Productivity Paradise

Achieving increased efficiency, workforce stability, and financial success often feels like a performance mirage for healthcare organizations – in sight, but always out of reach. Many hospitals and health systems have attempted productivity initiatives, but have been left “shipwrecked” by past experiences; mired by ineffective data and lacking proper guidance. Lasting change comes from continuous improvement. The following are some key tactics for ensuring operations are “seaworthy,” striking a steady course, and navigating the challenging waters to find productivity paradise!

• Set Your Bearings – Before you can adjust your sails, you need to know exactly where you are! Establishing appropriate benchmarks allows leaders to compare performance against industry standards and peer organizations, better understanding their current position and setting realistic productivity goals to guide where they are headed.
  • Without proper benchmarking, leaders are steering their ships blindly—or worse, traveling confidently in the wrong direction! Identified improvement opportunities dictate where the treasure lies and charts the course toward achieving elevated performance.
  • Benchmarking wisely requires:
    • Choosing meaningful, actionable indicators for every relevant department
    • Assessing performance both internally (across departments) and externally (against top performers)
    • Do not simply collect the data—interpret and apply it
• Check Progress – No improvement plan should be a “set it and forget it” endeavor. In productivity, follow-up matters. Implementing routine reporting to keep track of performance can be the difference between smooth sailing and a sinking ship!
  • Structured, periodic reviews help leadership teams ask the important questions:
    • Are we achieving what we set out to do?
    • What unexpected challenges have emerged?
    • Where are we seeing early wins—can we scale them?
  • Integrating a position control process into productivity management can also help to keep operations in check along the way – maintaining a healthy balance of “crew to cargo” so improvement gains do not slip.
  • Establishing productivity checkpoints throughout the year can also be the perfect opportunity to assess progress and shake up strategies. It will keep momentum strong and productivity at the forefront.
• Steer with Intention: Course Correct – If your benchmarking and checkpoints show that you are veering off the charted path, do not panic and abandon ship! Even the best vessels that are built for performance need a little rudder adjustment. Course correction allows for real-time, data-driven changes to be made, avoiding further setback and maintaining speed towards greater efficiency.
  • Often, this requires a deeper evaluation of current goals and a potential pivot towards new ones. Just like life on the sea, healthcare organizations are subject to unforeseen and unpredictable factors that can derail any well-planned initiative.
  • Strategic flexibility is NOT a sign of weakness—it is a hallmark of resilient leadership. The best captains:
    • Acknowledge when something is not working
    • Involve cross-functional teams in recalibrating goals
    • Communicate changes clearly and transparently
• Get Shipshape – Navigating the ever-changing seas of healthcare requires the appropriate tools and resources to ensure that operations are shipshape. It all starts with having the right data, realistic targets, and frequent reporting so that you and your crew are always prepared to weather any storm.
  • Having clear, accessible data allows leaders to spot trouble early, address obstacles before they become bottlenecks, and keep staffing aligned with the tides of patient demand.
    • With smart tools such as bi-weekly productivity reports, efficiency trackers, staffing matrixes, and forecasting guide, captains are able to cut the slack and making sure every hand on deck is adding value
  • The gold standard to sustaining efficiencies is eliminating waste. That means no “leaky” workflows, duplicated tasks, or crew member left adrift without direction
  • Remember, smooth seas never made a skilled sailor—but the right tools make it easier to stay on course!

 

While a pirate may favor the letter “R” for the roar of the rebellious “Argh!” or the letter “I” for the loyal “Aye!” of crew comradery, when it comes to productivity it is the mighty letter “C” that charts the true course. Consistency in workflow, clarity in communication, and a commitment to continuous progress that keeps healthcare organizations sailing forward with purpose.

Let ALTIUS help your hospital or health system navigate towards productivity paradise. We offer the performance improvement and workforce optimization solutions needed to realize lasting success. Hoist the sails—it is time to plunder productivity gold!