Using Quality Improvement to Improve Value and Reduce Waste

Brian King; Ravi M Patel

doi:10.1016/j.clp.2023.01.009

Using Quality Improvement to Improve Value and Reduce Waste

Clin Perinatol. 2023 Jun;50(2):489-506. doi: 10.1016/j.clp.2023.01.009. Epub 2023 Mar 27.

Authors

Brian King¹, Ravi M Patel²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburg School of Medicine. Electronic address: kingbc2@upmc.edu.
² Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 2015 Uppergate Drive, NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

PMID: 37201993
DOI: 10.1016/j.clp.2023.01.009

Abstract

Value is defined as health outcomes achieved per dollar spent. Addressing value in quality improvement (QI) efforts can help optimize patient outcomes while reducing unnecessary spending. In this article, we discuss how QI focused on reducing morbidities frequently reduces costs, and how proper cost accounting can help demonstrate improvements in value. We provide examples of high-yield opportunities for value improvement in neonatology and review the literature associated with these topics. Opportunities include reducing neonatal intensive care admissions for low-acuity infants, sepsis evaluations in low-risk infants, unnecessary total parental nutrition use, and utilization of laboratory and imaging.

Keywords: Infant; Neonate; Outcomes; Quality; Value; Waste.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Hospitalization
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal*
Intensive Care, Neonatal
Neonatology*
Quality Improvement