MP32-09 USING LEAN METHODOLOGY FOR UROLOGY PATIENT CALL CENTER IMPROVEMENT AT A SINGLE ACADEMIC INSTITUTION

Abstract

You have accessJournal of UrologyGeneral & Epidemiological Trends & Socioeconomics: Practice Patterns, Cost Effectiveness IV1 Apr 2015MP32-09 USING LEAN METHODOLOGY FOR UROLOGY PATIENT CALL CENTER IMPROVEMENT AT A SINGLE ACADEMIC INSTITUTION Thomas Tieu, Bradford Stevenson, Teri Baldini, Tobias S. Kohler, Christopher Gonzalez, and Kevin T. McVary Thomas TieuThomas Tieu More articles by this author , Bradford StevensonBradford Stevenson More articles by this author , Teri BaldiniTeri Baldini More articles by this author , Tobias S. KohlerTobias S. Kohler More articles by this author , Christopher GonzalezChristopher Gonzalez More articles by this author , and Kevin T. McVaryKevin T. McVary More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2015.02.1405AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Effective call centers (CC) are integral to the success of any medical practice. Interaction with a CC is often the patient's first contact with their medical provider. This first contact heavily influences a patient's impressions. Inefficient and problematic interaction between patients and the CC leads to unsatisfied customers, poor patient care, safety issues, and a drop in market share. We present our experience using a LEAN / Six-Sigma (L6S) methodology to analyze the CC process at a single academic institution for process improvement. Various metrics were measured and targets set to allow assessment of the current-state and identify opportunities for improvement (OFIs). METHODS We utilized several fundamentals of L6S methodology. Electronically-collected telephone data (call volume, service level rate, answer delay times, and abandoned calls), gave initial insight but manual data collection of exact distribution and reasons for calls enabled us to conduct root cause analysis (RCA) on process defects. Application of L6S principles led to: 1) Organizing a team of subject-matter experts; 2) Studying trend data to assess peak call periods; 3) Using Pareto Charts to evaluate most common reasons for inbound calls; 4) Value-Stream Mapping, with gap analysis; 5) Prioritizing actions for improvement via an Impact Analysis tool. RESULTS The Urology Clinic was a pilot site to implement & test process redesign. Changes consisted of: 1) Reorganizing CC staffing based on call volume; 2) Designing back-up call coverage during break times; 3) Moving CC staff from an offsite location to an embedded location within the Urology Clinic; 4) Hiring a Triage Phone RN; 5) Expanding patient protocols; 6) Establishing new performance standards for RN staff based on OFI data (e.g.: turn-around-time [TAT] on nurses' response-time to pages from call center staff; TAT on nurses returning calls to patients and other healthcare workers; and first-call resolution of urgent issues). Accountability with performance standards was monitored and mandated. Vacancies in CC staffing were also corrected. Frequent communication with the Team (clinic & CC staffs) was engrained into the project. CONCLUSIONS CC efficiency is vital to patient safety and satisfaction, customer retention, and good medical care. Using L6S methodology, a RCA can be performed, process defects identified and eliminated, performance standards created, and changes implemented that result in increased efficiency that translate into increased patient satisfaction and better patient care. © 2015 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 193Issue 4SApril 2015Page: e367 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2015 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Thomas Tieu More articles by this author Bradford Stevenson More articles by this author Teri Baldini More articles by this author Tobias S. Kohler More articles by this author Christopher Gonzalez More articles by this author Kevin T. McVary More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...