A zero cost way to reduce missed hospital appointments

"This randomised controlled trial tested the effectiveness of the reminder message sent to outpatients. Results showed if the message included the specific cost to the NHS of not attending then the patient was more likely to attend or rearrange their appointment – rather than miss it."

A zero cost way to reduce missed hospital appointments
Department of Health
January 2016

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The effectiveness of interventions to improve laboratory requesting patterns among primary care physicians

"Interventions such as educational strategies, feedback and changing test order forms may improve the efficient use of laboratory tests in primary care; however, the level of evidence is quite low and the quality is poor." 

The effectiveness of interventions to improve laboratory requesting patterns among primary care physicians: a systematic review

SL Cadogan, John P. Browne1, Colin P. Bradley2 and Mary R. Cahill3
Implementation Science 2015, 10:167  doi:10.1186/s13012-015-0356-4

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Behavioural insights in health care: Nudging to reduce inefficiency and waste

"There is much evidence that suggests the potential for all of these nudge-type interventions to be successful if suitably applied. However, the evidence available is highly variable in terms of quality, relevance to health care and behaviour change impact."

Behavioural insights in health care: Nudging to reduce inefficiency and waste
C Perry, K Chhatralia, D Damesick, S Hobden, L Volpe
The Health Foundation
December 2015

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Improving efficiency management of radiopharmaceutical materials

"The high cost of radiopharmaceuticals is a significant part of the annual budget of PET/CT unit and nuclear medicine department in general. In fact, it is a valuable target for quality improvement projects that aims to reduce the percentage of wastes and improves resource management at work site."

Improving efficiency management of radiopharmaceutical materials at a nuclear medicine department
A Al Ahmed, K Al-Surimi
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports, 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u208970.w3709

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Medicine optimisation can cut the costs of long term conditions

"Medicines optimisation can cut waste, emergency admissions and the cost of long term conditions. But a review of rheumatoid arthritis care reveals how far it has to go"

Medicine optimisation can cut the costs of long term conditions
M Shelley
Health Service Journal Supplement
June 2015

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Optimising the Pre-Operative Investigative Work Up for Elective Surgical Patients

"Design and implementation of a “Pre-Admission Handbook”, for use by junior doctors and nurse practitioners in the pre-operative setting, reduced the rate of over investigation to 12% in a subsequent, prospective audit cycle of 50 patients, and has improved patient care by standardising the pre-admissions process for elective surgery"

Optimising the Pre-Operative Investigative Work Up for Elective Surgical Patients
N Hack-Adams, N King, M Ahuja, SM Higgs
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u206272.w2608

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Pharmacist-led repeat prescription management

"Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) implemented a pharmacist-led repeat prescription management service (RPMS). The service was aimed at reducing medicines wastage, minimising possible harm from medicines and improving the quality of repeat prescribing."

Pharmacist-led repeat prescription management: ensuring appropriate prescribing and reducing wastage
Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group
QIPP Case Study
November 2014

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Improving compliance with iron infusion therapy in the treatment of chronic anemia in haemodialysis patients with chronic kidney disease

"We aimed to empower hemodialysis nursing staff to manage the iron infusions based on a checklist of ferritin and hemoglobin values thereby making them more independent. This had the added benefit of freeing doctor time."

Improving compliance with iron infusion therapy in the treatment of chronic anemia in haemodialysis patients with chronic kidney disease
ANuti
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u204642.w2177

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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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Leadership vacancies in the NHS

"Board-level vacancies have a negative impact on an organisation. They affect staff morale and engagement, cause strategic instability and waste human and financial resources."

Leadership vacancies in the NHS: What can be done about them?
A Janjua
The King's Fund
December 2014

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Protecting resources, promoting value: a doctor’s guide to cutting waste in clinical care

"This report provides a framework for a way in which doctors can think critically about waste from a clinical perspective and provides examples of doctors improving the value of health care by reducing waste."

Protecting resources, promoting value: a doctor’s guide to cutting waste in clinical care
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
November 2014

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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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Improving the accuracy of operation coding in surgical discharge summaries

" We suggest that specifically designed coding tables be introduced across each surgical department to ensure accurate OPCS codes are used to produce better quality surgical discharge summaries and to ensure correct reimbursement to the Trust."

Improving the accuracy of operation coding in surgical discharge summaries
E Martinou, G Shouls, N Betambeau
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2014;3

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2013 Cost trends report: Commonwealth of Massachusetts

"To identify potential opportunities for savings in Massachusetts, we reviewed three cost drivers in depth: hospital operating expenses, wasteful spending, and high-cost patients." 

2013 Cost trends report 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Health Policy Commission

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Patient blood management recommendations

"This document provides initial recommendations from the National Blood Transfusion Committee about how the NHS should start implementing Patient Blood Management, which is a multi-disciplinary, evidence-based approach to optimising the care of patients who might need blood transfusion." 

Patient Blood Management An evidence-based approach to patient care
National Blood Transfusion Committee
June 2014

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Review of specialist pharmacy services in England

"This report summarises the findings and recommendations of the Review of Specialist Pharmacy Services (SP Srvcs) in England."

The Review of Specialist Pharmacy Services in England

K Ridge

NHS England

May 2014

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Focus on: antidepressant prescribing

"These analyses suggest that there is a complex interaction of factors driving the ever-increasing prescribing of antidepressants – acting at individual level, practice level and across broader society."

Focus on: antidepressant prescribing: trends in the prescribing of antidepressants in primary care (Quality Watch)

R Spence, A Roberts, C Ariti, M Bardsley

The Health Foundation, Nuffield Trust

May 2014

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Can sustainable hospitals help bend the health care cost curve?

"This study examines data from selected hospitals that have implemented programs to reduce energy use and waste and achieve operating room supply efficiencies."

Can sustainable hospitals help bend the health care cost curve?
S Kaplan, B Sadler, K Little, C Franz, P Orris
The Commonwealth Fund
November 2012

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