Ninneth "Nina" O'Hara, clerk, SEIU-UHW member, rolls down the halls in the South Sacramento Medical Center Emergency Department onto the next patient to gather info using a laptop on wheels.
Embracing Change Helps Team Save Thousands of Dollars
South Sacramento Medical Center Emergency Department clerks set out to save a few thousand dollars by trying out laptops with signature capture pads. They exceeded their goal and saved more than $88,000 in ink, paper, processing, scanning costs in one year. The technology makes it possible for clerks to register patients at their bedside and record their information and signature electronically. Not only does this eliminate the need for paper registration forms, it also increases the clerks’ mobility and efficiency.
Here's What Worked
- Reviewing the Emergency Department’s patient intake procedure and documenting the number of forms used
- Brainstorming ways to reduce multiple forms and frequency of contact between clerks and patients
- Educating clerks and staff on the new technology, including the use of electronic signature pads
What can your team do to leverage technology to save money and improve the patient experience? What else could you do to help keep KP affordable for our member and patients?
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