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The project focused on improving patient access across outpatient and inpatient services by redesigning referral pathways, removing access barriers, and strengthening patient flow. A LEAN and value-stream mapping approach identified constraints, supported data-driven outreach via a dashboard, and optimized provider templates. A regional brand and awareness campaign launched in March 2026 improved visibility and visits, while follow-up targets no-show, cancellations, and referring-partner feedback gaps.",{"@graph":63,"@context":122},[64,80,101],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":11,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/presentations/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/redesigning-access-and-strengthening-referral-networks-to-drive-sustainable-growth-in-a-free-standing-pediatric-hospital/172054/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/redesigning-access-and-strengthening-referral-networks-to-drive-sustainable-growth-in-a-free-standing-pediatric-hospital/172054.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"River Wang","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document","2026-10-22","2026-09-01",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":15},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",{"@type":102,"mainEntity":103},"FAQPage",[104,110,114,118],{"name":105,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":107},"What problem does the pediatric hospital project address?","Question",{"text":108,"@type":109},"Rising healthcare costs and declining patient visit volumes have pressured hospital operating margins and sustainability.","Answer",{"name":111,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What approach and tools were used to redesign access?",{"text":113,"@type":109},"The team used a LEAN framework with value-stream mapping to identify barriers, analyze historical data, and deploy an outreach dashboard to guide marketing and referral-driven outreach.",{"name":115,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What outcomes were achieved after implementing the referral and access changes?",{"text":117,"@type":109},"Total and new visits to the main campus increased, and template alignment improved schedulable and booked hours; however, no-show and cancellation rates also rose.",{"name":119,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What are the planned next steps to sustain improvement?",{"text":121,"@type":109},"The team will analyze cancellation patterns by time, visit type and location, and weather, collect patient feedback, and integrate change management into organizational culture transformation.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":124,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":56},172054,1791125301,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":9,"category_id":8,"category_name":11,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":15,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":73,"language":139,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":143,"read_time":9},1099514067438,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/100002539ee87300030?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1780474512215547542","Redesigning Access and Strengthening Referral Networks to Drive Sustainable Growth in a Free-Standing Pediatric Hospital\nELH Fellow: Ogechukwu Menkiti, MD, MBA, FAAP\nDrexel University College of Medicine\nCollaborator/Mentor\nDr. Renee Turchi, Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine\nBackground\nFor decades, the rising cost of healthcare delivery in the United States has continued to negatively impact hospitals. From 2010 to 2023, there were 300 hospital closures (mostly in rural areas) but only 192 hospital openings. Declining patient visit volumes and a decreasing case mix index, driven by multiple factors, are exerting significant pressure on hospital operating margins and sustainability. Our institution established an outreach team to reverse this trend, mainly through marketing and awareness campaigns. However, true financial sustainability can only be achieved by creating value for our patients, removing barriers, and improving access to all services (ED, inpatient, outpatient, and transfer).\nAim\nTo improve patient access across outpatient and inpatient services by redesigning referral pathways, eliminating barriers, optimizing operational processes, and enhancing patient flow. An additional goal is to create value for all stakeholders and develop a framework for identifying areas of continuous improvement through feedback from referring partners and patients.\nMethods\nUsing a LEAN framework and value-stream mapping, we identified all barriers to access, patient care, or transfer. We analyzed historical data to inform decision-making and developed an outreach dashboard to support data-driven outreach and marketing campaigns, enhancing the visibility of the institution, including physicians and programs. We created a patchwork for access through improved communication with referring partners and optimized capacity by adjusting physicians’ templates. Finally, in March 2026, we launched a regional brand awareness and marketing campaign utilizing television, radio, and social media.\nResults/Outcomes\nWe developed a reliable prediction model for decision-making using Census Forecast QA based on data from 2020–2025. Improved visibility, increased capacity through template alignment, and access patchwork showed early positive results. Total and new visits to our main campus increased by 9.5% and 1.3% (YoY 2024 vs. 2025). Two subspecialty sites experienced increases of 6.8% and 2.1% in total visits and 6.0% and 1.2% in new visits. Although template alignment led to 10% and 23% increases in schedulable and booked hours, these gains were partly offset by higher no-show and cancellation rates, which increased by 3.3% and 5.6%, respectively. Referral feedback highlighted communication regarding clinic changes and appointment capacity for developmental pediatrics and neurosurgery as areas needing further improvement.\nConclusion\nAccess redesign, supported by operational efficiency and value-stream optimization, offers a unique model for restoring volume growth and financial sustainability in pediatric systems facing structural challenges. Sustainable improvement relies on operational alignment, analyzing cancellation and no-show patterns, and intentional hiring.\nThe next steps involve analyzing cancellation patterns and trends, including how time of day, visit type, visit location, and weather events influence them. Collect patient feedback on their experiences and areas for improvement to continually improve the hospital experience. Change management will be integrated into the overall culture transformation.","cbCaioptr9GXoOyg","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaioptr9GXoOyg","docx",22445,"English","# Background\n# Aim\n# Methods\n# Results/Outcomes\n# Conclusion\n# Next Steps","[{\"question\":\"What problem does the pediatric hospital project address?\",\"answer\":\"Rising healthcare costs and declining patient visit volumes have pressured hospital operating margins and sustainability.\"},{\"question\":\"What approach and tools were used to redesign access?\",\"answer\":\"The team used a LEAN framework with value-stream mapping to identify barriers, analyze historical data, and deploy an outreach dashboard to guide marketing and referral-driven outreach.\"},{\"question\":\"What outcomes were achieved after implementing the referral and access changes?\",\"answer\":\"Total and new visits to the main campus increased, and template alignment improved schedulable and booked hours; however, no-show and cancellation rates also rose.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the planned next steps to sustain improvement?\",\"answer\":\"The team will analyze cancellation patterns by time, visit type and location, and weather, collect patient feedback, and integrate change management into organizational culture transformation.\"}]","Redesigning Access and Strengthening Referral Networks to Drive Sustainable Growth in a Free-Standing Pediatric Hospital | DOCX",1788289431]