One percentage point off the margin, three effects at once, and nobody breaks that down in passing.
The variance shows up in the monthly report; describing it explains nothing. Anyone who wants to break it down pulls occupancy days, staff costs per case and non-staff costs per case separately and weighs their contributions against each other. By the time the result is in, the next month is over, and the countermeasure takes effect a cycle later.
3effects at workOccupancy, staff costs and non-staff costs move the margin at the same time.
1variance describedThe monthly report states the figure; it does not state the share of each effect.
2weeks to the breakdownThe analysis per effect is done by hand and is ready only by mid-month.
1lost cycleThe countermeasure therefore starts one reporting month after the variance.
On the day of the report, the three effects are available separately and weighted; the two weeks that cost a full cycle fall away, and corrective action starts 50% earlier.
The 50% earlier start to corrective action is this agent's headline figure. Three effects at work and two weeks to the breakdown describe a typical process in hospital controlling; they were not measured.