Consulting Services Facilitate Change and Support Organizational Growth
Michele Stewart serves as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer at Mercy's health facility in Northwest Arkansas, a hospital licensed for 165 beds. Stewart oversees the hospital's operations, with all clinical, home care and outpatient departments reporting to her.
"I've relied on ROi's Consulting Services for recommendations to reduce costs and improve the quality of care delivered to patients," explains Stewart, who has been with Mercy for more than 30 years.
When Stewart and her team were opening Mercy's hospital in Rogers, Arkansas, ROi provided consultation and implementation of process improvement strategies, inventory management, contracting services, and operational and financial performance measurement.
"ROi came to Rogers to work one-on-one with our department directors to identify cost-saving measures and efficiency improvements," says Stewart. "Over two months, they developed nearly 75 improvement initiatives that resulted in a 7.5% reduction in supply and drug expenses, and collaborated closely with every department director to implement the changes and ensure an accurate and smooth transition."
In addition, ROi's process improvement and analytics co-workers, which included industrial engineers, introduced more efficient processes for the staff and physicians to improve patient care. "The team provided both clinical and operational expertise and understood our needs," adds Stewart.
"ROi has made a positive impact on our hospital's growth and success," she says. "ROi is committed to our success. We continue to collaborate in a variety of areas including improving the value of contracts, promoting standardization and utilization management."