Project: Spine Center
Service Launch
Physician Engagement
Center of Excellence Development
The challenge:
For several years, surgeons and administration sought to launch a comprehensive spine center in order to support physician practices, drive both surgical and non-surgical revenue and increase patient satisfaction levels. But after years of discussion and planning, there was no launch date in sight. A persistent skepticism prevailed and both physicians and administration had little reason to believe the program would ever get off the ground.
Vega’s solutions:
- Took a systems approach that involved stakeholders across all areas—medical staff, departmental leadership, subject matter clinicians and administrative experts—to mobilize the dormant project and reengage stakeholder’s commitments.
- Assessed and pinpointed two key problems: lack of a project champion and broken lines of communication.
- Integrated project findings with its own Center of Excellence standards and industry-leading spine services research
- Met with all constituents to uncover barriers, gather project insights and establish respective project tasks and timelines.
- Challenged team members to envision ways to improve the patient experience—and their own.
- Created a framework for the center and facilitated stakeholder commitment to a timeline.
The results:
The new spine center was launched on schedule and in the first year generated $1.5 million growth in incremental revenue (both surgical/non-surgical), 16% growth in incremental surgical volume, 17% shorter length of stay and improved patient satisfaction at the spine service line level.
With his excellent organizational and interpersonal skills, Patrick was vital in the launch of our Spine Center at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. He effectively led program planning and implementation, integrating the efforts of physicians of multiple specialties, nursing, rehabilitation and administrative staff.
His ability to synthesize diverse departmental and specialty perspectives has resulted in a program where all stakeholders take ownership. There is no question in my mind the success of our program is in large part due to Patrick’s work.
Scott E. Brown, M.D.
Chairman, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Sinai Hospital of Baltimore
Patrick was instrumental in developing our comprehensive Spine Center. In many ways, he served as a catalyst to pull together a diverse group of physicians toward a common goal, interfacing with administration, patient care and multiple medical staff departments. Not only was he involved at the strategic level, but he was also key in developing the operating framework and leading cross-functional teams in the development of core clinical elements, marketing materials and promotion of the Center. We saw our volume increase as well as our patient satisfaction, as documented by our Press Ganey scores.
Neil Meltzer
President and COO, Sinai Hospital
Senior Vice President, LifeBridge Health
Clearly, it was Patrick’s leadership, organizational skills, and ability to foster collaboration among dozens of key constituents that allowed us to succeed. Because of his negotiations and diplomacy with executive administration, physician leadership and multiple clinical disciplines, he was able to accomplish in less than a year what we were unable to do in more than three.
Mark Rosenthal, M.D.
Co-Medical Director, The Spine Center at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore
Instructor, Orthopaedics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
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