In 2018 and 2019, HUS fell short of its productivity goals. In May, CEO Juha Tuominen launched the planning of a productivity program, appointing a working group to execute it. The working group included management from various units. It was chaired by Director Jari Finnilä.
The working group was tasked with building a model for a productivity program at the HUS level, surveying projects that might be included at the start of the program and defining indicators for productivity.
The final report of the program was completed at the end of 2019. It was discussed by the HUS Executive Group and the Personnel Commission in January 2020. The report will be discussed by the HUS Executive Board in February 2020.
The report lists 29 ideas and concepts that will be converted into projects during February and March. Project owners will be assigned, and the projects will be given clear indicators and goals and a uniform reporting protocol.
The first results are expected in 2020, though the focus of the projects is on 2021. New ideas are constantly being sought and investigated for the productivity program.
Improved productivity with current resources
The productivity program has yet to become visible in the everyday work of employees. Most of its measures have to do with processes, premises, equipment and supplies. The first staff measures to be implemented have to do with flexible working hours, analysis of existing incentive models, improving shift planning and partly replacing hired labor with an in-house pool of substitutes.
“This is not a reorganization, it’s about improving productivity – treating more patients with the resources we have now,” says Finnilä.
The working group consulted staff and a panel of customers for ideas to improve productivity. Most customers would like to have more appointments available in the evenings and weekends. HUS would be able to deliver this using existing facilities by dividing working days up differently, boosting the capacity of premises.
The survey consisted of 12 questions and was circulated by e-mail; 650 HUS employees responded, submitting thousands of ideas, some of which were incorporated into the new productivity program.