Reducing Costs While Improving Outcomes In Healthcare

A leading health system faced significant patient access challenges, resulting in a surge of non-emergency visits to the Emergency Department (ED). Our team conducted an in-depth analysis of ED visits, categorizing chief complaints and heat mapping patient residences to uncover actionable trends.

One key finding: 81% of ED visits were for non-life-threatening conditions that could have been addressed in clinics or urgent care, with the majority occurring between 5-7 PM. Using these insights, we implemented several targeted solutions, including self-triage tools, virtual visit capabilities, optimized provider schedules, and extended clinic hours at key locations.

These changes delivered remarkable results: 50,000 additional clinic visits without adding labor costs and a 12% reduction in non-emergency ED utilization within a year. By leveraging data-driven strategies, we improved patient access while reducing strain on the ED.