Across healthcare, having a consistent set of tools keeps things running smoothly. For surgeons, standardization in the operating room allows them to focus on care, lowering variability and keeping care as consistent as possible. Similarly, standard protocols during codes help clinicians provide the best possible care during a crisis.
The same goes for standardized equipment in a hospital system, specifically ultrasound equipment. The benefits may not seem as impactful, but they can improve patient care, streamline daily operations, improve the clinician experience, and even save the hospital system money. And, because mobility and affordability are expanding ultrasound usage to new areas of hospitals, taking steps toward ultrasound standardization simply makes sense.
What is standardization?
“Ultimately, it helps you manage your equipment better, which has a wealth of benefits,” says Doug Weil, Director, Enterprise Ultrasound Solutions for GE HealthCare. “Those benefits include improved department efficiency, clinical outcomes, and patient safety in the long term and in day-to-day workflow.” Standardization is generally defined as providing all equipment in a department or hospital system from the same vendor, and the equipment should generally be the same age.
When it comes to ultrasound, this can be a powerful reality for the clinician’s experience. “It also helps clinicians go from room to room where everything is the same,” adds Weil. “So they can expect the same image quality, usability, and ‘knob-ology’, which is what we call the general functionality of a piece of equipment.”
With ultrasound being a user-dependent imaging product, standardizing equipment across an organization can help eliminate some of the variation in imaging outcomes ultimately improving consistency of care.
Many facilities have mismatched equipment, which can cause issues in day-to-day operations. A streamlined approach to equipment can solve some of these challenges.
The financial impact
Many decision-makers at hospital systems are managing tight budgets and, as Weil estimates, “Some say that they want to buy equipment and then use it for five, seven, or ten years, but what they might not realize is that the benefits go far beyond just the cost of the equipment. It has a ripple effect that impacts the entire clinic.”
“At the onset, from a financial point of view,” Weil says, “If a department or system wants to standardize, and if there’s enough equipment they’re purchasing, they can often get a bulk deal and save money on the purchase.”
Looking long-term, however, the financial impact can also be seen in the day-to-day workflow and productivity of the clinic.
“Generally, equipment that’s older tends to break down more,” Weil notes. “If the equipment isn’t reliable, then say, it’s down every month, that ruins your whole schedule. If you had 12 patients booked for that day and a machine goes down, where are you going to put them? Either you cancel them and lose revenue, or you try to make it work in other rooms which causes a headache for everyone.”
Then, there are the one-off requests that clinicians face such as quick questions or imaging reviews. Some clinicians might not see the need to document and bill all interactions, but with a simplified and standardized system, more billing opportunities can be captured.
That “headache” of a disjointed operation is not something to take lightly. Revenue is important, but patients and clinicians are always the top priority. The reputation and smooth workflow of the department leave a lasting impression on patients and clinicians.
For patients concerned with their health and waiting to get into a scheduled exam, it’s an added emotional strain when the equipment is down. The same applies to clinicians, who have packed schedules and significant stress. Standardization makes things run more smoothly. Additionally, in situations where departments are understaffed, standardization can streamline the operation, allowing staff to take care of more patients and provide better care.
The importance of Digital and AI
Going back to the “knob-ology” and the digital operations of a department’s equipment, having all the equipment “speak the same language”, as Weil describes it, can make a big difference.
“All of the reporting, archiving, and workflow solutions come from one vendor, so a department can manage that all in one place at the same time,” he says.
“It used to be that you would make protocol updates on a machine, put that on a flash drive, take it out, and then go to the next machine and do the same thing,” Weil recalls. “But that’s just the beginning. Then you’d have to get in your car, drive 10 or 100 miles down the road to the next clinic or facility, and do the same thing. What used to take days for a full-time staff member to do now can take just a few minutes if the system is connected and integrated with the same vendor.”
By tapping into different digital tools and AI technologies, there is the opportunity to increase efficiencies as well. Through a partnership with a vendor, a comprehensive digital and AI strategy can be developed and deployed across the organization, helping to increase efficiency holistically rather than in pockets.
How do you get started?
There’s a general internal process to follow if a healthcare system or department is looking to invest in standardization. A strong partnership between the vendor and institution is also key. This comes from trust and a commitment to the partnership. The vendor must seek to truly understand the problems of an institution and a solution through standardization. A partnership means solving the problem and improving the operation, not just selling equipment.
When starting a partnership, a good first step is to have an understanding of the current status or baseline status. This includes auditing the equipment and workflow of an institution or department .“We start by understanding the customer challenges and working together to build solutions. Part of this includes getting a baseline of the equipment they have and what they need based on their operations and goals. And speaking of goals, we then inspire them to look ahead. What is your vision? What do you want to get out of this investment down the road? What kind of care do you want to provide?”
Then it comes down to providing the right equipment in the right clinical areas. It’s not one-size-fits-all: “We then tailor our offering to fit their clinical and financial needs.
“We also work closely with our digital team from the start to help them take their operation to the next level, beyond just the equipment,” Weil concludes. “We ask how we can support them in their workflows, fleet management, and general efficiencies.”
This last piece also ties back to the financial aspect because if a new system is optimized to be productive and efficient, it could increase billing opportunities.
In addition, protecting a standardized system from cyber threats is much easier because it’s all connected in one system and not pieced together. The more integrated the system, the harder it is to find cracks.
A true turn-key operation
While this is a clear step-by-step process, some hospital decision-makers may see managing ultrasound as a daunting task due to the number of units, low cost, and portability which could make it more difficult to manage than other imaging modalities. Partially committing to standardization, after all, is the opposite of standardization. That’s why, as Weil explains, GE HealthCare offers a Manage Equipment Service (MES) program.
“It’s a full-service offering where we have you covered when it comes to equipment, service, and training. It’s the ultimate solution to the standardization goal. Departments can put their ultrasound equipment in the best hands—as we offer some of the best equipment and service in the market—and we take it from there.”
Standardization has a cascading effect in an imaging department, as Weil reiterates, it starts with image quality and reliability. Having equipment that performs well and consistently makes scheduling, reporting, service, and updates easier. When the daily operations are easier, clinicians work better, and patients feel better.
