Project Deconstruction: Cost Reduction Strategies - Dickinson Hospital

This project deconstruction paper reviews a change project focused on reducing healthcare costs by minimizing waste from unnecessary tests at Dickinson Hospital. It analyzes the positive and negative aspects of the project's implementation, highlighting the importance of stakeholder engagement, leadership development, and continuous research. The paper discusses the implementation timeline, key stakeholders, and location requirements, while also emphasizing the need for staff motivation and robust methodologies for future success. Furthermore, it notes changes in nursing trends, information, and technology since the project's inception, including nurses consulting with physicians regarding test omissions and the setting's interest in advanced information technology for clinical tests. The PDCA framework was used for continuous improvements that acted as the tool helping in continuous monitoring and evaluation of procedures adopted.

Running head: PROJECT DECONSTRUCTION
Project Deconstruction
Name of student:
Name of university:
Author note:

1PROJECT DECONSTRUCTION
The scope of the practicum project was to highlight strategies that can impact substantial
reduction in healthcare costs. Precisely, the project focused on strategies to cut down hospital
high health care costs by reducing waste in resources related to unnecessary tests. The present
project deconstruction paper reviews the change project assuming it had been implemented. An
analysis of the positive and negative aspects of the process has been included. The changes that
would be made for ensuring the change project is successful are highlighted. Lastly, the changes
that have occurred since the beginning of your project pertaining to nursing trends, information
and technology are discussed.
Healthcare system in the US is presently facing immense challenges due to the rising
costs and its impact on care providers and consumers alike (Squires & Anderson, 2015). The
hospital chosen for research in the context of formulation of strategies to lessen the expenditure
on health care due to the wastage of resources related to unnecessary tests is Dickinson Hospital
which is in the rural region of U.S. A. The hospital is with 26 beds, 8 beds in the emergency
room, 8 beds in the labor/delivery ward and 4 beds in the ICU. It has 2 rooms of Post-anesthesia
care unit (PACU). The primary constraint of the project was a poor level of awareness among
the clinical staff regarding the goals of the project. There was a clear indication that these
professionals were not well informed of the impact of high health care costs. Nevertheless,
success was achieved in the timely implementation of the change project with the help of a
suitable project management approach. The one-month time frame was appropriate in alignment
with the project objectives. It would have been better if the cost-benefit analysis was done in a
more rigorous manner. In addition to the implementation plan, the monitoring of performance
was achieved within the set time frame. The PDCA framework as used for continuous
improvements that acted as the tool helping in continuous monitoring and evaluation of

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procedures adopted. The key stakeholders were administrative team, Doctors, Nurses,
Pharmacist, and Radiologist during this project implementation process. The organization
culture, employee willingness, and leadership style had a great impact on the success of
planning.
Leadership and engagement in continual research would be the two attributes to be
integrated into practice in the care system for the required change process (Ginter et al., 2018).
There is an increasing conviction that investment in transformation leadership in clinical settings
would make a huge difference when a change project is being implemented in a healthcare
setting. Leadership development in the organization is imperative at present so that any required
change can be fostered in a rapid manner and lead to better patient outcomes. Leadership
development has to be an ongoing process where leaders from other notable care settings can
come forward to help in this regard and initiate the process. The head of the departments of
nursing, technicians and physicians must have a proactive approach in this regard and
demonstrate self-awareness, communication skills and vision. Further, engagement in continual
research by the staff of the setting would be effective in learning advancements made in clinical
processes in the recent past. This would also incorporate within them the sense of empowerment,
greater responsibility and job clarity (Dunn, 2016). For ensuring that the practicum project is
successful in future, it is necessary to motivate staffs to improve their practice. Involving
additional stakeholders might prove to be useful. In case additional costs are associated with the
project, it is to be ensured that the management is in a position to support the same. Lastly, the
methodology of the project is to be made stronger to have more valid and reliable results.
In the end, it would be desirable to highlight the changes brought about since the
beginning of your project pertaining to nursing trends, information and technology. It was

3PROJECT DECONSTRUCTION
witnessed that nurses developed an impulse to consult with the physician regarding the
omission of any diagnostic tests that might lead to increased costs. They also engaged in mutual
discussions about the same for the exchange of novice ideas that can ensure safe delivery of care.
Further, the setting showed an interest to implement advanced information technology for
clinical tests.

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References
Dunn, R. (2016). Dunn and Haimann's Healthcare Management. Health Administration Press.
Ginter, P. M., Duncan, J., & Swayne, L. E. (2018). The Strategic Management of Healthcare
Organizations. John Wiley & Sons.
Squires, D., & Anderson, C. (2015). US health care from a global perspective: spending, use of
services, prices, and health in 13 countries. The Commonwealth Fund, 15, 1-16.