In order to provide high-quality patient care, health systems and providers plan for appropriate staffing. Too few staff members can translate into long lines at check-in, decreased availability of appointments and an increase in poor outcomes for patients. Using the ACG System to manage staffing needs helps providers deliver the best care possible in a timely and safe manner.

Distribution of Patient Needs

Most patients visit a doctor’s office once or twice per year. These are generally annual appointments for low-risk patients to ensure they are healthy and happy. As patient need (or risk) increases, so does their number of appointments. So, how do health systems know where their patients fall within this overall population?

The ACG System uses risk stratification to help users estimate the future demand for services required by their patients to ensure staffing needs are met. By analyzing comorbidity (or the simultaneous presence of multiple diseases in a patient – i.e., diabetes and heart disease), health providers can determine if their current staffing matches the expected demand and plan accordingly.

Provider Caseload

Every health care provider has their own specific “panel”, or number of patients for whom they are responsible. Providers with a higher caseload of rising-risk or high-risk patients may not be able to accept as many new patients as another provider can. The ACG System can analyze your EHR data to determine whether a provider can accept any new patients at this time. This important data can prevent provider burnout by ensuring caseloads are adjusted based on the complexity, or need, of their patients.

When a provider has a manageable caseload, they are more likely to spend ample time with each patient to address their needs more fully, able to be more productive and feel more satisfied with the quality of care they provide.

Risk stratification analysis through the ACG System helps providers and health systems deliver better care for all. Aside from ensuring patients are appropriately cared for, this analysis helps providers maintain an acceptable caseload and reduces the risk of burnout due to stress and long hours. The ACG System can help you develop a stronger and healthier workforce, reduce costs and increase the overall quality of care.

To learn more about using the ACG System to stratify risks for your patient population read our e-guide: Using EHR Data for Risk Stratification Analysis. Click here to download it.

Or visit hopkinsacg.org or email acginfo@jh.edu to learn more. If you are an existing ACG customer, reach out to your account manager.