Operational Efficiency and Effective Management in the Catheterization Laboratory: JACC Review Topic of the Week

Operational efficiency is a core business principle in which organizations strive to deliver high-quality goods or services in a cost-effective manner. This concept has become increasingly relevant to cardiac catheterization laboratories, as insurers move away from fee-for-service reimbursement and toward payment determined by quality measures bundled per episode of care. Accordingly, this review provides a framework for optimizing efficiency in the cardiac cath lab. The authors outline a management method based on the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model, a commonly used business tool by which a company can assess whether its key elements are aligned with its strategy. Standardized metrics of cath lab efficiency are proposed, which can be used in public reports on this topic moving forward. Attention is paid to understanding balance sheets to track the financial health of the cath lab. Specific cost-saving measures are described, and examples of strategies used to save supply expenses are provided.