2009/2010 System Annual Report - Henry Ford Health System

Integration: Laboratory services blend models to integrate hospital processesHenry Ford Health System continually strives to improve allof its processes. To do this across the System’s businessunits, Henry Ford uses its own Model for Improvement(MFI), which is both disciplined and innovative, andfounded on the highly successful Deming model.The integration of the System’s medical laboratoriesstarted with an empowered workforce, and with processesthat work their way up, rather than down. Integration tookplace in all the laboratories of Henry Ford Hospital and themedical centers, and more than 500 employees have beentrained in a LEAN method of process improvement.Through integration of all the System’s laboratories intoone service line, turnaround time for lab results has beencut by 50 percent in many cases, and volumes significantlyimproved. This enhanced efficiency opens up capacity,so that the labs are able to take on more work withoutincreasing staff.“We have worked diligently to create central corelaboratories that can do common and esoteric testing forall the hospitals,” says Richard Zarbo, M.D., DMD, seniorvice president of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. “It’sall done at the Henry Ford Hospital lab as fast, if not faster,than if it had been done at our various hospitals.”Successful integration is made possible by using the toolsand concepts of continuous improvement of the System’sservices, which is accomplished by wedding ideas toimplementation to achieve innovation. In addition to thelaboratories, it also is found in Henry Ford’s pre-admissiontesting for operating rooms, communications, EmergencyDepartment work flows, and the System’s No Harminitiative, to name just a few.A worker-empowered culture is the key in Henry Ford’sintegration successes, and it produces superior resultsthroughout the System. ■The core laboratory at Henry Ford Hospital handles more than 6.5 million inpatient and outpatient billed tests annuallyfrom 26 medical centers, referrals from System hospitals, and Laboratory Outreach specimens from Henry Ford MedicalLaboratories. In total this activity accounts for approximately $360 million in billed revenue per year.13HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM• 2009 / 2010 Report