How Cone Health used predictive analytics to increase infusion center volumes by 8% while decreasing wait times by 25%

Like many health systems, Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Health has faced nursing shortages in recent years. Unlike many systems, however, Cone Health's infusion centers have been able to maximize patient access, reduce costs through optimized scheduling and efficiently allocate staff. 

During a recent Becker's Healthcare webinar sponsored by LeanTaaS, Melanie Rodgers, RN, assistant director of nursing for oncology services at Cone Health's Drawbridge and Wesley Long Cancer Centers, discussed how the organization's infusion centers used predictive analytics to increase daily completed volumes, decrease average infusion wait times and reduce appointments running past closing time. 

Four key takeaways were: 

1. Without effective technology, many infusion centers struggle with dissatisfied patients and staff. Before Cone Health's Wesley Long Cancer Center implemented LeanTaaS' iQueue for Infusion Centers in July 2019, the facility routinely ran out of infusion chairs during peak hours and appointments often extended beyond schedule closing times. "Charge nurses spent a great deal of time assigning patients," Ms. Rodgers said. "During peak times, nurses couldn't take their lunch breaks. In addition, acuity wasn't captured or tracked."
   
   
2. iQueue for Infusion Centers reduced wait times and costs. Between 2019 and 2024, Wesley Long Cancer Center saw a 25% reduction in average infusion patient wait times, a 78% reduction in appointments running past close and an 8% increase in daily completed infusion and flush volumes. "With existing resources, we were able to see more patients and improve the patient experience while significantly decreasing overtime costs," Ms. Rodgers said. 
   
   
3. Implementing iQueue helped transform the nursing culture at Wesley Long Cancer Center. As a result of implementing iQueue, Wesley Long Cancer Center had more predictable schedules and nurses no longer had to sacrifice their lunches or rush patients in and out. In addition, staff were able to leave work on time.
   
   iQueue's Nurse Allocation tool, which uses advanced algorithms to evenly distribute patients to nurses, was a game changer for charge nurses. "With iQueue for Infusion Centers, we saw a 75% decrease in the nursing time spent creating daily assignments," Ms. Rodgers said. "That equates to 1.5 hours of manual work saved daily for each charge nurse."
   
   
4. LeanTaaS is creating systemness across Cone Health's six cancer centers. Cone Health plans to complete implementation of iQueue for Infusion Centers across its six cancer centers in 2024. Greater visibility across these sites will generate more systemness for the entire organization.
   
   "Most of our centers are 30 to 45 minutes away from one another, so patients can go to different sites for care depending on availability of appointments. Some of our locations also accommodate patients on Saturdays, so people don't have to take time off from work," Ms. Rodgers said.
   
   Improved visibility into open appointments has also been critical for Cone Health's "Speed of the Patient" initiative, which is designed to move cancer patients from diagnosis to treatment more rapidly. "Instead of waiting a month for treatment, patients are starting treatment in two weeks," Ms. Rodgers said. "We can get people in quicker with iQueue."

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