The nightmare returns---Hunter Group is coming!!!

Trauma Columnist · Oct 10, 2004

I'm sorry that I'm out of the loop - but what is the Hunter Group?

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Oct 10, 2004

OMG, my condolences, prmenrs :crying2:

GirlArcher · Oct 10, 2004

I'm sorry to say, but I have no idea what the "Hunter Group" is.....Anyone care to enlighten me?:imbar

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Oct 10, 2004

The Hunter group is an efficiency group. They call themselves the efficiency experts. They contract with hospitals, spent a great deal of time monitoring and watching processes and activities and then after all is said and done, they write a lenghty report to the CEO about how they can imporve work flow and REDUCE costs. This generally translates into big changes in the hospital that is surveyed by this group.

The last time this group came to my hospital, they made crazy recommendations. Nurses had to chart their every step from beginning of shift to end of shift. They even had people on the night shift watching activities. The hospital was told that they could save a great deal of money by moving longer termed employees into retirement and hiring new people for less wages. Of course, the hospital followed their recommendations. The results were short of disasterous ..... yet, these companies are still functioning. It is amazing!

Good luck prmenrs .... I will be thinking of you.

prmenrs, RN · Oct 10, 2004

http://www.calnurse.org/cna/pdf/HunterGroup.pdf

I hope this link works--I searched the Calnurses.org site for this--fairly long, but REALLY explains these lovely execs.

If you have not encountered them--get down on your knees right now and thank the Good Lord!

Go to page 6 and read the UCSD experience.

Burnt Out, ASN, RN · Oct 10, 2004

The Hunter Group-

They screwed up our hospital!!! :uhoh3: :angryfire ...Just believe me when I say this-it will cause more work for the nurses!!!!! (Like we don't have enough to do!)

MrsWampthang, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2004

Are they anything like the Studer Group? That is our hospital's big thing right now, that and Press Ganey :angryfire

Pam

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Oct 10, 2004

have not encountered these groups. leave it to the ones who watch and do not do to make a mess of already stressful situations. :crying2:

Katnip, RN · Oct 10, 2004

Very lucky here not to have encountered these fools. They may work well in a factory, but not when it comes to working with people.

PRMENRS, you have my deepest sympathy.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 10, 2004

Hunter group's dismanteling of a health system is 180 degree opposite of the Studer group's team building.

Hunter = hatchet men recomendations.

They are often brought in by CEO's who want "someone else" to be responsible for the difficult decisions and cutbacks to trim a health system's expenses.

University of Pennsylvania Health System got caught up on the bandwagon of buying physician practices in 90's. HUGE DEFICIT in collections areas, clients not wanting to come to only to PENN facilities/labs etc. Hunter group came in and big layoffs resulted, esp in the hospital. Much bad blood when physicians practices contract NOT renewed. Took them 1 year to be in the black, but five years to fully recover. Most hospital positions were reinstated.

My health system chose Studer to help us go from "good to great". Our focus is on EMPOWERING employees to take ownership of their job/career and improve employee morale. Staff who are happy, satisfied, feel they can make a difference, have a VOICE in the work setting, will contribute to making a facility a possitive one to work in with spill over to patients feeling well cared for, improved satisfaction scores and inproved retention rate.

My homecare agency has the improved scores to see Studer does work, middle managers less disgruntled too.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2004

We had a massive layoff when the Hunter Group came through, from top to bottom. My hospital blindly followed their recommendations and spent the next few years recovering from their poor decisions.

Good luck with them.