Cone Health: improving patient care and employee satisfaction

The Challenge

Cone Health, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, faced the challenge of adapting to a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. With 12,000 employees, six hospitals, and over 100 physician practices, the organisation needed to transition from a fee-for-service model to a value-based care approach. This shift was driven by the necessity to improve patient outcomes, manage costs and respond to decreasing insurance reimbursements. Cone Health’s leadership recognised that this transformation required a significant cultural shift and a reorganisation of its operational structure to better align with its mission of providing top-tier healthcare.

Cone Health faced the daunting task of transforming its entire organisation to meet the demands of a value-based health care model. This required abandoning the traditional fee-for-service approach, which incentivised quantity over quality, and instead focusing on patient outcomes. Leadership needed to engage a diverse workforce and unify them under a new vision. Additionally, they had to break down existing silos within the organisation to ensure seamless collaboration across various care settings. The challenge was to implement these changes without disrupting patient care and while maintaining financial stability. 

The Approach

We partnered with Cone Health to facilitate a comprehensive transformation. The approach included setting bold goals to rank in the top 10% of U.S. healthcare organisations for patient experience, quality of care and cost management. Leadership focused on engaging employees at all levels, fostering a culture of empowerment and collaboration. Organisational restructuring grouped inpatient and outpatient services together, creating integrated teams to ensure smooth patient transitions. The establishment of the Leadership Alliance and the inclusion of more physicians in senior management roles further reinforced the new culture and operational ethos.

The Impact

The transformation led to significant improvements in both patient care and employee satisfaction. Cone Health’s employee engagement scores increased, and turnover rates dropped, resulting in better patient outcomes and higher satisfaction. The integrated care model reduced readmission, complication and mortality rates. The organisation’s efforts were recognised with multiple awards, highlighting its success in delivering high-quality care. The cultural and structural changes ensured that Cone Health could sustain its mission of patient-centric care while remaining financially robust. This comprehensive transformation set a new standard for healthcare delivery, emphasising the importance of collaboration, empowerment and continuous improvement.