The importance of proper resource utilization in nursing is hard to overstate. Resource utilization is figuring out the optimal way in which a procedure, therapy or technique can be used to achieve desired health outcomes. It can also refer to the appropriate usage of available medical staff and healthcare professionals. Sometimes resource utilization is in reference to using the appropriate medical technologies or supplies. In all cases, resource utilization refers to an accurate assessment and use of supplies or staff hours to ensure there is no waste or redundancy.
The key to appropriate resource use is to accurately evaluate factors related to safety, effectiveness availability and expense as one considers the various options available to create a particular health outcome for a patient. It is therefore important to have an extensive working knowledge of supplies, technologies, techniques, medicines, available staff to perform a procedure and the costs associated with each one. With this knowledge available you can then match the best techniques with the best use of medical supplies and personnel with the lowest overall cost. This then allows money to be saved for the patient and the hospital which in turn frees up those resources to be used elsewhere in the organization to achieve the best results possible for the organization, medical staff and the patients.
In some cases, proper resource utilization occurs as part of a process of helping patients and their families who are leaving the hospital to have access to appropriate services, medications and medical supplies which will yield the best results at the lowest cost. This helps patients to achieve their necessary and desired health outcomes without sacrificing expensive costs or quality of care. This helps to build the foundation of informed consent by adequately explaining patient options, associated costs and desired outcomes in explicit detail with the patient and their family to ensure that they have a full understanding of the medical choices they are making to ensure best outcomes through informed consent.
It is important when delegating tasks to hospital personnel to be extremely specific as to what procedures, supplies, technologies and medicines should be used in patient care to ensure proper resource utilization occurs. This requires you have knowledge of your staff, the available medical supplies and technologies on hand as well as their efficacy and cost. This saves time for your staff so they do not have to improvise with a potentially less effective or more expensive method of treatment. It is critical to be precise in your instructions to staff to ensure that no harm comes to the patient due to an inadequate substitution of supplies. The efficacy of the treatment is always the cornerstone of appropriate care, with cost being an important factor as long as it meets the needs of the patient and follows best practices guidelines.
Proper resource utilization when appropriately applied helps to ensure the best possible health outcomes for patients while saving the organization and the patient money. It also helps to maximize staff usage in such a way as to eliminate redundancy and increase overall efficiency throughout the organization.
You can read the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s study on improving resource utilization through patient dependency systems here.
FAQs
In all cases, resource utilization refers to an accurate assessment and use of supplies or staff hours to ensure there is no waste or redundancy.
What is an example of resource utilization? ›
For example, if a worker has been allocated to a project for 45 work hours, and that project has a total of 60 workable hours, then that resource has a utilization of 75% as per the FTE resource utilization formula.
What is healthcare resource utilization? ›
Health care utilization refers to the measurement and evaluation of the various dimensions of accessing and using health care services.
What is utilization management in nursing? ›
A utilization management nurse's job description includes examining medical treatments and interventions to avoid payment denial and optimizing reimbursem*nts by assessing the treatment's appropriateness, effectiveness, timing, and setting.
How do you assess resource utilization? ›
Resource utilization rate = Busy time / Available time
This value, expressed in percent, shows you how much of your team's time is spent working.
What is an example of under utilization of resources? ›
Massive Unemployment and Strikes are two examples that show under utilisation of resources in an economy.
What are the two types of utilization in resource? ›
Resource utilization varies based on the types of industry. These are: Overall resource utilization. Billable resource utilization.
What is the best resource utilization? ›
Optimal resource utilization measures the value of a services team's most valuable asset, its people, by leveraging that asset in the most efficient way possible. The ability to optimize resource utilization and availability can help ensure project health, profit gains and sustainable growth.
Why is utilization important in healthcare? ›
Utilization management plays a pivotal role in healthcare. Utilization management promotes high-quality patient care by evaluating the necessity, appropriateness, and efficiency of health services. It's essential for hospitals, as it helps curb unnecessary expenses while ensuring optimal use of resources.
What are the three types of utilization? ›
Types of Utilization Management
UM has three main types of reviews: prospective, concurrent, and retrospective. This structure is comparable to the Donabedian model of healthcare quality, developed in the late 20th century by Avedis Donabedian. Each kind of review can impact the process differently.
Skills essential for UR Nurses include: In-depth knowledge of healthcare policies and regulations. Strong analytical skills for reviewing medical records and treatment plans. Effective communication skills for collaborating with healthcare providers and insurers.
Is utilization review nursing stressful? ›
Is utilization review nursing stressful? Yes, utilization review nursing can be stressful because it ensures patients receive the appropriate level of care. This includes ensuring that patients receive the treatment they need and aren't receiving care they aren't eligible for.
What is the goal of resource utilization? ›
Resource utilization helps people understand a project after it's finished. The goal of resource utilization is to improve future projects, estimates and assignments, rather than to directly influence a current project.
What is the meaning of effective utilization of resources? ›
Efficient utilization of resources refers to getting the things done in the right manner, in minimum time with the minimum cost incurred and with no wastage of resources. Effectiveness refers to achieving target and setting goal in right direction.
What is the standard 16 resource utilization? ›
Standard 16. Resource Utilization The registered nurse utilizes appropriate resources to plan, provide, and sustain evidence-based nursing services that are safe, effective, and fiscally responsible.
What is resource utilization vs flow? ›
Resource efficiency focuses on delivering more, whether projects or widgets, often overlooking the strain it puts on people and processes. On the other hand, flow efficiency strives to enhance the value delivered by improving the entire system's workings.
