OUTSOURCING
Outsourcing – risky or rational?
and valuable space was being wasted storing them.
Craig Scott N
HS trusts can get themselves financially fitter and healthier,
according to Craig Scott, TNT Business Solutions’ divisional general manager.
The landscape is changing and it’s clear that unless trusts look to change with it, then they face an uncertain future. Innovation and adaptation are the keys to success in a tough climate but they require genuine self- assessment and a willingness to do things differently.
Outsourcing is clearly an emotive subject because of the perceived link with headcount reduction but, done well, it can be so much more than simple cost-cutting. For trusts with an open approach to innovation, outsourcing can free up space, personnel and other resources to help deliver improved frontline patient care.
Nowhere has this been more evident than when a Midlands- based trust worked with TNT Business Solutions to outsource its patient records management. Vital time was being taken up by medical staff hunting for records
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By working in partnership with TNT, the service provided on a daily basis to the trust is now a seamless part of the patient pathway. The benefits of outsourcing have reduced costs and allowed hospital staff to increase the quality of frontline care for patients. Not only are records delivered prior to the patient’s appointment but they are also maintained and updated so they are reliably accurate and complete. For emergencies, records are retrieved and delivered to the hospital in just 90 minutes.
The experience highlights how resource-hungry and time- consuming administration can be transferred successfully to a trusted provider. Thanks to the expertise of the provider, a more accurate and accountable service has been established. Using barcode technology every step of the way, files can be tracked and traced to specific locations throughout the hospital. When not in use, the files are stored in one specially-designed, secure facility which incorporates technology to protect files from theft, fire and other damage.
The substantial investment made by TNT in both the process and equipment ensures an efficient and effective service. The trust therefore directly benefits without having to invest itself, which is yet another benefit of outsourcing – state of the art technology and techniques without the upfront capital cost that comes with it. And the trust also benefits from the economies
of scale it can access by utilising TNT’s services.
The key to the success of the records management relationship with the trust has been a genuine partnership. The two organisations work together to ensure patient files are kept safe and confidential but are also easily accessible when needed.
The partnership approach, rather than the standard client/ provider relationship, means they continually consult with each other on improvements or increased efficiencies that can be made to the process.
By taking an objective look at the whole operation and by daring to step away from the status quo, the trust has been able to centralise its previously disparate records management.
The cost savings have been substantial and it is guaranteed value for money. With around 3,500 patient record requests made each day, consistency is the key and, with a proven track record of performance in data management, TNT Business Solutions was perfectly placed to take on the challenge.
With QIPP (Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention) the acronym on everyone’s lips throughout the NHS, outsourcing is a viable, efficient and effective solution. When delivered in a robust and sustainable way, it allows not just cost-saving but also improved patient care. For leaner, fitter hospitals, outsourcing may well prove to be just what the doctor ordered.
Sep/Oct 10
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