Success in the emerging value-based environment will require a detailed understanding and measurement of various processes across the hospital — especially in patient care areas. Most hospitals today do not have the visibility to accomplish this, largely because of silos between areas such as nursing, supply chain and clinical engineering. The problem is compounded when trying to standardize service across the disparate processes of two merging organizations — from patient care to equipment management — and it can generate significant waste.

Because hospitals will be graded largely on patient satisfaction and quality of outcomes in the value-based reimbursement era, a key to success will be talent retention. Hospitals with the best clinical talent will likely build the best reputations and earn the highest reimbursement scores. Retaining top talent through the M&A process is critical, as broken processes and working environment challenges can prompt talented nurses to look elsewhere for employment.

Forward-thinking hospitals are targeting “quick win” savings by recovering millions of dollars in wasted medical equipment spending. Infusion pumps, ventilators, specialty beds and other medical equipment are typically mismanaged to the point that utilization rates only average 42% in U.S. hospitals. This problem is compounded during M&A activities, as a lack of visibility and differing equipment processes can impede standardization efforts and drive unnecessary spending. As a result, equipment management processes tend to spin further out of control.