A Truly Kinetic Relationship that Delivers: NYC Health + Hospitals
Crothall’s Healthcare Technology Solutions (HTS) lowered biomedical service costs while improving service efficiency at NYC Health + Hospitals (NYC H+H). NYC H+H is the nation’s largest public health care system with 21 facilities, 11 acute care hospitals and 7500 beds serving more than one million New York City residents annually. Crothall HTS streamlined asset inventory and maintenance to save capital and create new competencies in inspection and evaluation.
In April 2014 Crothall HTS began consolidating dozens of former individual contracts with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and maintenance vendors on any apparatus used for patient diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. The reduction of these contracts into a single Crothall account lowered costs that have amounted to more than $35 million in savings by 2017 and is projected to save over $150 million on the asset baseline by 2023.
“Crothall is part of the team, without the feel of any vendor doing outsourced work,” said Joachim Wilson, Assistant Vice President of Strategic Sourcing at NYC Health + Hospitals. “The Joint Commission and the Center for Medicaid Services (CMS) have given us great reviews and clear inspections as we have added assets.”
Success from Step One
Crothall committed to the inventory and maintenance of the system’s equipment – in some cases, sight unseen. NYC Health + Hospitals’ acute care centers and other facilities had a network of agreements with few standardized inspection guidelines. Crothall created an initial inventory, location and state of every asset in the NYC H+H system and then developed standards and a plan for care.
“Compliance was the first priority,” said Shashi Avadhani, Regional Vice President of Crothall’s HTS Division at NYC Health + Hospitals. “Standardized inspection of equipment is critical and we put together a management plan that reflected that process.” Crothall inventoried the system and determined the contract covered 76,000 assets, which grew to 83,000 during the partnership.
Putting a Process Together
Crothall formulated a risk-based strategy for preventative maintenance. Critical equipment such as life support apparatus received primary focus. Using evidence-based analytics they determined the frequency of inspection for every asset and adjusted it as new information was received. Redundant tasks were eliminated and efficiency increased.
“We really get into the root causes of any problems,” said Wilson. “Crothall helps find out not just what to fix in a delay but to identify the cause from internal sources or the manufacturer, so problems don’t occur again.” Trends in equipment uptime were broken down by department and analyzed to proactively address any negative risks.
By the Numbers
$35+ Million in Savings by 2017
98% Equipment Uptime
83,000 Assets Managed
95% Customer Satisfaction
Training Staff, Working with Vendors
Crothall initiated system-wide training for hospital administration and staff. Staff engagement improved while costs and delays were reduced as maintenance issues were brought in-house. Daily reporting and monthly joint reviews are complemented by an annual reconciliation of assets to decide maintenance or replacement procedures.
“The staff became more productive to keep equipment in top condition,” said Avadhani. “We have trained specialists to address more complex equipment, and we leveraged both internal and external resources at no additional expense to our client to make sure patient care was the best it could be.”
Passing with Flying Colors
Crothall’s strategy has brought the system through 11 successful Joint Commission and several CMS inspections. Each of NYC Health + Hospitals’ 21 hospitals has a Crothall manager responsible for maintaining metrics for strategic and regulatory purposes. Equipment uptime on diagnostic imaging equipment exceeds 98%. Regulatory Compliance, increased customer satisfaction, decreased downtime and financial predictability highlight Crothall’s success at NYC H+H.
“There’s a very kinetic relationship between Crothall and NYC Health + Hospitals,” said Wilson. “I always know resource data, problems being addressed, how to prepare for inspections. It’s much more reassuring than seeing a vendor every few months; Mr. Avadhani and I speak daily.”
A Capital Idea
Crothall HTS helped prioritize NYC Health + Hospital’s capital campaign. Evidence-based decisions were made on both new and existing major assets. This arrangement ensures that the system’s financial commitments cover vital and advanced equipment for the best patient care possible.
“Crothall continues to service and maintain equipment and systems that the manufacturer no longer supports,” said Avadhani. The agreement with NYC Health + Hospitals allows the network to keep functional assets in service after the original manufacturer or vendor no longer supports them.
To learn what Crothall can do for your organization, call 1-877-4CROTHALL (1-877-427-6842).
