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Technicians Conquer Swirl of Scratches
This optical lab team reduced scratches to eyeglass lenses by 94% in the first 4 months of the year after performing a step-by-step review of its lens production process.
- Minimizing scratches to eyeglass lenses during the production process reduces the need to replace them. That helps save costs and improve service to members and patients.
- Reviewing each step of the lens preparation procedure to identify and fix the problem causing scratches to new eyeglass lenses.
Speaking the Same Language
Using a simple card as a reminder, this urgent care team asked for patients’ race, ethnicity, and primary language to better recognize and address members’ health needs and risks.
- Medical treatment is more effective when members receive care and information in their primary language.
- Adding a questionnaire card during the check-in process reminds team members to ask patients about their race, ethnicity, and primary language
Personalizing Care for Patients
Asking patients about their sexual orientation and gender identity is helping Addiction Medicine team members better identify and treat patients' health risks and needs.
- Collecting sensitive, personal information from patients can tell you a lot about their health risks and needs and help improve the quality of care for all Kaiser Permanente members.
- Creating a standardized process to collect information about patients’ sexual orientation, gender identity, and preferred pronouns.
Better Attendance Brings Big Rewards
Last-minute sick calls dropped by 40% after team members learned about the negative impact of such calls and explored time-off options.
- Decreasing last-minute sick calls protects staff members from stress and burnout that affect morale and performance.
- Educating the entire team on the impact of last-minute sick calls and rewarding them for perfect attendance.
Improving Access to Spinal Care
This specialty care team reduced evaluation wait times for Medicaid patients by 35% over 4 months after everyone got involved and they began scheduling phone appointments.
- Cutting evaluation wait times mean patients are connected to care sooner.
- Involving the entire team in the effort to administer patient evaluations.
Physicians Combat Pandemic-Related Stress
A multipronged, results-oriented campaign centered around joy in work increased physician involvement in unit-based teams.
- When at risk for burnout, physicians can deepen job satisfaction by engaging in performance improvement with their teams, all while contributing their unique perspective to workplace issues.
- Showcasing small successes on one unit-based team encourages physician involvement in performance improvement efforts
Collaboration Across Teams Reduces Interruptions
Laboratory and emergency departments teamed up to decrease work interruptions caused by non-urgent test result notifications.
- Workplace interruptions can add stress, increase patient errors and cause patients to feel like they’re not receiving good care.
- Lab staff tested the secure chat messaging in Kaiser Permanente’s electronic health record system to notify Emergency Department nurses about non-urgent lab results instead of using their hands-free, voice-controlled wearable communication devices.
Saving Money Through Prescriptions
Pharmacy UBT reduced the number of high-cost prescriptions filled outside KP pharmacies and saved over $108,000 in 2021.
- When health plan members use KP pharmacies, the cost is lower for them and for the organization.
- Team members contacted Kaiser Permanente patients who filled prescriptions outside KP pharmacies and explained the benefits of ordering their medications within KP.
Ensuring Patients’ Wishes in Times of Need
Increased the number of patients completing advance directives from 20 percent to 80 percent in 3 months.
- Advance directives give patients a say in their care plan while they can make informed decisions and help make their choices known to family members and their doctor.
- Creating a process for medical assistants to verify, update and offer information about advance care directives to radiation oncology patients
Flower Power Reduces Injuries
This team reduced the risk of trips and falls by identifying the safest spot for rolling chairs in exam rooms.
- Keeping workers safe and healthy means they can be there for their patients, families and communities.
- Placing a flower-shaped decal on the floor to indicate where to place rolling chairs in exam rooms
UBT Solves Overtime Dilemma
This inpatient nursing team decreased overtime costs by improving change-of-shift communication.
- Reducing overtime costs keeps Kaiser Permanente affordable for our members and leads to workflow efficiencies that enhance patient care.
- Standardizing change-of-shift communication
Promoting Online Care
This team increased kp.org sign-ups by involving everyone in promotion efforts and hosting enrollment fairs.
- We are empowering members to manage their care with digital tools that connect them to their care team from anywhere.
- Involving the entire team in the effort to register members on kp.org