The evaluation of hospital restructuring efforts: satisfaction, quality, and costs.
This article reports on study evaluating the effects of hospital restructuring on patient satisfaction, nurse satisfaction, cost of care, and clinical quality. The restructuring involved facility redesign, telecommunications enhancement, and implementation of patient care processes incorporating multiskilled personnel and case facilitation systems. The results indicate improved patient and nurse satisfaction, decreased length of stay and variable cost per patient day, and good clinical outcomes.
Bryan
Y E
YE
Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, PA, USA.
Hitchings
K S
KS
Fox
M A
MA
Kinneman
M T
MT
Young
M J
MJ
D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006754:Hospital Restructuring / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009738:Nursing Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010414:Pennsylvania; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011787:Quality of Health Care