Overhauling processes to deliver value in healthcare
Learn how health services can transform consultation efficiency for better patient care
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The health services of many countries in Europe are facing an efficiency crises. The World Bank predicts a dramatic increase in European public spending on health, which could rise from eight per cent of GDP in 2000 to 14 per cent of GDP in 2030.
The significance of this trend promises to increase as the main sources of this expenditure continue to rise, namely the longevity of the population and increasing prevalence of chronic disease, which are responsible for 60 per cent of world mortality.
There is also a growing demand from health service users for a greater focus on preventive and personalized care offerings and a concern regarding the level of coordination and integration between the various health systems.
When examining the flow of a patient going to the hospital or health centre for a consultation, these inefficiencies become clear. The Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated tighter control of waiting room capacity, which often results in patients being forced to queue outside the building.
Inside the premises, flows are not always indicated clearly and properly isolated. When it comes to the consultation, the majority of the doctor's time is spent creating reports or searching for information in the computer system. Once it is time to perform the procedure, the necessary material is often not available or is inaccessible and upon leaving, patients are often required to come back again to schedule further exams.
These examples highlight problems from the patient’s perspective as well as operational challenges such as controlling costs and efficiency. The patient spends more time in hospital than necessary, increasing the risk they face, while the time of the medical and nursing teams is spent on activities that do not add value.
It is clear to see that the current system is unsustainable. Health services will need to develop a more agile and integrated system that truly prioritizes patient needs and take steps to enhance the efficiency, efficacy and accessibility of healthcare delivery. The main rationale for these suggested changes is to deliver value in healthcare and attain the most relevant and desirable outcomes for the user, as quickly as possible and at the lowest cost.
To ensure these changes are implemented successfully, the development of a management model that focuses on the daily analysis and follow-up of KPIs, the use of technology and on the elimination of unnecessary costs will be necessary.
Implementing this new paradigm will dramatically improve the flow of the consultation. The patient will receive a text message minutes before the scheduled time, and according to the delays in previous appointments and the occupation of the waiting room, informing them that they can go into the building.
Without waiting or queuing, the patient will enter the facility and check in. There should be complete isolation of entry and exit flows in the area dedicated to consultations, achieved through the use of visual management, so that all users know where they should go.
At check-in each patient is welcomed in a personalized way, due to daily tracking of KPIs and daily departmental meetings where best practices and improvements are shared, instead of being received as just another process number. During the consultation, all records are generated through voice recognition software that automatically transcribes everything the doctor says into the systems.
This article was originally posted by Kaizen Institute Blog on 07 April 2021 and was recently updated on 03 September 2021.