A “Six Sigma”© Primer for the Home Care Industry

Posted on October 25, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By: Christian Hernandez MBA – Apple Health Care Services

Richard Melnyck MBA MS

Mark Friedman PhD Department of Accounting

Howard Gitlow PhD Department of Management Science University Miami

christian hernandez
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BACKGROUND
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Homecare has long been one the most cost-effective methods of treating patients. Yet today, homecare providers face significant challenges: reimbursement cuts, mandatory accreditation, and influencing policy changes. So, how can homecare managers efficiently sustain a cutting edge, consistent and quality focused practice amidst this changing landscape?
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It is time the homecare industry tap into the high-tech tools and proven management theories that together make up “Six sigma” management. This article will provide a solid point of reference for managers interested in adopting “Six Sigma” management. In today’s stiff economic climate, organizations are once again turning to “Six Sigma”strategies as a means to reduce their bottom lines.
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However, its cost cutting aspect is technically more of a by product than the core of its theory. “Six Sigma” management is practiced in many organizations across all sectors of the global economy. Companies such as drug giant Merck, Cadbury, and Dunkin’ Brands are increasingly turning to Six Sigma to lift their bottom lines.
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The term “Lean Management” is an old buzz word that still excites managers. Lean Management stems from the term Lean Manufacturing, which was a derivative of Total Quality Management (TQM) —considered one of the earlier versions of “Six Sigma”.
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Over the years, “Six Sigma” has evolved from a ground-breaking management system to one of the most proven methods for instituting change, reducing errors and eliminating inefficiencies. These management utilities run through the entire spectrum of organizational applications, from confronting the serious issues mentioned above to routine business functions.
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The resurgence of Japan’s economy in the 70’s and 80’s is largely attributed to TQM. “In the auto industry, manufacturers such as Toyota and Honda became major players. In the consumer goods market, companies such as Toshiba and Sony led the way. These foreign competitors were producing lower-priced products with considerably higher quality.”
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Note: © Six Sigma is a trademark of the Motorola Corporation
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Conclusion

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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:

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PARADOX: Value Based Care

Posted on October 25, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

BY DR. DAVID EDWARD MARCINKO MBA MED CMP™

Sponsor: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

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A young clinician representative advising to consider the cost versus value of medicine. Health care concept for economic cost-effectiveness analysis, driving down medical costs, improved access.

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Value Based Care Classic Definition: Value-based care is a type of payment model that pays doctors and hospitals for treating patients in the right place, at the right time and with just the right amount of care. You can look at it as a financial incentive to motivate healthcare providers to meet specific performance measures related to the quality and efficiency of the process. The same way, it penalizes weaker experiences, such as medical errors. The concept is often counter-intuitive.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

Modern Circumstance: As healthcare costs continue to rise, value-based care has been growing in popularity compared to the traditional fee-for-service method.

Think: HMOs, PPOs, capitation payments and Medicare Advantage [Part C].

Paradox Examples:

  • Payment: A physician paid through fee-for-service compensation might like to see a packed medical office waiting room. More patients and services equate to higher pay. But, the same doctor paid through a VBC contract might wish to see an emptier waiting room as s/he will get the exact same daily pay for seeing fewer patients and working much less.
  • Prospectivity: Traditional Fee-for-Service medicine treats sick patients. VBC medicine seeks to keep patients healthy and out of the doctor’s office. 

Nursing Capitation: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2024/07/07/on-nursing-capitation-reimbursement/

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

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Transforming Hospital Finances with Six Sigma

Posted on October 25, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

The Mount Carmel Health System

By Mark Matthews MD

A “Scrubbed” True Illustration

One of the earliest healthcare adopters of Six Sigma was the Mount Carmel Health System in Columbus, Ohio.

The organization was barely breaking even in the summer of 2021 when competition from surrounding providers made things worse. Employee layoffs added fuel to an already all-time low employee morale.

The CEO

The Chief Executive Officer was determined to stem the bleeding, break the cycle of poor financial performance and return the hospital system to profitability.  He sought the potential benefits of Six Sigma and began a full deployment of its methodology. The plan was a bold move, as the organization ensured that no one would be terminated as a result of a Six Sigma project having eliminated his or her previous duties. These employees would be offered an alternative position in a different department. Moreover, top personnel were asked to leave their current positions to be trained and work full time as Six Sigma expert practitioners who would oversee project deployment while their positions were back filled.

Assessment

The Six Sigma deployment was the right decision. More than 50 projects were initiated with significant success. An example of an early Mount Carmel success story is the dramatic improvement in their Medicare Part C product reimbursements, previously written off as uncollectible accounts. These accounts were often denied by HCFA due to coding of those patients as “working aged.”

Since the treatment process status often changed in these patients, HCFA often rejected claims or lessened reimbursement amounts, effectively making coding a difficult and elusive problem. The employment of the Six Sigma process fixed the problem, resulting in a real gain of $857,000 to the organization. The spillover of this methodology to other coding parameters also has dramatically boosted revenue collection.

A Glimpse of Lean Medical Management Tools and Techniques

Conclusion

Your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Our Other Print Books and Related Information Sources:

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Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

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DAILY UPDATE: MBAs, Apple and Goldman Sachs as Stock Markets Mixed

Posted on October 25, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

http://www.MedicalBusinessAdvisors.com

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

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Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
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Your Referral Count -0-

Applications to MBA programs are up 12% in 2024 after declining for two years, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council, which surveys business school admissions offices.

Apple and Goldman Sachs were ordered to pay $89 million by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for failing to address thousands of consumer disputes of Apple Card transactions.

Apple is cutting production of Vision Pro due to slow sales. The tech giant is scaling down production of its $3,500 Vision Pro VR headset and might halt assembly of new ones next month,

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

STOCKS UP

  • UPS delivered a strong earnings report, with revenue beating analyst expectations for the first time in two years. Shares popped 5.28%.
  • ServiceNow rose 5.41% to a new all-time high thanks to a beat-and-raise third-quarter earnings report powered by higher AI demand for the enterprise software company.
  • Whirlpool climbed 11.20% after announcing solid earnings and reiterating guidance for the rest of the fiscal year, reassuring worried shareholders.
  • Molina Healthcare soared 17.67% after beating both top and bottom line estimates in the third quarter, thanks to the health insurer reaping the rewards of higher Medicaid payouts.

STOCKS DOWN

  • IBM dropped 6.17% on disappointing third-quarter results, missing on both top and bottom line forecasts thanks to lower consulting and infrastructure revenue.
  • Peloton pedaled higher yesterday after Greenlight Capital’s David Einhorn declared that the company was undervalued while he was pedaling on a Peloton. The stunt only worked for a quick sprint, though, with shares back down 2.07% today.
  • TKO Group Holdings got hit with a piledriver after the owner of the WWE and UFC announced it is acquiring several entertainment companies, including Professional Bull Riders. Investors bucked shares off 8.69%.
  • Keurig Dr. Pepper fizzled 4.80% thanks to lower sales last quarter, though the company is trying to bolster revenue by acquiring energy drink maker Ghost.
  • Air taxi startup Lilium crashed 61.50% on the news that its main subsidiaries have run out of cash and are filing for insolvency.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) rose 12.44 points (0.21%) to 5,809.86; the $DJI fell 140.59 points (–0.33%) to 42,374.36; and the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) added 138.83 points (0.76%) to 18,415.49.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield fell four basis points to 4.20%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) was about flat at 19.18.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/tj8smmes

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

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