Tufts University School of Medicine, 800 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Department of Quality & Patient Safety, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Int J Qual Health Care. 2022 Aug 2;34(3). doi: 10.1093/intqhc/mzac061.
The orthopedics clinic at an academic medical center has low patient satisfaction rates for patients that require an X-ray and have difficulty ambulating. The project aimed to reduce the 'non-value-added' time during appointments by using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies and enhance patient experience.
An analysis of the current state was conducted using Gemba walks, interviews with subject matter experts and an interrupted time study to assess baseline data. The project was implemented using a three-phase Kaizen event approach.
Interventions implemented included: (i) re-engineering patient flow and (ii) standardizing appointment scheduling guidelines. The 'non-value-added' appointment time was measured post-intervention and it decreased from 17 to 8 min (51%), and 87% (N = 47) of patients rated the scheduling process positively.
Lean, Six Sigma and Kaizen improvement methodologies are invaluable tools to improve operational efficiency. The implemented interventions enhanced patient experience and improved clinic efficiency.
一家学术医学中心的骨科门诊，对于需要 X 光检查且行动不便的患者，其患者满意度较低。该项目旨在通过使用精益和六西格玛方法减少就诊过程中的“无附加值”时间，并改善患者体验。
使用现场观察、主题专家访谈和中断时间研究对当前状态进行分析，以评估基线数据。该项目采用三阶段 Kaizen 事件方法实施。
实施的干预措施包括：（i）重新设计患者流程，（ii）规范预约安排指南。干预后测量“无附加值”就诊时间，从 17 分钟减少到 8 分钟（减少 51%），并且 87%（N=47）的患者对预约流程给予积极评价。
精益、六西格玛和 Kaizen 改进方法是提高运营效率的宝贵工具。实施的干预措施增强了患者体验并提高了诊所效率。
