Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to streamline workflow from arrival to premedication by decreasing patient wait time to increase value in a high-volume academic outpatient oncology infusion unit. The streamlining process involved identifying and prioritizing patients for treatment by driving out waste in patient flow. Methods: The plan-do-check-act (PDCA) method and Lean Methodology were used in completing a project to streamline a defined subset of patient experiences within an outpatient oncology infusion unit in an academic comprehensive cancer center. Wait time for patients whose labs were completed before treatment day and within normal limits and whose orders were signed the day before treatment was collected manually for a period of 5 months and tracked via value stream and control charts. Results: Postimplementation, patients experienced a decrease of 17 minutes in mean patient arrival to premedication start time (preimplementation 77 minutes, postimplementation 60 minutes). Additionally, a value stream analysis demonstrated that in the new process, patient touch points were decreased by two, and value-added time was increased by 17%. Conclusion: By using the systematic PDCA tool, the team was able to identify opportunities to reduce waste in the system and streamline patient care. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in reducing patient wait time from arrival to premedication start time and increasing percentage of total value added during a patient's treatment cycle.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | e95-e100 |
| Journal | Journal of Oncology Practice |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2016 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Oncology(nursing)
- Health Policy
Cite this
Delivering patient value by using process improvement tools to decrease patient wait time in an outpatient oncology infusion unit. / Gjolaj, Lauren N.; Campos, Gloria G.; Olier-Pino, Angela I.; Fernandez, Gustavo.
In: Journal of Oncology Practice, Vol. 12, No. 1, 01.01.2016, p. e95-e100.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Delivering patient value by using process improvement tools to decrease patient wait time in an outpatient oncology infusion unit
AU - Gjolaj, Lauren N.
AU - Campos, Gloria G.
AU - Olier-Pino, Angela I.
AU - Fernandez, Gustavo
PY - 2016/1/1
Y1 - 2016/1/1
N2 - Purpose: This study aimed to streamline workflow from arrival to premedication by decreasing patient wait time to increase value in a high-volume academic outpatient oncology infusion unit. The streamlining process involved identifying and prioritizing patients for treatment by driving out waste in patient flow. Methods: The plan-do-check-act (PDCA) method and Lean Methodology were used in completing a project to streamline a defined subset of patient experiences within an outpatient oncology infusion unit in an academic comprehensive cancer center. Wait time for patients whose labs were completed before treatment day and within normal limits and whose orders were signed the day before treatment was collected manually for a period of 5 months and tracked via value stream and control charts. Results: Postimplementation, patients experienced a decrease of 17 minutes in mean patient arrival to premedication start time (preimplementation 77 minutes, postimplementation 60 minutes). Additionally, a value stream analysis demonstrated that in the new process, patient touch points were decreased by two, and value-added time was increased by 17%. Conclusion: By using the systematic PDCA tool, the team was able to identify opportunities to reduce waste in the system and streamline patient care. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in reducing patient wait time from arrival to premedication start time and increasing percentage of total value added during a patient's treatment cycle.
AB - Purpose: This study aimed to streamline workflow from arrival to premedication by decreasing patient wait time to increase value in a high-volume academic outpatient oncology infusion unit. The streamlining process involved identifying and prioritizing patients for treatment by driving out waste in patient flow. Methods: The plan-do-check-act (PDCA) method and Lean Methodology were used in completing a project to streamline a defined subset of patient experiences within an outpatient oncology infusion unit in an academic comprehensive cancer center. Wait time for patients whose labs were completed before treatment day and within normal limits and whose orders were signed the day before treatment was collected manually for a period of 5 months and tracked via value stream and control charts. Results: Postimplementation, patients experienced a decrease of 17 minutes in mean patient arrival to premedication start time (preimplementation 77 minutes, postimplementation 60 minutes). Additionally, a value stream analysis demonstrated that in the new process, patient touch points were decreased by two, and value-added time was increased by 17%. Conclusion: By using the systematic PDCA tool, the team was able to identify opportunities to reduce waste in the system and streamline patient care. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in reducing patient wait time from arrival to premedication start time and increasing percentage of total value added during a patient's treatment cycle.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84958582057&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84958582057&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1200/JOP.2015.006155
DO - 10.1200/JOP.2015.006155
M3 - Article
C2 - 26420892
AN - SCOPUS:84958582057
VL - 12
SP - e95-e100
JO - Journal of Oncology Practice
JF - Journal of Oncology Practice
SN - 1554-7477
IS - 1
ER -