Navicent Health Builds a Knowledge Management Ecosystem With PolicyTech

About this Case Study

With PolicyTech, Navicent Health built a powerful knowledge ecosystem on a capable and feature-rich solution, enabled through electronic and automated processes, reinforced through cultural shifts, and assessed through measurable outcomes.

1. Industry:

   Healthcare

2. Number of employees:

   11,000

3. Before:

   Decentralized policies without controls.

4. After:

   Full document management with PolicyTech, resulting in 80% reduction in internal audit non-conformities.

5. Solution:

   PolicyTech Policy & Procedure Management

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Challenge: Charting a Path Toward ISO 9001 2015 Certification

After being cited for document control issues with their internally-built SharePoint repository, System Accreditation Optimization Officer Casey Bedgood was charged with building ISO 9001 2015 certified policy and procedure management systems for all Navicent hospitals.

This required the organization to create and maintain a standardized work environment with consistent document management, information control, and knowledge sharing across the enterprise, including 12 entities and about 12,000 documents.

“The biggest challenge for us was the inventory process,” Bedgood remarked. The process revealed thousands of documents across all entities with no controls. “If you have 60,000 patients a year rolling in the door and everybody gets a different level of care, it’s a major problem.”

Solution: PolicyTech Creates the Foundation for Knowledge Transfers

To achieve this, Navicent adapted PolicyTech as the foundation of their policy and procedure management system. They transitioned from an online collection of policies to a managed process of standardized document control through an evidence-based, data-driven approach to understanding and meeting stakeholder requirements. They crafted strategic plans to manage internal and external knowledge transfers. Ultimately, Navicent created a knowledge management ecosystem consisting of 4 key elements:

• A system, founded on PolicyTech, that enabled Navicent to create an easily accessible well of knowledge through visible workflows and dashboards.
• A process that utilizes electronic workflows and automation to standardize work, perform audits, conduct reporting and apply corrective action.
• A transformational culture that challenges traditional paradigms and rewards innovation.
• Continuous improvement through an outcome-based approach that measures the impact of actions across the enterprise.

Results: Reduced Waste, Increased Performance, and Improved Safety and Effectiveness

Using this knowledge ecosystem, Navicent was able to significantly increase workflow efficiencies. As process control increased, the organization found that waste and non-conformities decreased. They witnessed DNV GL non-conformity reductions of 51% and an 80% reduction of internal audit non-conformities.

Navicent also saved approximately 40,000 delays in PolicyTech workflows by leveraging reporting, dashboards, and email escalations for past-due tasks. Most importantly, Navicent was able to measurably improve the safety and effectiveness of its care and services.

In the fall of 2017, three of their hospitals became ISO 9001:2015 certified – the first in the country to do so within 15 weeks. Bedgood credits the swift accreditation in part to PolicyTech’s demonstrable power, speed, and flexibility. As he described following a visit from an accreditation surveyor:

“The surveyor met with an area director and said, ‘Do you have a policy for X?’ And they said yes. And he said, ‘Can you show me?’ Within 20 seconds, they went into their folder in PolicyTech, printed the policy, gave it to the surveyor. We also had some revisions that we had to make while the surveyors were here. Users went into the system, edited their documents, and sent them for approval in real time. In a matter of minutes, we got the new process approved and put in the hands of the surveyor.”

Through this process, Navicent developed several important lessons learned for other organizations:

• Everything starts and ends with process. Begin building your knowledge ecosystem with document management.
• Processes must be standardized, current, readily available, regulatory compliant, accessible, and controlled.
• A powerful knowledge ecosystem is built on a capable and feature-rich solution, enabled through electronic and automated processes, reinforced through cultural shifts, and assessed through measurable outcomes.

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About Navicent Health

Navicent Health was incorporated on November 17, 1994 as a nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to coordinate The Medical Center, Navicent Health and other affiliated entities toward the mission: “Together, we elevate health and well-being through compassionate care.” Today, Navicent Health serves Central and South Georgia with more than 1,000 beds for medical, surgical, rehabilitation and hospice purposes, offers over 53 specialties in more than 50 facilities throughout the region, and hosts over 100 medical residents and fellows.