When we think about who provides patient care at hospitals and health
systems, physicians and nurses are often the first people who come to
mind. But what about the myriad ancillary and support staff who
assist--directly and indirectly--with patient care? These departments
play an essential role in ensuring patient safety and shaping the
patient experience.
Leading Ancillary and Support Departments to Higher Performance: The
New Service Imperative for Patient Care examines the key principles for
effectively and efficiently leading ancillary and support teams
throughout a healthcare system. Best practices from direct patient care,
as well as from diagnostic, therapeutic, and nonclinical services, offer
real-world methods for measuring performance and making course
corrections when needed.
The book's opening chapters provide a broad overview of various
departments and highlight the importance of these departments to the
overall healthcare infrastructure. The following chapters are written by
accomplished healthcare experts who identify the strategies they have
employed to optimize results in their specific ancillary and support
areas. Each of these chapters begins with a description of an ancillary
department and then explores its structure, key services, customers, and
more.
The book also offers:
- Insights on measuring productivity and implementing staffing models
- An innovative framework for improving departmental performance
- Guidance on identifying key work units and performance metrics
- Best practices in leadership and communication for ancillary and
support departments
- Strategies for applying the Baldrige framework to these areas
Ancillary and support departments are essential partners in ensuring
that a healthcare organization achieves its patient safety and
experience goals. To be successful, healthcare leaders must understand
these departments and how to optimize their performance.
