Human Resources (HR), Information Technology and Communication Management (IT), Finance, Legal, and Facilities. The participatory action research will be designed to articulate with our hospital continuous quality improvement efforts. The first phase of the project is to conduct participatory action research in the area of staffing. To increase the feasibility of the initial phase and keep the coordination demands at a low level, one unit at a time will put staffing changes into effect, studying and reporting on the impact during the research phase.