When co-author Dr. Matthew Hawkins first started at Emory, he noticed that outpatients seemingly had long wait times prior to their procedures. Although there were certainly multiple factors contributing to wait times, the researchers wanted to see if they could improve the situation, as waiting periods for young children can be challenging to both parents and healthcare providers.
"We felt that looking at ways to shorten wait times was important for our patients," Hawkins told AuntMinnie.com.
Hawkins and presenting author Dr. Neil Shah collected nearly two months of background time-motion data to learn how long various steps took in the outpatient process, including procedure time, time for laboratory values to be finalized, and room preparation time.
After collecting this information, the department began to schedule patients more appropriately -- using a "smart" scheduling software application they developed -- based on the exams scheduled ahead of them on the same day, he said.
Thorough baseline data are needed to create meaningful interventions, Hawkins noted. It's also critical to achieve stakeholder buy-in by educating technologists and nurses before beginning the initiative.
"As a process improvement project progresses through various stages, it is important to remain flexible as to what the end goal might be," Hawkins said. "Consistent feedback is vital to encourage those involved with the project."
Learn more by checking out this presentation at the Lakeside Learning Center.
