Open AccessInvesting in Skilled Specialists to Grow Hospital Infrastructure for Quality Improvement
Author(s) -
William V. Padula,
Madhuram Nagarajan,
Patricia M. Davidson,
Peter J. Pronovost
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of patient safety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1549-8425
pISSN - 1549-8417
DOI - 10.1097/pts.0000000000000623
Subject(s) - medicine , health care , certification , observational study , specialty , patient safety , emergency medicine , medical emergency , family medicine , pathology , political science , law , economics , economic growth
Hospitals can reduce labor costs by hiring lowest skill possible for the job, stretching clinical hours, and reducing staff not at bedside. However, these labor constraints designed to reduce costs may paradoxically increase costs. Specialty staff, such as board-certified clinicians, can redesign health systems to evaluate the needs of complex patients and prevent complications. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether investing in skilled specialists for supporting hospital quality infrastructure improves value and performance.