UCSF Center for Healthcare Value - Caring Wisely 2.0

Crowd-sourcing innovative cost savings ideas from the front lines of care delivery systems

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The UCSF Center for Healthcare Value (CHV) called for the best ideas to reduce inefficiencies and health care costs as Phase 1 of the Caring Wisely initiative. The top 10 ideas at each site were selected as "Hot Spots" for Phase 2, which will be a call for proposals from within the UCSF and SFGH communities to address the areas of interest identified from the winning ideas in Phase 1.

Ideas (172 total)

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Re-designing bedside procedural kits

Submitted by Andrew Lai on January 31, 2014 - 10:32am Last revised by Web Producer on March 13, 2014 - 12:43pm.
Idea Status: 
Review Complete

Problem: Poor/inadequate design of procedural kits for paracentesis, thoracentesis, and lumbar puncture at UCSF


Issue: The current procedural kits for the above procedures are inefficiently packaged with either excess items not frequently used (and often wasted, despite efforts to partner with the medical school's REMEDY chapter to repurpose these items in other settings) or do not have adequate supplies of more necessary, higher-yield items, leading to excess medical waste and provider time getting additional supplies.  For example:

Complete Our Wisdom

Submitted by Jennifer Schwarz on January 31, 2014 - 3:57am Last revised by Web Producer on March 13, 2014 - 12:43pm.
Idea Status: 
Review Complete

“Caring wisely” is a phrase loaded with a profound responsibility – to thoughtfully do the right thing with respect and dignity for all. Wisdom is the ability or result of an ability to think and act utilizing knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight. Patient to patient, medical knowledge, experience, and common sense are constants for any given health care provider.

Smaller Blood Tubes Reduce Amount of Blood Drawn for Lab Tests Without Affecting Results

Submitted by Jeanne Lam on January 31, 2014 - 12:49am Last revised by Web Producer on March 13, 2014 - 12:43pm.
Idea Status: 
Review Complete

According to evidence based research, using smaller blood tubes (from 8.5mL to pediatric sized 3.5 mL)decreases the amount of blood collected, does not appear to affect laboratory test results, and reduces the amount of blood drawn overall [http://www.medsc

Reducing CLABSIs and improving patient satisfaction

Submitted by Annou Davi on January 30, 2014 - 7:05pm Last revised by Web Producer on March 13, 2014 - 12:43pm.
Idea Status: 
Review Complete
There is a great deal of evidence surrounding dedicated vascular access teams and reduction of CLABSIs.  The CLABSI rate at UC has been difficult to decrease despite multiple efforts on several fronts.  As a teaching hospital, we have practitioners at all levels of experience performing both insertion and care of these devices and this contributes to inconsistant practice and techniques.  A vascular access team with specialized training in this area would serve as a resource for oversight of these practices.  This service would audit and iden

Brown bag lunch to go on the day of discharge

Submitted by Elizabeth Stewart on January 30, 2014 - 5:41pm Last revised by Web Producer on March 13, 2014 - 12:43pm.
Idea Status: 
Review Complete

One of the many factors that prevent patients from being discharged before noon is their preference to stay for lunch.  While lunch is often not delivered until 12:30 or 1, we could instead implement a policy of providing a brown bag lunch at 11 am on the day of discharge.  This could lead to a discharge time that is 1-2 hours earlier, improve patient flow, and would likely decrease food costs.  This idea could be applicable to both UCSF and SFGH.  

Office Supply Drop-off

Submitted by Lisa Schoonerman on January 30, 2014 - 4:46pm Last revised by Web Producer on March 13, 2014 - 12:43pm.
Idea Status: 
Review Complete

Submitted on behalf of Amina Durrani, LCSW

 

My suggestion is that we have a place in each building where people can drop-off used but still able-to-be-used office supplies.

For example, if somebody needs a binder he/she can just go look there and get a new binder before ordering a new one.

 

Cutting laundry costs

Submitted by James Mancusi on January 30, 2014 - 3:13pm Last revised by Web Producer on March 13, 2014 - 12:43pm.
Idea Status: 
Review Complete

  I am sometimes amazed at the number of blankets placed on a patient to try to keep them warm during transportation (as many as 5 - 6!).

In the past, I have worked at a hospital that did a study of how to keep our patients warm while being transported on gurneys. In summary, they found that by placing a bed-sheet on the patient retains much more heat than a blanket alone (tighter weave of the fabric?). So, the recommendation of the study suggested placing a warm blanket on the patient which is then covered by a bed-sheet. Simple.

Creating a Perioperative Surgical Home within SFGH's Gynecology Service

Submitted by Chitra Akileswaran on January 30, 2014 - 3:04pm Last revised by Web Producer on March 13, 2014 - 12:43pm.
Idea Status: 
Review Complete
The perioperative care episode (preop through postop discharge and recovery) often displaces patients from their usual care schedules with their primary care providers.  During this time, a specialty service assumes full care for surgical patients, including addressing new medical issues and altering prior medication regimens.

MyChart sign-up stations

Submitted by Kathleen Jo Corbin on January 30, 2014 - 2:24pm Last revised by Web Producer on March 13, 2014 - 12:43pm.
Idea Status: 
Review Complete

Having used MyChart as both a provider and patient, I think it's a pretty user-friendly system that can be quite useful for communicating about non-urgent issues, requesting appointments, and requesting medication refills. We can increase the number of patients using MyChart by setting up sign-up stations in our outpatient clinics - either in the waiting room or some other common area where patients can use it while waiting. Having the ability to sign up in clinic will eliminate people forgetting or "not having time" to do it at home.

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