Phased Implementation Breaks Improvements into Affordable Chunks

The Problem

Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a regional health system was faced with aging facilities, an imperative to control costs, and a competitor gaining a foothold in the market. Until a few years ago, the system had been anchored by two acute care facilities. Changes in utilization and reimbursement and an increasing need to manage costs prompted health system leaders to discontinue acute care services at one campus.

System leadership, armed with a market assessment and strategic plan developed with help from staff, acknowledged a need for even more changes to support a broader approach to not only adequately serve the community but also compete with providers located in adjacent counties.

The Approach

The Catalyst project team evaluated the built network of service outlets, including both acute care facilities, long-term-care facilities, and select ambulatory facilities. conducted a robust analysis of patient utilization and trends. We then aligned these findings with insights gained from numerous stakeholder interviews to determine how to support the community in the near and long term.

The Solution

Catalyst provided our client with a multifaceted solution that addressed spending, infrastructure improvement needs, and a whole-system perspective. The solution validated some beliefs of the system staff and delivered a workable plan that accommodated market changes. Recommendations for the campus leadership wanted to shutter focused on improving the patient experience and updating the space and its equipment. Catalyst’s plan included a phased implementation that broke improvements into affordable chunks. Despite the high initial investment to realize the plan, the system saved money over the long term.