waste

The bustling front office of Northern California’s regional Claims Administration department moves a lot of paper.

Based in Oakland, they’re responsible for sorting and scanning paper claims into digital format, storing the paper forms in boxes for the required 30 days, and then destroying them.

The team members call themselves “The Frontliners.”

But the cardboard storage boxes that hold all of that paper could only be used once. The department’s unit-based team wanted to make the job less wasteful.

So, a couple of team members suggested switching to reusable plastic bins and the idea immediately energized the UBT.

They jumped in with a plan to research and test different models of plastic storage containers. They chose an industrial-strength model sold by a KP-approved vendor, which brought the price down. The plastic bins, which have lids that securely snap shut, also eliminated the cost of packing tape and labels that had been used on the cardboard boxes.

The department rolled out the bins in September 2013 and in a year they figured a savings of $1,100.

Given the distributor was a KP vendor, the team was able to cut their purchase price by 30 cents. And since the team won’t need to replace the bins every year, their savings were expected to reach $3,500, which includes hiring an outside firm to come onsite to destroy old paper claims instead of transporting them elsewhere.

Management and union representatives agree the team effort made it a success. 

“My motto is, teamwork is dream work,” says union rep and support lead Arnetta Williams. “We’re a really close team. It’s a partnership. Without this, you can’t accomplish anything.”

The new approach required thinking through changes in staff schedules and workflow, as well as ensuring that the changed procedures complied with all relevant regulations.

And the Frontliners’ UBT initiative was selected as a finalist in Kaiser Permanente’s 2014 MSSA (Marketing, Sales, Service and Administration) Innovates Program, a competition to encourage new ideas and efficiency.

Judy Cummings, a statewide manager with Claims Operations and Encounters, likened her role to that of a coach instead of a boss.

“The team is doing the work. They’re the ones out there who know what to do and how to do it,” she says. “I try to support them in being successful.”

For a nurse on a hospital ward, it might seem quick and easy to grab the nearest sheet to mop up a spill or grab a huge stack of blankets to put in a patient’s room.

But for the Materials Management department at Panorama City Medical Center, that can be really wasteful.

And they should know. They’re the team responsible for purchasing and cleaning linens, and keeping patients comfortable.

With savings in mind, the materials UBT looked to educate other hospital staff about the true costs of buying and washing linens.

Managers and union members worked together to create a storyboard featuring photos of bed sheets used as a tablecloth at a barbeque, and price lists of supplies and laundering charges. And because the team piloted its effort in Maternal Child Health departments, it also included pictures of babies.

As the materials staff worked with the other teams, the storyboard was a big confidence booster to those who were not public speakers.

“At first I was really nervous,” says Sandra Hernandez, the team’s labor co-lead. “But then I saw people I knew in the room and that put me at ease.”

The team also reviewed linen usage and stocking levels with departments.

And their efforts paid off as they reduced the overall annual cost of linen in the Maternal Child Health department by 6.8 percent, more than three times the original goal.

They also were able to increase customer satisfaction scores in a year from 48 to 65 percent from internal clients such as inpatient units at the hospital,.

“It is important to be prepared with the data,” says management co-lead Steve Spickler. “But, you need to tell a story in addition to the charts. That’s how the UBTs make the connection between their contribution and the financial success of the organization.”