1. How unit-based teams are delivering on service
August 2012

2. High-functioning UBTs have higher service scores
Level 4 and 5 — Unit-Based Team/ High-functioning UBT *
Level 1 — Pre-Team Climate UBT *
Studies led by Kaiser Permanente Organizational Research in 2011 found that high- performing unit-based teams rated higher than did lower performing teams on several key measures of workplace culture and engagement.
For instance, members of high-performing UBTs were more likely to report having a positive work environment—things like being encouraged to speak up about mistakes in their department or to suggest ways to improve work processes.
New research has taken these findings a step further and shown that high- performing UBTs also have measurably better results in patient satisfaction, as measured by HCAHPS* inpatient service scores. The scores above show the percentage of patients rating their service a 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale.
In addition, high-performing teams (rated at Level 4 or 5 on the Path to Performance) report significantly fewer injuries than do teams just beginning to operate as UBTs (Level 1).
In Kaiser Permanente regions that operate their own hospitals (Northern California, Southern California, the Northwest and Hawaii), high-performing teams had 29 percent fewer accepted injury claims. These teams also had 15 percent fewer days lost to sickness, short-term disability or leave of absence.
“We know that members of high-performing UBTs report higher levels of job satisfaction, engagement and trust on People Pulse surveys,” says Peter Nixon, director of Metrics and Analytics for the Office of Labor Management Partnership. “We now have data showing that the work environment has a measurable influence on patient service, workplace safety and attendance—things that directly affect and matter to our patients and members.”
* Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey
Inpatient Service (HCAHPS)
*Hospital Regions KFH Cost Centers – 2011 UBT Tracker data for co-leads and members & HCAHPS Q Rolling YTD.
**Significantly different at p ≤ .05.