Nurse Unit Managers are some of the most effective change agents in our hospitals. Not because they set strategy, but because they live its consequences every day.
They see where inefficiencies pile up: patients arriving unprepared, paperwork delays cascading into cancelled procedures, and staff burnout approaching a tipping point.
But recognising problems and driving change are two different challenges. Many Nurse Managers face a familiar barrier: influencing decisions beyond their department. Turning observations into outcomes requires a new skill — the ability to build a compelling business case.
This article is a practical guide for Nurse Unit Managers ready to champion digital patient pathways. Whether the goal is reducing admin, improving patient readiness, or streamlining pre-op triage, these steps will help you speak the language of executives — with confidence, clarity, and credibility.
Table of Contents
The Challenge: Bridging the Gap Between Clinical Reality and Executive Buy-in
It’s a common disconnect: nurse leaders see frontline issues daily, but struggle to gain traction with executives.
You may have raised concerns before, only to hear:
- “There’s no budget.”
- “That would need to go through IT.”
- “We tried that a few years ago.”
The problem often isn’t the idea itself, but how it’s framed. Executives care about patient outcomes and staff wellbeing, but they also need clear justification for investment. That means translating clinical frustrations into operational and financial outcomes.
According to Personify Care’s 2025 Digital Patient Pathways Guide, hospitals that align pathway initiatives with measurable operational targets are 2.4× more likely to secure executive approval.
A Four-Step Framework for Building a Business Case
Step 1: Define the Problem in Operational Terms
Start with what you see daily:
- Patients arriving unprepared
- Forms chased at the last minute
- Discharges delayed by missing information
Frame the issue in operational language:
- “Our team spends two hours per shift following up incomplete triage forms.”
- “Procedures are regularly rescheduled due to unsigned consent.”
This connects frontline issues to hospital-wide throughput, morale, and efficiency.
Step 2: Quantify the Impact
Executives respond to numbers. Even rough calculations help:
- “10–15 hours per week are lost to manual follow-ups.”
- “Paper-based processes consume 2–3 staff hours daily.”
The Digital Patient Pathways Guide found that manual pre-op administration adds $48–$72 in staff time per patient, with cancellations leading to potential lost revenue of $1,500–$3,000 per case.
Step 3: Propose a Digital Solution, Not Just a Tool
Frame it as workflow transformation, not “new tech.” With Personify Care, patients complete forms and education digitally — reducing phone calls, missing paperwork, and last-minute surprises.
In one metropolitan hospital, digital triage pathways reduced administrative time by 50% and cut unplanned cancellations by 24% within the first 90 days (Personify Care case study data).
Step 4: Align With Hospital Priorities
Executives want to see alignment with existing goals:
- Safety and compliance
- Accreditation readiness
- Staff retention and wellbeing
- Financial sustainability
For example: “This initiative supports our 2025 priority to optimise digital tools that improve patient flow.”
Arguments That Resonate With Executive Teams
Successful business cases borrow language executives already value:
- Reduced unplanned theatre cancellations → higher utilisation, fewer delays, lower overtime costs
- Improved staff experience → less burnout, lower turnover, reduced agency reliance
- Digital audit trails → easier accreditation processes, less manual documentation
- Improved patient readiness → shorter length of stay, fewer readmissions, faster discharges
- Fewer manual touchpoints → measurable time savings across admin and clinical teams
- Fast implementation → avoids complex IT projects, integrates with existing systems
Instead of:
“We’re overwhelmed by admin.”
Try:
“Digitising pre-op intake would redeploy 10–15 hours a week back to direct patient care.”
One example comes from the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) Women’s & Children’s Maternity team, who used digital triage pathways to cut admin load by 50% and reduce patient clarification calls by 30% — freeing nurses to focus on patient care.
Practical Next Steps
Turning a business case into executive action doesn’t require a 30-page report. Nurse Managers can:
- Start small: propose a pilot in one unit or pathway (e.g. consent, triage). Quick wins build momentum.
- Use existing data: track missed forms, follow-up calls, or admin time. Even basic metrics strengthen your case.
- Reference external success: Share case studies like NALHN’s maternity unit or Monash IVF’s digital consent rollout.
- Bring allies: Involve Clinical Innovation Leads, Quality & Safety, and admin staff. Cross-functional support lowers resistance.
Your influence doesn’t end at the nurse’s station. With the right framing, it reaches the boardroom.
Explore Resources for Hospitals
Personify Care has helped hospitals across Australia turn frontline insight into system-wide change — improving patient readiness, reducing admin, and supporting staff wellbeing without major IT overhauls.
Explore the 2025 Digital Patient Pathways Guide or browse our hospital case studies to see how others have done it.
