title: Cardiovascular benchmarking saves hospital nearly $897,000.
abstract: When Chattanooga, TN-based Erlanger Medical Center wanted to implement care paths for cardiac patients, its benchmarking team found it had to treat its cardiovascular surgeons as one unit rather than as individual practitioners. Best practices emerged as a combination of internal benchmarking and study of care paths from top performing hospitals in the region and nationally. When incorporated in Erlanger's new care plans, these practices netted savings of $896,000 through reduced stays, utilization, and standardization of supplies and processes.
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D017046:Cost Savings; D019091:Critical Pathways; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D013714:Tennessee; D014600:Utilization Review