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Overview of National Affordability and Competitiveness Task Force 2023 Year-End Report laurie.a.schmidt Tue, 04/09/2024 - 10:23
Region
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Download File URL
https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/uHV4iI9X-KeuESLAw.mp4
Request Number
CONTENT-350
Running Time
2:03
Long Teaser

See how Alliance-represented workers, with managers and physicians, saved more than $114 million while improving quality, service and access to our members and patients.

Communicator (reporters)
Guy Ashley
Editor (if known, reporters)
Guy Ashley
Status
Released
Date of publication

Formed as part of the 2021 Alliance National Agreement, the National Affordability and Competitiveness Task Force, along with 7 regional task forces, drove initiatives that saved more than $114 million while improving quality, service and access to our members and patients. View and download the 2023 year-end report for full details.

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Without well-child visits, many young patients are not receiving recommended immunizations for preventable diseases, including measles and whooping cough. The Fontana Pediatrics team brainstormed and developed a drive-up vaccine clinic.

 

Icebreaker: Is Your Heart Healthy?
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tracy.l.silveria Tue, 07/02/2024 - 12:13
poster
PDF
not migrated
Icebreaker: Is Your Heart Healthy?
Tool Type
Format
Running Your Team

Format:
PDF

Size:
8.5” x 11”

Intended audience:
Frontline employees, managers, providers, co-leads and anyone holding a team meeting. 

Best used:
Use this healthy heart icebreaker as a fun way to connect before starting a meeting.

C-363 icebreaker: Is your Heart Healthy?

Use this icebreaker to support healthy heart actions before a meeting.

 

Tracy Silveria
Sherry Crosby
Released

Northwest Team Creates Better Cancer-Care Experience

Deck
Educating staff minimizes patient disruptions, maintains highest quality

Story body part 1

Cancer is a scary diagnosis. Patients who receive this devastating news find support and hope from the Central Interstate Oncology and Infusion team.

The Portland-based team manages an infusion clinic where an average of 70 patients receive chemotherapy daily.

Thanks to a UBT project launched in 2023, the team is helping patients better manage chemotherapy side effects. Results have led to a steep drop in the number of patients sent to the hospital because of severe reactions.

The results illustrate the power of the Labor Management Partnership. The project brought together physicians, managers, and frontline staff to find ways to lower hospitalizations and ease the burden on patients.

“This is just one highlight of how amazingly well our cancer team works as a whole,” says Christine Barnett, MD, chief of Oncology at Central Interstate.

Rising hospitalizations

The oncology and infusion unit-based team set out to reduce the number of patients hospitalized for severe chemotherapy reactions.

They began by closely reviewing an unexplained rise in patients receiving infusion treatment in the hospital.

The team found that about half of these patients could have continued with outpatient infusion treatment, which typically lasts 2 to 3 hours. Hospital infusions can take up to 11 hours and involve patient monitoring and additional medication measures.

“It really spoke to the need for providing more thorough onboarding and training and review for existing staff,” says Monica Hahn, manager of Central Interstate’s Cancer Service Line and Medical Oncology back office.

Significant turnover on the team during the COVID-19 pandemic led to gaps in understanding of the different treatment options available to patients, says Hahn, the team’s management co-lead.

The team’s journey pointed to a larger issue as well. During the pandemic, many teams paused important UBT work to meet increased demand for patient care.

The Central Interstate team was no exception. By early 2023, the team had dropped from Level 5 to Level 1 on the Path to Performance as completed UBT projects fell off. The Path to Performance is a five-stage “growth chart” teams use to measure success.

The care experience project marked one step in the team’s renewed focus on UBT work. They returned to Level 5 in just 10 months.

Refreshing skills

To reduce unneeded hospital visits, the team developed a skills refresher for everyone.

Pharmacy staff conducted in-service training to help employees understand the range of medications available to ease difficult side effects.

Unit-based team leaders also received training. They reviewed ways to assess chemotherapy reactions and determine which patients required hospitalization.

The training was led by Dr. Barnett, Chyna Turnbull, a nurse practitioner, and Jennie Burns, a registered nurse, both members of OFNHP Local 5017.

This educational push led team leaders to develop a 2-page handout of clinical practices. Staff members review the information with patients to help them understand expected side effects.

After taking these steps, the team saw hospitalizations for chemotherapy drop by more than 90% over 2 months in 2023. The team continues to maintain the lower level of hospitalizations.

This is good news for patients, who often must pay high deductibles for hospital admissions. And it’s good news for Kaiser Permanente, which is saving an estimated $198,000 annually due to reduced hospitalizations.

Patients also have a better care experience. They develop trusting relationships with infusion team members and maximize recuperation time at home.

“They come in for their treatment and they’re home in time for dinner,” says Burns, the team’s lead registered nurse.

“The patients see that we are all together in this,” says Rebel Herbert, the team’s labor co-lead, who is a medical assistant and member of SEIU Local 49. “We’re always just a phone call or an email message away.”

TOOLS

Format:
PPT

Size:
19 slides

Intended audience:
Unit-based teams with Coalition-represented workers 

Best used:
Use this slideshow, packed with tips and tools, to understand Coalition PSP goals and metrics for plan years, 2024 to 2027.

Related tools:

TOOLS

Format:
PDF

Size:
One page, 8.5" x 11"

Intended audience:
UBT health and safety champions

Best used: 
Tips for maintaining mental fitness to help manage stress and keep your emotions and outlook healthy.

Related tools:

TOOLS

Format:
PPT

Size:
13 slides (executive summary)

70 slides (full report)

Intended audience:
Anyone with an interest in keeping Kaiser Permanente affordable and competitive

Best used:
See how Alliance-represented workers, with managers and physicians, saved more than $114 million while improving quality, service and access for our members and patients. Click the buttons at right to download the executive summary and full report. Share at UBT huddles, LMP council meetings, and other partnership gatherings. 

Related tools:

TOOLS

Format:
PDF

Size:
8.5” x 11” 

Intended audience:
Alliance-represented workers, frontline managers and leaders involved in the Alliance Performance Sharing Program

Best used: Use this fill-in-the-blanks template to help your unit-based team understand the goal topic, metrics, and ways they can help meet our Performance Sharing Program goals. Fill out template and download customized poster to hand out at meetings or post on bulletin boards where frontline employees gather.

For more tools, please visit the How-To Guide: Alliance PSP in a Box.

 

 

Related tools:

TOOLS

Format:
PDF

Size:
8.5” x 11” (letter size) or 8.5" x 14" (legal size)

Intended audience:
Alliance-represented workers, frontline managers and leaders involved in the Alliance Performance Sharing Program

Best used: Customize this poster template by adding concrete steps that unit-based teams can take to meet the Alliance PSP goal for workplace safety. Fill out template and download customized poster to hand out at meetings or post on bulletin boards where frontline employees gather.

For more tools, please visit the How-To Guide: Alliance PSP in a Box.

 

 

Related tools: