The ALTIUS team is excited to unveil the second installment of our Productivity Playlist. This time around we are channeling the spirit of the season through some classic holiday songs, tapping into the power of productivity once again by tying its principles to festive music.
- Andy Williams: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
- Routine productivity monitoring supports a streamlined budget process by aligning staffing needs with projected volumes. Integrating achievable performance targets that meet the financial and operational goals of each department can help to make budget season a wonderful time of year for all those involved!
- Mariah Carey: O Holy Night
- The performance of departments that operate with 24/7 coverage can be negatively impacted by lower volume periods. Tracking time-of-day and day-of-week volume trends can help to ensure a better balance, redefining minimum staffing requirements to promote greater efficiency and making the nights more divine!
- Mavis Staples: Christmas Vacation
- In order for productivity management to be successful, organizations should never take a break/vacation from data collection, reporting, and tracking progress towards established goals. Leaders need to make productivity a constant so that performance is always improving and inefficiencies can “burn dust and eat their rubber!”
- Thurl Ravenscroft: You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch
- Just like the Grinch, productivity often gets a bad rap. One less than desirable experience, or even the prospect of one, can deter organizations from embracing the concepts of performance improvement. Though change can be hard, it produces positive results in the end. Therefore, leaders need to let their “hearts grow” when it comes to accepting the principles of productivity.
- Kelly Clarkson: Underneath the Tree
- Improvement opportunities are not always obvious or evident. They are seldom perfectly wrapped presents underneath the tree! Leaders need to be diligent, looking everywhere for ways to reduce costs and gain efficiency. Eliminating waste, increasing volumes, controlling supplies, and flexing staff are just some ways to positively influence performance.
- Whitney Houston: Do You Hear What I Hear
- Continuity is the key to effective productivity management. Making sure everyone is on the same page, hears the same information, and works towards the same goals ensures buy-in and lasting results when it comes to implementing change.
- Elvis Presley: Blue Christmas
- It is important to keep in mind that the holidays are not the same for everyone. They can create added stress for healthcare staff, having to work while others are with their families and having to deal with the difficulties of illness when the rest of the world is joyful. Leaders need to make extra strides to protect the mental health of their staff and avoid burnout, not just during the holidays, but all year long. Using data to predict volume and staffing needs helps to create more stability, making the working environment less blue!
- Frank Sinatra: Jingle Bells
- The jingling of bells is a sound synonymous with the season that typically brings a smile to the faces of those that hear it. However, the distinct ring of a call bell can be a dreaded noise for healthcare professionals because they never know what will be expected of them when they answer. Productivity management helps to ensure that the right person is performing the right task. This allows staff to better prioritize patient needs which results in improved care delivery.
- Bon Jovi: I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas
- The holidays have a unique way of lifting spirits and brightening moods. People tend to be kinder, more patient, and friendlier with each other around the holidays which leaves us to wonder why interactions are not like this every day. Maintaining a healthy, positive work environment should be a primary focus for any leader. Happy employees tend to be more productive; they provide great service which leads to satisfied patients!
- Zooey Dechanel and Leon Redbone: Baby, It’s Cold Outside
- Weather can be a major factor in a patient’s decision to attend an appointment, schedule a test, or have a procedure. Understanding volume seasonality and having plans in place to minimize no show rates and lost revenue is essential to overall success. Volume is one half of the productivity equation so it is important to sustain service demand even when it is cold outside!
- Mariah Carey: All I Want for Christmas Is You
- With staffing shortages still plaguing the healthcare industry, all leaders are wishing for this season is a steady workforce. Productivity management ties directly into recruitment and retention strategies by consistently evaluating skill mix, full-time/part-time/per diem ratios, and fair market rates to attract and maintain top talent.
“The best way to spread holiday cheer is signing loud for all to hear!” Whether you download our playlist or create one of your own, we hope it inspires you to instill effective productivity management in your organization.
ALTIUS offers healthcare organizations the benchmarking and reporting tools as well as the ongoing support necessary to effect lasting chance. To learn more, reach out directly at [email protected] or visit our website at www.altiushcg.com.