Three storyboard presentations that show projects from the Labor Management Project (LMP) and its partners were selected to be displayed at the prestigious Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s 2017 National Forum in December. The projects were the work of Montefiore Health System, Northwell Health, Kaleida Health and their 1199SEIU partners. The annual forum brought together nearly 6,000 healthcare professionals to learn the latest in healthcare improvement trends, methodologies and tools.
Montefiore Hospital—Hutchinson Campus
Before a doctor’s appointment, do you often wonder: “How long do I have to wait?” Labor and management at Montefiore Hospital’s Hutchinson campus launched a process improvement initiative that enhanced the experience for urology patients, by improving communication regarding wait time. A five-member team of clinical and administrative staff led the project. The entire department was trained through the LMP’s Patient Centered Care program, which enhances staff awareness and strengthens staff communication skills. The project’s outcomes included a decline in the percentage of patients who reported waiting for more than 15 minutes, from 34 percent to 24 percent. The staff also reported an overall improvement in their relationship with patients.
Northwell Health—Integrated Distribution Center
Anyone who works at a healthcare facility knows the importance of being efficient and providing a safe working environment. Northwell Health’s Integrated Distribution Center improved both, through a collaboration between labor and management. The LMP conducted interviews and focus groups with 65 staff, including associates, supervisors and managers to understand the working environment and key operational challenges. In collaboration with 1199SEIU and Northwell management, the LMP then helped to establish two labor-management committees and four process improvement teams. Results included substantial improvements in worker productivity and safety, order accuracy and on-time delivery in just six months.
Kaleida Health/John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital
Kaleida Health’s John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital and its 1199SEIU partners improved patient care and overall satisfaction for staff, patients and their families. The process improvement initiative included implementation of multidisciplinary hourly rounding, Answering the C.A.L.L. (all staff respond to patient call lights), and consistent use of communication boards. The results included a marked increase in HCAHPS scores for nurse and doctor communication with parents and improvement in call button responsiveness. Average employee engagement survey scores, also increased over the course of this work. The project has expanded to ten units and one inner city outpatient pediatric clinic, with the goal to expand to all other units in the hospital as well as the outpatient and ambulatory centers and other Kaleida facilities.
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