Cost Efficient Care

What does providing cost efficient care mean?  Providing cost efficient care means giving the best (or better) service while minimizing waste.  Waste is anything that is discarded, without being put to use. Things that can be wasted include time, supplies, resources, energy, money and resources spent on waste disposal itself.

YOUR TIME IS VALUABLE—MAKE IT COUNT!

• Arrive at work a few minutes early!  Being late makes you feel rushed. If you start your shift feeling rushed, you will never feel like you can get on top of things.  When you give yourself a 5-10 minute cushion, you give yourself the gift of starting your shift in a relaxed and stress free frame of mind.
• Know who the "high need" clients are.  There is usually one (or more) on every shift! Know, in advance, that you are going to have to spend more time with these clients. Take care of them first. Don't leave the room without making sure you have done everything you can do for them. This will keep them from pushing the call light every few minutes!
• Ask all your clients, "What else can I do for you before I leave your room?" This is a good way to make sure you've done everything you need to do.  And making sure your clients have their needs met before you leave the room will save you time because it eliminates the time it takes to answer all those call bells.
• Anticipate when you will need help and plan ahead! You can't do it all alone. Some clients have needs that you cannot fulfill on your own. You will need your team members to help you.

PROVIDING COST EFFICIENT CARE BENEFITS EVERYONE!

• Small changes can have a huge impact.  Paying attention to the way you manage your time will not only make you a better employee and caregiver, but will improve your overall health.
• When you work smarter, you lower your stress level, expend less energy and find you actually still have energy at the end of your shift.
• Protecting yourself and your clients from injury and infection will cut down on lost wages for you and lost profits to your employer.
• Remember every dollar wasted is passed on to the consumer. One day you or a loved one will be the healthcare consumer. Do you want to pay for someone’s wasted time? Do you want to pay for an un-needed light that is left on?
• The choices you make today to conserve resources will benefit you, your family, and your clients in the future. Use your time, supplies and energy wisely!