MultiCare Health System Cuts $10 Million in Waste With Clinical Decision Support
MultiCare Health System, a 13-hospital network in the Pacific Northwest, has achieved significant cost savings of over $10 million through the implementation of a clinical decision support (CDS) system. This initiative effectively reduced health care waste without compromising the quality of patient care.
The health system identified substantial variability in clinical resource utilization, particularly in medications, imaging, and laboratory testing. Anti-infective medications and chemistry tests exhibited the most significant inconsistencies. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges, leading to drug shortages and increased hospitalization costs.
To address these issues, MultiCare implemented a CDS system integrated into their electronic health record (EHR). This system provides clinicians with evidence-based recommendations at the point of care, suggesting higher-value options that combine qualitative benefits with the true cost of an order. The alerts include information such as the health system's cost of the order, median savings from historical changes, clinical summaries, and links to relevant publications.
The implementation followed a phased approach, beginning with a soft launch to assess integration with physician workflows. The system was designed to be nonintrusive, offering information without mandating decisions, thereby respecting physician autonomy. Despite initial resistance, the adoption of the CDS system led to a 7.46% reduction in total care costs within the first year, equating to approximately $2.6 million in health care waste reduction. Recent data indicate an 11% reduction in health care waste and cumulative savings exceeding $10 million.
Crucially, patient experience scores remained stable, and readmission rates showed no significant changes, validating that cost reductions were achieved without compromising care quality. The success of this initiative underscores the potential of integrating evidence-based CDS tools within EHR systems to enhance health care efficiency and patient outcomes.
Reference
Siwicki B. How MultiCare Health System saved $10M with clinical decision support. Healthcare IT News. March 25, 2025. Accessed March 26, 2025. https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/how-multicare-health-system-saved-10m-clinical-decision-support
