Length of stay at Virginia Mason Medical Center (VMMC) has decreased from 4.4 days to 4.04 days as a result of better coordination of care and fewer defects.

The length of stay reduction reduced the overall need for RNs by 27 FTEs.  While the RN to patient ratio remained the same, the demand for RNs caring for the same number of patients was reduced by 27 FTEs as a result of patients being safely discharged earlier.

Implementation of a central line bundle resulted in infection rates of 0 percent when placed by experienced nurses only per new protocol.

Patient falls were reduced on the ACE unit where the new care model was first implemented; hospital fall rates per 1,000 patient days dropped from 6.88 patient falls in 2006 to 3.61 falls in 2007.

RN time with patients increased from 34 percent to 66 percent in the Acute Care for the Elderly focus unit.

Early in the VMPS implementation a “no layoff due toVMPS-initiated changes” policy was adopted.  Vacancy rates are 3 percent.  Nurses are actively involved in improvement design.

Prior to the implementation of the model, an average direct care nurse took 10,000 walking steps in a four-hour period.  It is now approximately 1,200, a significant implication (both in terms of provider satisfaction and retention) for an aging nurse workforce.