Mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion stroke: improving clinical outcomes and reducing cost

"There have been significant cost-saving benefits to the NHS and social care providers from reduced hospital bed stay and reduced disability. There is no additional burden to the NHS because the majority of patients are admitted directly to the Stroke Unit after the procedure without the need for ITU support." 

Mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion stroke: improving clinical outcomes and reducing cost (Quality and Productivity case study)
Royal Stoke University Hospital, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
NICE
March 2016

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Epilepsy emergency rescue training

"The intervention has a significant positive impact on patient safety, prescribing costs, and was anecdotally evidenced by reduction of paramedic call outs and ED admissions."

Epilepsy emergency rescue training
R Shankar, C Jory, J Ashton, B McLean, M Walker
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u208167.w3566

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The cost of hospital-acquired complications for older people with and without dementia

"Increased length of stay and high rates of adverse clinical events in hospitalised patients with dementia is stimulating interest and debate about which costs may be associated and potentially avoided within this population."

The cost of hospital-acquired complications for older people with and without dementia; a retrospective cohort study

K Bail, J Goss, B Draper, H Berry, R Karmel, D Gibson
BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:91  doi:10.1186/s12913-015-0743-1

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A novel approach to improving coagulation sample ordering in an emergency department

"Through a simple change in longstanding clinical practice, we were able to reduce the number of unnecessary coagulation samples sent from the emergency department."

A novel approach to improving coagulation sample ordering in an emergency department
E Murphy, S MacGlone, C McGroarty
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u204785.w2857

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Reducing pre-operative length of stay for enterocutaneous fistula repair with a multi-disciplinary approach

"We started this project with the aim of reducing the pre-operative length of stay for assessment of complex surgical patients in a tertiary-referral centre. Through the instigation of a weekly multi-disciplinary team meeting and a formalised patient pathway including referral process, we have demonstrated a reduction in length of stay from 30.1 to 5.7 days that would result in an annual saving of over £177,000 on bed-day costs alone."

Reducing pre-operative length of stay for enterocutaneous fistula repair with a multi-disciplinary approach
M Chamberlain, R Dwyer
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u204075.w1773

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Reducing Care Utilisation through Self-management Interventions

"Very few self-management support interventions achieve reductions in utilisation while compromising patient outcomes. Evidence for significant reductions in utilisation were strongest for respiratory disorders and cardiac disorders."

Reducing Care Utilisation through Self-management Interventions (RECURSIVE): a systematic review and meta-analysis
M Panagioti, G Richardson, E Murray, A Rogers, A Kennedy, S Newman, et al.
Health Service Delivery Research 2014;2(54).

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The efficient management of healthcare estates and facilities

"Guidance for NHS trusts, foundation trusts and other NHS organisations on achieving efficiency savings and reducing costs in NHS estates."

The efficient management of healthcare estates and facilities
Department of Health
November 2014

Access the guidance here.

Chest pain symptom scoring can improve the quality of referrals to Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic

"Chest pain symptom scoring resulted in improved GP discrimination of chest pain, improved referral quality, fewer overall referrals to RACPC and shorter patient wait times. These benefits were achieved without using additional financial resources and without the time or capital expense of training GPs."

Chest pain symptom scoring can improve the quality of referrals to Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic
K Sinhji Rathod, H Ward, F Farooqi
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2014;3

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NHS Atlas of Variation: Procurement

The NHS Atlas of Variation for procurement shows how much hospitals are paying for items such as gloves, dressings, aprons and other everyday basics. The data can be used to compare and highlight where Trusts may be paying too much, and help them to make cost savings.

Access the Atlas here.

Looking forward to later life

"If...public services, businesses, civil society and all of us as individuals were ready, both to take advantage of the opportunities and to successfully navigate the challenges of later life, we would experience a triple dividend – increased wellbeing, reduced costs, and increased contribution."

Looking forward to later life: taking an early action approach to our ageing society
Early Action Task Force
2014

Read more here.

Accountable care organisations: Testing, evaluating and learning what works

"Now more than ever the NHS needs to be able to innovate at scale and pace and testing out a variety of ways of integrating care should be encouraged."

Accountable care organisations in the United States and England: Testing, evaluating and learning what works
Stephen Shortell, Rachael Addicott, Nicola Walsh, Chris Ham
The King's Fund
March 2014

Read more here.

Leading health care innovation

This is a collaboration of the editors of the Harvard Business Review and the New England Journal of Medicine, providing an eight-week online forum devoted to helping leaders, managers, and others in health care increase value by improving patient outcomes and reducing costs. Find out more here.