Huge Benefits
Efforts to improve oncological care usually focus upon diagnostics and treatment. But there are also huge benefits to be gained in the follow-up phase (aftercare and controls), for patient, hospital, and society alike. Realizing this, a teaching hospital asked Vintura to optimize that aspect of its patient services.
Progress through Partnerships
For this project, we took a bottom-up approach. Along with small teams of experts from the hospital (doctors, nurses, managers), we identified sticking points and devised innovative yet practical solutions. We then compiled business cases and designed the implementation process. All the time trying to ensure that the changes attracted broad support from everyone concerned, since that is vital in achieving the desired results. Patients, too, were actively involved throughout to make sure that the care they receive actually improved.
Better and Cheaper
The project has had a remarkable outcome for all three key groups concerned: patients, the hospital, and society. Patients now have shorter waits for test results, and fewer hospital visits. Follow-up is based upon processes that are standardized and coordinated, yet also better tailored to the individual patient. By transferring some duties from doctors to nursing specialists, there is more time for psychosocial care. And the systematic improvements have actually made the whole process cheaper.
