Abstract: This guide explores the advantages of outpatient wound care programs, emphasizing their pivotal role in addressing prevalent wounds such as venous ulcers, pressure ulcers, and diabetic lower extremity ulcers. It discusses challenges in managing chronic wounds and underscores the significance of outpatient care, particularly in the context of COVID-19 disruptions. Outpatient Integrated Strategies (OIS), a healthcare consulting firm, outlines its mission-driven approach involving strategic planning, clinical expertise, and technology integration to benefit hospitals and patients, and it concludes by urging healthcare organizations to partner with OIS for unlocking the potential of outpatient wound care programs and achieving excellence in patient-centered care.
Overview
Outpatient wound care programs play a pivotal role in ensuring the effective and timely healing of the types of the most common wounds, including venous ulcers, pressure ulcers, diabetic lower extremity ulcers, non-healing surgical wounds, arterial ulcers, burns, and necrotizing infections.
In “Opportunities and Challenges of the Management of Chronic Wounds: A Multidisciplinary Viewpoint”’ (Dove Medical Press), Morteza Mahmoudithor identifies that chronic or non-healing wounds pose significant challenges in patient care, with many challenges arising from the absence of validated centers of excellence and a lack of standards in wound care management.
With more than one-fifth of Americans older than 65 having “a known diagnosis of diabetes, and a similar proportion (16%)..unaware that they have diabetes,” according to Diabetes in America, 3rd edition, the prevalence of diabetic lower extremity ulcers means outpatient wound care programs will be continue to be in great demand—which will make the management of such programs even more challenging in the coming years.
The arrival of COVID-19 disrupted healthcare operations (and budget lines) around the world, but based on research published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, we know that wound care clinics were able to maintain standards of care and outcomes for patients who sought care, though the number of new wounds treated dropped sharply. Now that we have emerged from the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic, your organization should search for a partner that delivers the best of both worlds: improved patient care and outcomes and increased savings/revenue even with the higher patient numbers of this post-pandemic era.
Hospital administrators should seek a proactive integrated strategy that involves collaboration and leveraging emerging technologies. By extending medical care beyond the hospital setting, outpatient wound care programs provide essential services and expertise to patients who can be safely treated in an outpatient environment, which makes such programs indispensable to both healthcare providers and the overall healthcare system, as well.
As a leading healthcare consulting company dedicated to assisting hospitals in establishing successful outpatient wound care programs, Outpatient Integrated Strategies (OIS) aims to optimize patient care, enhance operational efficiency, and improve financial sustainability with comprehensive solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of each of our healthcare partners.
OIS: Our Mission
OIS evolved from direct physician experience with hospital outpatient departments. After witnessing inefficiency in patient care and operations, these visionaries decided to make a difference on both fronts. Because they had neither the time nor the inclination to dictate how facilities should be run, the founders realized the most viable option was to collaborate with customers to create their programs. These customized programs would yield the best patient outcomes and the greatest financial benefits to the individual hospitals.
Our partnership approach generates tremendous results for our customers. Because we are never complacent, OIS continues to formulate innovative solutions to help our customers navigate some of healthcare’s most complicated issues.
HOW OIS WORKS: A PRIMER ON OUR PROCESS
OIS collaborates closely with hospitals to develop strategic plans for establishing outpatient wound care programs. This includes conducting comprehensive assessments, identifying target patient populations, defining program goals, and designing customized care models. By aligning the program with the hospital’s vision and resources, OIS ensures a solid foundation for success.
Of course, as a physician-led effort, OIS brings a team of knowledgeable and experienced wound care specialists, clinicians, and experts into every partnership. They stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in wound care and best practices. By leveraging their expertise, OIS assists hospitals in implementing evidence-based treatment protocols, wound assessment techniques, and infection control measures to optimize patient outcomes.
We focus on operational efficiency in outpatient wound care programs to identify bottlenecks and recommend improvements needed to streamline your organization’s operations, helping enhance patient flow, reduced wait times, and a better use of available resources, which leads to a more efficient and cost-effective program.
To complement such efforts, OIS also provides comprehensive training and education programs for healthcare professionals involved in outpatient wound care—including wound assessment, dressing techniques, infection control, and patient education—so clinical staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver consistent and high-quality patient care.
Digital Advancements
Along with the integration of advanced wound care management systems, electronic health records and other digital tools allow for a more efficient documentation process and data-informed decision-making that improves patient care and program management. Just as healthcare providers monitor their patients, OIS helps hospitals establish robust quality assurance programs to constantly evaluate the performance of their outpatient wound care programs, tracking key performance indicators and implementing initiatives to improve quality improvement. By monitoring outcomes and installing evidence-based practices, OIS ensures that each partner-program delivers the highest standards of care.
The Role of Outpatient Services
Outpatient Integrated Strategies is dedicated to assisting hospitals in establishing successful outpatient wound care programs. This article articulates how our approach to strategic planning, clinical expertise, operational efficiency, training, technology integration, and quality assurance empowers hospitals to achieve improved clinical outcomes and increase the wound care program’s performance within your organization’s suite of offerings. With OIS as a trusted partner, your organization can confidently navigate the complex landscape of outpatient wound care and deliver exceptional care to your patients.
We understand the demands placed on healthcare executives and clinicians. In today’s healthcare environment, inpatient revenues are a declining percentage of hospitals’ gross revenues, which means that successful outpatient services are critical to your organization’s financial survival. Outpatient services play a vital role in addressing various pressing issues that contribute to a hospital’s financial stability, such as ensuring quality of care and adherence to best clinical practices, reducing each patient’s length of stay, lowering readmission rates, avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions, and streamlining the patient experience.
Your Program, Our Expertise
The clearest, simplest benefit we provide is bringing our expertise to your program. We initiate the start of the new program, offer transition services, establish protocols, policies, and procedures, integrate transitional care, train current staff, conduct audits to ensure revenue is retained, and develop the program’s marketing, strategy, and referral efforts. Our partner organizations own all protocols, policies, and procedures developed specifically for their program, and we are contracted for only the necessary services.
We help hospital administrators develop wound care programs and operate their services with an OIS-mindset that leverages cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and patient satisfaction. Treatments are reimbursed through Medicare and private insurance carriers and repeat patient visits generally provide a healthy, reliable revenue stream. Program startup and development times are measured in weeks and months, instead of years, and wound care programs can operate in a wide range of facility types.
The greatest benefit we provide, however, is flexibility for organizations who want to avoid the major financial risks of unmanaged wound care and address the high costs associated with inpatient wound treatment programs, which can vary depending on the severity and complexity of the wound, but also the length of the hospital stay. The Advisory Board estimates that, across the board, inpatient wounds lead to higher costs, lengthier stays, and an increase in mortality discharges.
How Else Can OIS Help?
Consulting: Whether your hospital is looking to add hyperbaric medicine to an existing wound care program, or start up a new hospital-based, or freestanding hyperbaric medicine facility, OIS can help you significantly reduce cost without reducing quality. We also can provide you with a detailed site analysis of your current facility, and comprehensive management services.
Management: OIS can provide the support you need when it comes to managing your wound care services. Whether it is a health system with multiple locations, a community hospital, or a major academic medical center, OIS has worked in your environment and understands your unique needs.
Revenue Audits: OIS believes it’s not just about generating revenue; it’s about keeping it. We provide daily audits that monitor and reconcile issues with documentation, billing, coding, and revenue cycle management that may arise. Daily dashboards update your information through our wound care management software.
Support: OIS provides everything from the design, to policies, procedures and community educational materials. We assist in equipment purchases, staffing, training and daily audits. Our team of experts will make sure you have the tools you need at all times, including an outstanding wound management and tracking system.
CASE STUDY: DECATUR COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Before Decatur County Memorial Hospital engaged in a partnership with Outpatient Integrated Strategies, the healthcare provider identified several touchpoints by which they might measure the success of their evolving wound care program. They wanted to deliver the highest quality of care to their patients, access to cutting-edge research, and the confidence to know they were managing costs in a fiscally responsible way. Regardless of the choices they made for their program, they recognized the need for a seamless transition, as well.
In the initial conversation, Decatur Memorial sought transparency regarding the benefits of OIS and its alignment with the hospital’s objectives. Integrating the wound care program—to ensure it matched the hospital’s existing professionalism, continuity of care, and quality standards—was essential. Team building played a vital role in bringing medical, clinical, nursing, and administrative staff together to achieve shared goals. During this phase, OIS introduced a new version of their software program, piloted by Decatur, to improve documentation and billing practices. The IT, quality assurance, and regional teams provided dedicated support, ensuring that sought-after seamless transition. Decatur’s existing team fully embraced the integration, resulting in a cohesive approach to patient care and shared outcomes.
Benefits of Outpatient Wound Care Programs for Hospitals
Implementing outpatient wound care programs brings multiple benefits to hospitals. First, it significantly reduces costs by transitioning appropriate wound care cases to an outpatient setting, avoiding lengthy hospital stays and minimizing expenses associated with inpatient care. The Advisory Board estimates that, across the board, inpatient wounds lengthier stays—an average of four days per discharge.
Additionally, outpatient programs that rely on cost-effective wound dressings and technologies create potential savings in supply costs. Outpatient wound care programs improve hospital efficiency by providing a dedicated setting for wound care, reducing congestion in emergency departments and inpatient units, and enabling better resource allocation. These programs prioritize efficient workflows, standardized protocols, and timely interventions, resulting in improved patient flow and reduced waiting times. We work with many of the leading generative medical companies that manufacture advanced wound care products.
Finally, successful outpatient wound care programs attract patients seeking specialized wound care services, enabling hospitals to expand their patient base and increase overall volume. This increase in patient volume not only generates revenue but also enhances your organization’s reputation as a comprehensive care provider, attracting referrals from physicians and other healthcare professionals. Many of the administrators and other professionals in the organizations we;ve partnered with attest that their first choice for a wound care center, should their friends or family need one, is one that has partnered with OIS.
Improve Hospital Operations and Financial Performance
The benefits of outpatient wound care programs have a direct impact on hospital operations and financial performance. Reduced costs translate into enhanced financial sustainability by minimizing expenditures related to prolonged hospital stays and expensive treatments. Improved efficiency optimizes resource utilization and workflow, leading to better patient throughput and operational effectiveness. Increased patient volume contributes to revenue growth and strengthens the hospital’s position in the healthcare market.
Establish Successful Outpatient Wound Care Programs with OIS
Several hospitals have partnered with OIS to establish successful outpatient wound care programs, experiencing notable improvements in operations and financial performance. These programs have demonstrated reduced costs through decreased inpatient admissions and improved supply chain management. Efficiency gains have been realized through optimized workflows, reduced wait times, and increased patient satisfaction. Additionally, hospitals have reported increased patient volumes due to the availability of specialized wound care services, resulting in improved financial performance.
Comprehensive Support and Expertise
OIS offers comprehensive support and expertise to hospitals aiming to establish successful outpatient wound care programs. Through a collaborative partnership, OIS assists hospitals by offering comprehensive support to hospitals when establishing successful outpatient wound care programs through proper staffing and training, standardized wound care protocols, and technology solutions. They assist hospitals in identifying and recruiting skilled wound care specialists and nursing staff, ensuring the program has the necessary expertise to deliver high-quality care. Tailored training programs address the specific needs of the hospital, enhancing proficiency in wound assessment, treatment techniques, and infection control.
Standardized Wound Care Protocols
OIS works closely with hospitals to develop standardized wound care protocols based on evidence-based practices, enhancing consistency in care delivery, improving clinical outcomes, and facilitating efficient treatment plans across the program. Moreover, OIS supports hospitals in implementing technology solutions such as electronic health records, telemedicine platforms, and wound care management systems. These solutions streamline documentation, facilitate remote patient monitoring, and enable data-driven decision-making, ultimately leading to improved patient care and program management.
Examples of Successful Partnerships
Numerous hospitals have partnered with OIS to establish successful outpatient wound care programs. These partnerships have resulted in the implementation of proper staffing and training protocols, standardized wound care practices, and the integration of technology solutions. As a result, hospitals have experienced improved patient outcomes, enhanced operational efficiency, and increased financial performance.
Outpatient wound care programs offered by Outpatient Integrated Strategies present hospitals with significant benefits, ranging from reduced costs and improved efficiency to increased patient volume. By partnering with OIS, hospitals can establish successful outpatient wound care programs that optimize patient care and drive financial sustainability. Through proper staffing, standardized protocols, and technology solutions, hospitals can unlock the potential for improved operations and financial performance. Embracing the partnership with OIS is a step toward realizing the transformative power of outpatient wound care programs in healthcare organizations.
Embracing outpatient wound care programs is a crucial step for healthcare organizations seeking to deliver efficient, patient-centered care amid an ever-changing financial landscape within our industry.
Partner with Outpatient Integrated Strategies (OIS) to unlock the full potential of your outpatient wound care programs. By collaborating with OIS, healthcare organizations can leverage our expertise, comprehensive solutions, and industry knowledge to establish successful outpatient wound care programs that enhance patient care, improve operational efficiency, and drive financial sustainability. Together, we can transform outpatient wound care and achieve excellence in delivering patient-centered, high-quality care within your organization. Contact us today to explore partnership opportunities and take your outpatient wound care program to new heights.