Improving patients’ experience concerning insufficient informational flow to patients during COVID-19 pandemic: Case study of a traditional Chinese medicine clinic

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective To improve patients’ experience concerning insufficient informational flow to patients waiting at the dispensary station – case study of a traditional Chinese medicine clinic. Method The service system was explored via qualitative techniques such as interviews and constructing the customer journey map. Then, experience and operational issues were defined through experience ratings at each touchpoint, patient interviews, and root cause analysis. The solution was identified via brainstorming and prototyping. A prescription tracking system was proposed with a finish time estimation algorithm. Results The overall satisfaction score at the dispensary station, comparing before-after system implementation in 2019, was increased 37% from the average score of 3.27 to 4.47 using 5-point Likert scales. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of the waiting time estimation model that included the buffer time (upper bound at 95%) is 52%. Conclusion This methodology, which included both patient experience and operational improvement viewpoints, could successfully improve both the patient experience and the related operation system at its critical touchpoints. Moreover, the data from the prescription tracking system could be used to estimate the number of patients waiting in the system, allowing the clinic to better manage its waiting space and capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic.