| If you're a healthcare professional, or involved with | | | | Healthcare services or hospitals will be able to use |
| running a hospital or doctor's surgery, then perhaps | | | | their experience to help identify what you need, and |
| you're looking for ways to improve the service you | | | | how to implement it. If they only have the theory, |
| offer to your patients, or want to make your staff | | | | and not the the practice, you won't want to be their |
| and other resources more efficient. Why not see | | | | first healthcare client. |
| how healthcare consulting could help? | | | | 6. You'll want to make sure that the healthcare |
| Here's what you need to know when choosing a | | | | consulting company have actual clinical expertise of |
| Healthcare consulting company. | | | | working in a hospital, GP or dental surgery so that |
| 1. You might have already identified the symptoms | | | | they can suggest ideas that will actually work in a |
| that are preventing you from offering a better level | | | | real healthcare environment, such as a ward, or busy |
| of patient care, or your staff being as effective as | | | | waiting room not just on paper. |
| possible. Perhaps you have too many staff on, or | | | | 7. As there might be a lot involved, everybody |
| there are not enough appointments available, or | | | | involved will need to be kept informed of the |
| people are waiting too long to be seen in Accident | | | | changes, and so communication will be hugely |
| and Emergency | | | | important. What sort of help will you get from the |
| 2. Healthcare consultants will help to identify the | | | | healthcare consulting company? Will you be expected |
| cause of the problems, so that you can begin to | | | | to manage everything, and run a hospital? |
| think about solving them. Some problems might be | | | | 8. You'll want to ensure that the solutions will solve |
| simple to resolve, whilst others might involve a | | | | your problems and make things better for your |
| complete change of working practice, and introducing | | | | patients and staff, and not just a one size fits all |
| new technology. Are what they suggesting practical | | | | approach that's used for every company in all |
| and will they work in your environment? | | | | industries. |
| 3. The healthcare consultants you use will need to be | | | | 9. You'll want to know that the solutions use proven |
| as devoted to patient care as you are. If they don't | | | | methods, and industry best practice. Why not find |
| seem to understand your requirements, or how you | | | | out where else they have been used? Which other |
| operate, or what your problems are and how they | | | | hospitals or surgeries had the same sort of problem, |
| affect patients, then how can they hope to resolve | | | | and are now using the suggested solution? |
| them? | | | | 10. You'll want to make sure that the healthcare |
| 4. It's essential that you choose healthcare experts, | | | | consultants will help you to operate a better and |
| who know that streamlining healthcare isn't the same | | | | more efficient working environment, so that you |
| as in other industries, and who understand what's | | | | spend less time on administration, or trying to work |
| involved and the implications of getting it wrong. If | | | | around problems, and more time actually treating |
| they're accountants more used to streamlining | | | | patients. |
| factories, then they're more likely to be interested in | | | | Now you know how they can help, and the benefits |
| saving money, rather than having your patients' best | | | | they bring, how will healthcare consulting improve |
| interests at heart. | | | | your patient experience? |
| 5. Consultants that have worked with other | | | | |