Our Consulting & Advisory Services
HCCA provides a variety of customized healthcare consulting & advisory services for our private & public/government healthcare clients….to help them address key strategic & operational questions.
Examples include:
- Feasibility Studies
- Operational Assessment & Performance Excellence
- Patient Care Delivery Models – Options & Opportunities
- Hospital &/or Outpatient Project Design & Development
- Commissioning a New Healthcare Facility
Feasibility Studies
Questions to HCCA: “Is our proposed healthcare project going to be viable? And meet the targeted healthcare needs?”
Using a multidisciplinary clinical team (clinical, construction, operations, management, finance, materials, & marketing), the HCCA team:
1) conducts an in-depth Assessment of the market and proposed project (healthcare needs & wants; market; payer mix; existing healthcare resources/competitors; physician practice profiles; site analysis; proposed benchmarks; financial projections; timelines; staff resources/availability; supply chain; regulations; consumer/patient access & affordability; etc); and
2) provides a Summary of Findings including risks, conclusions, and recommendations.
Operational Assessment & Performance Excellence –
Question to HCCA: “How are we doing throughout our organization? What “fresh eyes” assessments do you have? What would you change if you were in charge tomorrow?”
The HCCA team:
- focuses upon the whole or a designated part of the organization;
- assesses the clinical, operational, and financial components (processes and outcomes); availability/utilization of human and material resources; departmental contributions to revenue & costs; access & impact upon the community’s health status; service-line analysis; revenue cycle; contracts; standardization of clinical protocols & preference items; care documentation; affiliations; integration of physical & behavioral health; satisfaction ratings; care transitions & resources; patient access & affordability; accreditation reports; the market, and community, staff, & physician perceptions, etc.
- analyzes – based upon experience & international clinical, financial, & regulatory standards and benchmarks; and
- provides a comprehensive “State of the Organization” with recommendations.
Patient Care Delivery Models – Options & Opportunities –
Question to HCCA: “We have a fairly traditional model of care – primarily focused upon the hospital & acute, sick care. What models could we use to help keep people well and to provide sub-acute care? What would it take to expand our continuum of care?”
The HCCA team:
- assesses the current patient care delivery model – processes & clinical/financial outcomes; the local healthcare needs; available resources (facilities, personnel, materials) & potential partnerships, etc;
- gathers input from community residents, staff & leadership; from non-governmental service organizations; and local/regional/national multidisciplinary healthcare leaders;
- proposes options which could be integrated into the current model (along with detailed plans), e.g. palliative care; virtual care; hospice; acute rehabilitation; hospital-at-home; medical home; day care; micro-hospitals; mobile clinics; birthing centers; community/school pods; urgent care; home care; concierge medicine; etc. and
- works with the client to integrate the option(s).
Hospital &/or Outpatient Project Design & Development –
Question to HCCA: “We’re going to build a new facility. Are we planning the site and space to provide optimal access & care? Will it be a safe, efficient, comfortable, environment for consumers/patients and for healthcare team members?”
The design of a healthcare facility can greatly impact access, operations, and outcomes.
We know that “Form should follow function.”
The physical plant can help or hinder getting-
“The Right Patient to the Right Place at the Right Time for the Right Care.”
The HCCA team: works closely with the project architects, engineers, and capital equipment team members to review site and space plans, equipment lists, & furnishings - to ensure the design:
- enhances delivery of safe, effective, efficient care;
- meets international regulatory standards for clinical services & Life Safety issues;
- provides access, privacy, safety, and comfort for consumers/families; &
- contributes to the safety, functioning, and well-being of the multidisciplinary care team.
Commissioning a New Healthcare Facility -
Question to HCCA: “We are already building a new facility, but we need help with final steps of bringing on staff & opening for those first patients. Can you help us with commissioning and a ‘soft opening?’ "
The HCCA team:
- ideally arrives on site 9 - 12 months prior to opening; finalizes, then implements strategic, marketing, and operating plans; plans resources for staging and initial services;
- develops, finalizes, & begins to implement: departmental policies/procedures/clinical protocols; documentation systems; staffing, hiring, & on-boarding plans for all teams; compensation & benefits plans; medical staff credentialing/privileging; financial & contracting systems; patient care delivery details; materials/supplies and capital equipment contracts; etc. Staffing, hiring, & onboarding require separate agreement.
- With client, contractor, & equipment vendors, assists performing final inspection & inventory of the facility; ensures equipment & consumables, plus staff & physicians are “ready to go.” Results in Final Acceptance Certification.
- With client & hospital personnel, assists staging a “Soft Opening” to ‘test’ the whole of the organization (the place – people – processes) – ensuring that safe, accessible, effective, efficient, comfortable care can be provided in this environment.