HUTCHINGS PSYCHIATRIC CENTER CHILDREN AND YOUTH OUTPATIENT CLINIC

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HUTCHINGS PSYCHIATRIC CENTERCHILDREN AND
YOUTH OUTPATIENT CLINIC
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PDSA What did you do and why?

• Plan Reduce the frequency of requests for
  prescriptions between medication appointments.
• Step 1 Collect baseline data for 4 consecutive
  weeks on the frequency of these requests before
  and then after instituting a new procedure.
• Step 2 Worked with 2 physicians, social worker
  and clerical staff to define new procedure.
• Step 3 Re-educate staff and families regarding
  new procedure.
• Rationale Increase the time for physicians to
  see patients (productivity). Increase the
  likelihood that patients attend their medication
  appointments.

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Decision Support What Happened and How do you
Know?

• Gave a letter to families regarding new
  procedure.
• Only wrote bridge scripts to next medication
  appointment.
• Poster in waiting room indicating that 2 days
  notice was needed for prescriptions between
  medication appointments.
• Data was collected for a 4 week period before the
  changes were instituted and for another 4 week
  period after the procedures were instituted.
• After the new procedures were instituted there
  was a 54 decrease in requests for prescriptions
  between medication appointments.

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The blue bars represent 4 consecutive weeks prior
to the procedure being instituted. The magenta
bars represent 4 consecutive weeks after the
procedure was instituted.
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Business Case and/or Strategic Advantage for the
Organization

• Increased the amount of available time for
  physicians to see patients (productivity).
• Increased compliance with medication
  appointments.
• Improved service delivery.
• Gave families more responsibility for planning
  which resulted in fewer emergency prescriptions.

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The Plan for Sustainability

• Have clinicians review procedure with each new
  intake.
• Have the secretary inform the clinician when
  patient/family cancel medication appointment.
• Therapists will coordinate re-scheduling
  medication appointments.
• Have poster in waiting area.