A hospital without walls, built to scale
STRATEGY
For the eHospital in Region Zealand, we developed a fully model-supported strategy to scale sixfold, with efficiency built into every step.
SITUATION
The eHospital in Region Zealand is Scandinavia's largest clinical unit for virtual patient treatment. With plans to grow from approximately 900 to 5,500 admitted patients, the eHospital needed a model-supported scaling strategy that could handle the complexity of clinical treatment while securing both efficiency and full benefit realisation.
RESULTS
Together with Det Nære Sundhedsvæsen, we developed a scaling strategy for the eHospital's efficiency and growth. It built on an extensive analysis of existing operations, combined with an assessment of resource and capacity requirements for different volumes, treatment pathways and patient intake across the region.
The efficiency improvements increased production by 21% within existing capacity. A range of specific, volume-adjusted operational enhancements, designed to realise economies of scale continuously as the eHospital grows, resulted in a 148% increase in production at full scale.
The business case compares the return on investment (ROI) of the eHospital with that of the region's physical hospitals and highlights the potential of shifting from conventional to virtual treatment.
The analysis shows that even at 5,500 admissions, the eHospital delivers a 140% higher ROI than the region's other hospitals. This is relevant both regionally and in light of the recommendations from the Danish Health Structure Commission (Sundhedsstrukturkommissionen).
DELIVERABLES
The strategy builds on a scalable planning and management model that simulates the impact on all major operational parameters, including patient composition, treatment pathways, procurement costs and geographical factors.
Besides the simulation module, the model offers a complete framework for managing operational deviations, such as the number or length of visits required for specific diagnoses, time spent on ward rounds and the referral process for admitted patients.
As a management tool, the model provides detailed production data and key metrics such as “cost per bed day” and “cost per discharged patient”. Regular monitoring of these metrics supports benefit realisation in the long run.
We facilitated the eHospital's strategic development through structured analysis, systematic modelling and our expertise in healthcare, process optimisation and system development.
