This year, our exclusive research for the 100 Top Hospitals supplement by Modern Healthcare highlights growing success in hospital-driven improvement beyond the walls of the inpatient setting. The research demonstrates that lower-than-expected pharmaceutical utilization is associated with balanced, hospital-wide high performance, fewer unplanned readmissions of any type measured, and lower Medicare spending per beneficiary.
These results are a bellwether of the fruits of collaboration and innovation across the continuum of care. To achieve what's known as lower pharmaceutical intensity, lower readmissions as well as lower Medicare spending per beneficiary, the hospital must do the right thing at the right time in the right setting to achieve the right outcome and right cost for the patient throughout the entire episode of care.
A strong commitment from leaders and effective communication of the imperative to increase value is required to achieve the results we have identified. The latest findings suggest that hospitals scoring high on the 100 Top Hospitals national balanced scorecard are building strong collaboration among physician, pharmacy, supply-chain and quality-improvement leaders to reduce unnecessarily expensive care, streamline delivery systems to ensure timely care, select post-discharge care judiciously and begin to manage episode-of-care outcomes.
Value is slowly increasing and progress is being made toward the triple aim, despite the stunning challenges that hospital leaders face. Boards, CEOs, other senior executives and managers throughout these organizations are simultaneously cutting costs, transforming their business models and delivery systems, yet still operating with an adverse payment system in place. The results demonstrate that strong leadership truly matters.
