How Can Healthcare Facilities Save Money?
It’s no secret that healthcare facilities, like hospitals, are often working with tight budgets. We’ve compiled a list of money-saving ideas that healthcare facilities could implement, to save money, without impacting the level of care received by the patient.
Reduce Food Waste
A simple way to save some money in a healthcare facility is to tackle food waste. You can do this by ensuring there are clear lines of communication with whoever is making the food. They should know exactly how many meals they need to produce to ensure none is wasted. It’s also worthwhile speaking to patients to find out what they think about the food being served. If patterns emerge, you can look at reducing, or removing certain unpopular items from the menu, rather than them being left uneaten. When cooking on such a large scale, creating no food waste is tricky. Find out if any excess food can be redistributed. There are many companies and apps that redistribute food to combat food waste, so invite one of those companies to come and help reduce your waste.
Conserve Water
Reducing water consumption can yield almost immediate effects. The first thing you can do, that will have no effect whatever so ever on patient care, is to seek out any leaks that can be fixed. In addition to leaks, you can also adjust the water pressure of taps and showers in the building. If toilets have water-saving flush valves, you may want to stick up some posters to advise people to use them. If not, they could be a valuable upgrade that will save money in the long run.
Go Paperless
Printing costs in hospitals can be huge, with all the patient records, prescriptions, and forms. Money can be saved by going paperless where possible. Digitalize patient records and offer a digital prescription as the standard. Those who require a paper copy can easily request one if necessary.
Shop Savvy
Medical supplies, medical diagnostic machines, and equipment are non-negotiable, to diagnose and treat patients promptly. However, high-quality equipment and supplies don’t need to cost the earth. Opt for unbeatable value, next-day delivery, and award-winning service, all for a reasonable price. It’s also worth bulk buying items that are used often, such as PPE and hazardous waste solutions, to save money in the long term.
Use an Online Booking System
Missed appointments pose a huge threat to health care facilities. They not only create chaos and generate delays, but they also stop others from being treated, and they can be very expensive. Offering an online booking system where patients can easily and quickly cancel appointments they’re not able to make, means that time can be redistributed, so that more people are seen and more money is saved.
While cutting large costs is an attractive thought, it’s not always possible within the available budgets. However, small changes can add up to have a big impact and create a more environmentally friendly work environment in the process.
