Reduction of Patients

1
Reduction of Patients Total Turn Around Time
A System Design Project conducted on Department
of Diagnostic Imaging (DDI) By ISE-DDI team
Chong Jun Xiong, Fan Jiafang, Liu Xufeng, Wu Zhe
Problem Description Department of Diagnostic
Imaging (DDI) provides radiography services to
in-patients (IP) and out-patients (OP) in NUH.
This project focuses on two most important
modalities X-ray and CT, attempting to reduce
the total turn around time (TAT) of patients,
which comprises a large portion for waiting.
Objective Reduce the total Turn around time
through 1. Improvements on X-Ray processes and
resource utilization 2. Modify CT appointment
scheduling 3. Lean service process
standardization
TAT Factors Generation
Process Mapping

• Solutions (X-Ray)
• Assign Supervisor
• Devote one radiographer for cassettes handling,
  including transfer cassettes
• between X-ray rooms and processor cassette
  developing, film database entry
• checking. He also serve as a supervisor to X-ray
  corridor to handle coordination
• among radiographers and patients .
• The use of supervisor is expected to reduce
  total TAT by up to 20-40.
• 2. express-queue

• Solutions (CT)
• Long waiting for CT is largely due to
• disruption of add-ons and unpunctual
• arrival of appointment patients. Hence
• more flexible appointment scheduling
• rules is suggested
• Assign different appointment interval times
• for patients of different process type and
  stage.
• 2. Give buffer of 10 mins for each hour. 20 mins
• buffers are given at 940 am and 140pm.
• 3. Extend the schedule hour to 4pm
• 4. Advise patients arrive 5-10 mins earlier
• 5. Avoid scheduling consecutive long
• procedures in one CT room
• 6. Avoid long procedures scheduled after 3pm.
• The diagram is an illustration with Excel VBA,
  different appointment intervals are calculated

Scheduled slots
Reserved slots
Available slots
Lean service process standardization
Performance control Continuous Improvements!
Special thanks to Department of Diagnostic
Imaging, National University Hospital for the
kind help and support, Dr Yap Chee Meng and Dr
Chai Kah Hin for the inspiring guidance and
assistance.