Treatment Team, Where The Magic Happens

Treatment team is the foundation of treatment for the patient and the staff. Its the place where (ideally) everyone gets literally on the same page (treatment plan) and coordinates their efforts in the best interest of the patient. If done right, it can also be the place where clinical strategy meets patient interests meets operational outcomes and supports the financial expectations.

Additionally, treatment planning/treatment team is almost always found as a deficient process by external regulators and internal audits. Goals aren't completed upon discharge nor are they in the patient's own words. It is near impossible to get everyone from the treatment team together at once, let alone to align everyone's priorities within in the confines of what the payer agrees would be best. This erroneous process leads to challenges in authorizations (Utilization Review), challenges in discharge planning and ultimately to an upset patient when the decisions are not coordinated.

​ By looking at the workflow of treatment planning we can refine the process to communicate the ELOS (estimated length of stay) based on the patient’s clinical presentation, their resources and of course their input. We coordinate this in the treatment team by giving everyone a venue to work collaboratively in planning and executing the patient’s course of treatment, which is easier said than done.

As long as you have a champion (e.g., Therapist, UR Director, etc.) who prioritizes the coordination and efficiency of this meeting, it can be extremely productive, increase LOS (length of stay) by virtue of communication and reduce "unused days" or days that are authorized by the payer but not used by the team because they lacked coordination.

If you are looking to impact LOS and communication with the patient, look no farther than the treatment team and treatment planning process.