Advertisement
"In 2006, there were over 4.2 million births in the U.S.*, and by the endof 2008, the national cesarean birth rate is expected to approach 35% and tonearly 50% in some places," explains Barry Calogero, president of Tefen USA."Changes are happening to how women are giving birth, and hospitals must adaptto these shifts. What happens in the OB departments can ultimately impact afacility's cost, quality and access. Administrators need to focus theirattention on these trouble spots and devise tangible, sustainable solutions."
Advertisement
By evaluating all of these factors and moving forward proactively toaddress them, Tefen believes that OB departments will be better able toconsistently set and manage expectations and satisfaction of both staff andpatients. "Increasing the process visibility and opening channels ofcommunication can help facilities address many of its needs," explainsCalogero. "If OB administrators commit to monitoring progress and drivingforward continuous improvement, they may not only improve on cost, quality andaccess but can also use operational improvements in the OB space as a modelfor change in the hospital as a whole."
About Tefen
Tefen Ltd. is a leading international management consulting firm thatspecializes in helping organizations achieve performance excellence. Sinceits founding in 1982, the company has served some of the world's largest andfastest growing businesses, while acquiring a strong reputation as a costefficient, nimble consulting partner. From strategy through toimplementation, Tefen creates value by optimizing the competitiveness,reliability, and agility of its customers. With its hands-on approachphilosophy, the firm has achieved tremendous success in deliveringquantifiable and value-driven results. Headquartered in Israel and employingover 300 consultants worldwide, Tefen also has offices in Europe and in theUnited States.
About Tefen USA
Tefen USA is a subsidiary of Tefen, a global management consulting firmfounded in 1982. The company focuses on driving performance excellence toachieve improvements in cost, quality, and service delivery. Tefen USAsupports a variety of industries and has worked with many Fortune 500organizations. Tefen partners with clients to build quantified cases forchange, setting themselves apart by working with clients from strategy throughimplementation to achieve sustainable results.Tefen highlights the following OB areas requiring attention: 1. Procedure scheduling: Although more patients arrive in a scheduled fashion, the way in which C-sections and inductions are scheduled cause artificial 'peaks and valleys' -- both in the time-of-day and day-of-week. The hospital then faces patient boarding in labor and delivery units, staffing issues and overcrowded mother and baby units. 2. Active discharge management: Many OB programs are lacking clear visibility on which patients are ready for discharge. Procedures, such as circumcision, newborn hearing and other tests and tasks, such as issuing a birth certificate often contribute to the delay in discharge. These tasks, when handled proactively and in a timely manner, can alleviate the discharge process. 3. Facility sizing: Many hospitals that are planning expansions or remodeling of their facilities may bene
