Rethinking the delivery of pediatric radiology care at Children’s Hospital Omaha

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, Omaha (CHMCO) is a full-service, pediatric healthcare center in Nebraska, providing expertise in more than 50 pediatric specialty services to children across a five-state region and beyond. As the region’s pediatric healthcare leader, they are dedicated to clinical care, research, education and advocacy.  It is their mission to improve the life of every child.

As part of the 10-year strategic partnership signed in November 2017, Philips and CHMCO have developed a plan intended to provide business stability and predictability, while providing Children’s with access to Philips health technologies and services in radiology, cardiology, perioperative services, emergency care and the neonatal intensive care unit.

Philips was commissioned by CHMCO to rethink their delivery of radiology services to optimize workflow and enhance the patient, family and staff experience. Philips helped to build consensus by using their unique co-create methodology, advising on an approach and tools to help the customer shift to a decentralized, remote delivery model of radiology services within the hospital and beyond. Additionally, Philips worked to assess current and projected volume demands for the main campus as well as validating the needs for a future Ambulatory Destination Center.

The Philips team used quantitative data and simulation modeling to right-size the program to meet growth projections, as well as recommendations and strategies to address future anticipated demand through an additional outpatient site used to decant volumes from the main hospital. The team also developed a refined departmental plan with enhanced workflows and flexibility for growth alongside a service story that can be expanded throughout the hospital system. In addition, Philips provided access to developing new solutions and technologies to help CHMCO prepare for the future.

An illustrated “service story” narrative was created to summarize our research and communicate a vision for the future. The story highlights key patient needs across their journey at CHMCO, and describes impactful ideas that can support selected KPI’s.

Philips worked with Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, Omaha to develop a strategic vision of the experience along with a department layout that supports its implementation. Philips optimized the radiology footprint by proposing key support spaces that can improve key performance metrics while also enhancing the patient, family, and staff experience. The projects are a part of CHMCO’s new Hubbard Center for Children which will be opening in 2021.