Lean Six Sigma Contribution to Improve Equipment Utilization in Healthcare, What is Your Story?
"......Such was the case with the X-Ray lab at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. People in acute pain were made to wait 40-50 minutes to see a radiologist. The easiest solution that hospital found was to buy another X-ray machine at a cost of about $500,000.
But, wait. Did they buy the machine? No! ............"
Please read the details at
http://blogs.biproinc.com/healthcare/?p=19
to read the detail story and provide your story on how Lean Six Sigma has or can help you improve asset utilization?
Answers (5)
Ravi,
Maximize value and minimize waste. The waste was found in the process not the machine. Reduction of waste was able to maximize the value of the machine.
A wonderful way to assess this is to develop a simple matrix.
Across the top list key elements: Functions, parts/subsystems, materials/infrastructure, tasks to do and People
On the side from top down list: Eliminate, reduce, substitute, add, seperate, integrate, re-use and standardize
Populating this matrix provides insight and ideas on innovating regardless of process, product or service.
Lee
Alessandro L
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt at Hertz - Open Networker
Best Answers in: Quality Management and Standards (2), Certification and Licenses (1)
Just want to add that maximize value doens't necessary mean maximize equipment utilization. 100% equipment utilization is not always good. Depending on the nature of the operation and of the equipment, it may exist a level of optimization that maximize the value, but it's actually less than 100%.
I was just reading something along the same lines which may be of interest to some.
Engaging Physicians in a Shared Quality Agenda on the Institute for Healthcare improvement. With a simple search using six sigma it will list a number of lean principles in action.
Links:
Ravi,
The case study supports the argument that Lean Six Sigma learnings in one industry are transferable to another. Process improvement should have no boundaries.
Only yesterday I had a hospital appointment, whilst registering at the desk a doctor came out and asked "where is my next patient?". The rather flustered looking receptionist turned away from her long line of people awaiting registering and said "there are only a few of us here and we are struggling to keep up with you guys!". When I sat down with the doctor I asked "is this a frequent?", he replied "yes, we get backed up a lot in registration".
Result, under utilized doctor, frustrated receptionist and unhappy patient.
Lean Six Sigma review of the registration process would undoubtedly bring improvements for all stakeholders.
