HAP Achievement Awards: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

August 08, 2025

HAP's annual Achievement Awards honor hospitals and health systems for their innovation, creativity, and commitment to patient care. The Achievement Awards showcase and share member hospitals’ and health systems’ successful programs and best practices.

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania received the Optimal Operations Award for expanding weekend oncology infusion services and enhancing care continuity for cancer patients across inpatient and outpatient settings.

Here’s what you need to know:

• The challenge:  Prolonged Emergency Department waits and extended hospital stays kept oncology patients from receiving timely, appropriate care and increased their time toxicity.
• Addressing the Issue:  A retrospective review showed that discharging patients sooner, especially those needing transfusions, could save more than 500 inpatient days and support more efficient care delivery.
• Taking Action:  The care team expanded Oncology Evaluation Center hours to seven days a week and added staffing to provide weekend symptom management, transfusions, and supportive care. They also introduced new EMR workflows and inpatient census reviews to support earlier discharges and coordinated outpatient follow-up.
• Results:  By enabling earlier discharges and reducing ED visits, the initiative saved over 2,100 inpatient days, improved length of stay, reduced disparities, and enhanced both patient experience and hospital capacity.
• Advancing Care:  Reflecting on the impact of the intervention, leadership noted, “This intervention can affect any of the over 5000 cancer patients admitted to HUP each year, reducing “time toxicity”, allowing patients more time in their jobs, at home, and with the people they love.”

Congratulations to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for its outstanding efforts to improve operations and care. Learn more about the project online.

Questions about the HAP Achievement Awards may be directed to HAP Member Services at (717) 561-5359.