Featured Article Shaneka Demps

Retrospective Value Analysis Reviews are Necessary Components to Have in Your Toolbox

Given that the cost of these inflatable positioning/transfer devices had climbed to over $5.2 million after two years of use, things clearly had gone awry with the utilization of these devices and the value analysis department was now tasked to address it. It just goes to show that you can do everything right in your value analysis process, but it is the end clinical customers who use these products and that is where challenges occur. The issue was that the costs were climbing exponentially but there was little or no reduction in clinical team or patient positioning issues. A retrospective value analysis review was required by the value analysis team.

Winning Value Analysis Steps to Save 64% or $3.4 Million Annually

We were a bit taken aback by the amount of overspend that had occurred on a value analysis project, although since this is a big system, overspend tends to be higher than most which is why there is a value analysis department to address these very issues. These products continued to be used while the value analysis review was performed which allowed the value analysis team to analyze the use patterns and outcomes of the products much better than we had with a new product request back in 2017.

Gained C-Suite Support and Engagement – The product was used system-wide, and many clinical staff really liked using this product, which necessitated the support of senior leadership as this project could have easily been shut down. Given the dollar figure of waste, it was most important to have executive leadership’s backing.

Knowing the Eye-Opening Facts – We needed to know how effective the current product mix was with relation to clinical injuries as well as patient positioning issues within the health system. Interestingly, it was found that the current patient transfer devices did not perform as originally intended.

Engaging Wound Care Clinicians and Nurse Leaders – When we did the first value analysis review on the inflatable transfer devices when they were new product requests, we were not as astute as we are today with regard to decubitus care at the patient bedside. We identified the correct patient population and developed an action plan for use of these devices.