Improving Scan Reporting Time using Lean and Six Sigma

Hospitals are always looking for ways to improve their processes and systems to provide benefits for all the stakeholders.Radiology department is one of the revenue-generating areas in the hospital where short waiting times and positive experience represent important drivers of patient satisfaction.Quality of care has been given a major focus by hospital and health care organizations across the country.Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the two important modalities contributing to the revenues through radiology.Since the scan time being low, the significance for more revenue by increasing the patient load will add more value to the services.Certain non-value activities may lead to improper functioning of the department.Lean and Six Sigma tools have been used in this study to identify such activities.This led to reversal of negative performance indicators, streamlining the processes, and regaining the patient satisfaction in this hospital.Objectives: Streamline mapping of workflow to implement Lean and Six Sigma and to improvise the present performance of Radiology Department. Materials and methods:Prospective study with direct observation of workflow.A total of 120 patients were observed for a period of 1 month, to identify the time taken.Failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) was used to identify potential steps for failure, and their effects.Results: Number 490 is the maximum risk priority number (RPN) for report approval and preparation; 920 minutes was the average time taken for CT scan approval and 834 minutes was the time for MRI scan approval. Conclusion:The radiologists were pointing that lesser number of monitors were available for report preparation.