Capítulo 7 Process Analysis at Arnold Palmer Hospital

Summary

The Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida, emphasizes continuous process improvement, focusing on labor and delivery processes. Utilizing tools like process flow charts, the hospital meticulously tracks and analyzes the journey of maternity patients from admission to discharge. This systematic approach, which includes pre-registration, triage, labor, and potential complications, ensures efficient service delivery and resource management. The hospital's dedication to process analysis and design is critical for enhancing organizational productivity and patient care.

Takeaways

• 🔄 Continuous improvement is essential for organizational productivity and is an ongoing process.
• 📈 Process analysis tools like flowcharts help managers understand and improve processes.
• 🏥 Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando uses process flow charts to improve various hospital processes.
• 🤰 The hospital focuses on labor and delivery processes, analyzing the flow of maternity patients and their paperwork.
• 📝 Registration and admitting paperwork is crucial for tracking and charging processes and materials used.
• 👶 If a baby is not yet born, the hospital uses a series of steps to assess and prepare for delivery.
• 🚫 If a patient is not ready for delivery, they may be sent home or asked to walk around to encourage progress.
• 🤗 The hospital's process design aims to improve service productivity and patient experience.
• 🌟 A global focus and common goals for continual process improvement are emphasized as keys to organizational success.
• 🛠 Process analysis tools, including time function mapping and service blueprints, are critical for organizational improvement.

Q & A

What is the significance of continuous improvement in organizational productivity?

Continuous improvement is critical to organizational productivity as it is an ongoing process that helps organizations to increase efficiency and effectiveness, whether they are process-focused or product-focused.

What are flowcharts and how do they aid in process analysis?

Flowcharts are graphical techniques and tools that visually represent processes. They help managers understand each process and provide insights on how to improve them.

What is the difference between process-focused and product-focused strategies in operations management?

Process-focused strategies are used in low volume, high variety job shops and focus on optimizing the process itself. Product-focused strategies are used by high volume, low variety organizations and concentrate on the product's lifecycle and its associated processes.

Can you describe the process flow chart used by Arnold Palmer Hospital?

The process flow chart used by Arnold Palmer Hospital is a tool that visually maps out the steps of a process, such as labor and delivery, to identify areas for improvement and efficiency gains.

How does Arnold Palmer Hospital handle maternity patients with immediate birth?

For maternity patients with immediate birth, the mother and baby are taken by elevator to a special floor, registered and admitted at bedside, with paperwork entered into the hospital's computer system.

What is the role of barcodes and wristbands in tracking maternity patients at Arnold Palmer Hospital?

Barcodes and wristbands are created to correctly track the mother, baby, and items used throughout the inpatient stay, ensuring accurate charging and tracking of processes and materials.

How does the hospital manage patients who are not ready for delivery?

If a patient is not ready for delivery, such as experiencing false labor pains or contractions not being close enough, they may be sent home or asked to walk around the hospital grounds to encourage progress and return at a prescribed time.

What steps are taken when there are complications with the mother during labor and delivery?

In case of complications, the mother is taken to an operating room or intensive care unit, and from there, she goes back to a mother-baby care room upon stabilization.

How does the hospital handle the discharge process for mothers and babies?

When mother and baby are ready for discharge, they are taken by wheelchair to the exit for pickup. The computerized documents comprising the patient's record of stay are transferred to the billing department for completion and submission.

Why is it important for organizations to have a global focus on continuous process improvement?

A global focus on continuous process improvement ensures that organizations have common goals and objectives, which helps prioritize areas for improvement and ultimately leads to success.

What are some of the process analysis and design tools described in the script?

The script describes various process analysis and design tools such as traditional flowcharts, value stream mapping, time function mapping, process charts, and service blueprints.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Continuous Improvement in Healthcare: Arnold Palmer Hospital's Process Analysis

This paragraph discusses the importance of continuous improvement in organizational productivity, emphasizing that it is an ongoing process applicable to various strategies. It introduces the use of flowcharts and other tools for process analysis, which are crucial for operations management aiming to enhance organizational processes. The paragraph uses Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida, as a case study to illustrate how process analysis is conducted, focusing on labor and delivery processes. The hospital employs process flow charts to track and improve activities such as room turnaround time, admissions, inventory, and food service delivery. The detailed process flow for maternity patients, from check-in to discharge, is outlined, including steps for registration, triage, labor and delivery, and post-birth care. The use of barcodes and wristbands for tracking is also highlighted.

05:00

💼 Prioritizing Process Improvement for Organizational Success

The second paragraph delves into the strategic approach to process improvement, suggesting that organizations need to have a global focus and shared goals for continuous enhancement. It stresses the importance of prioritization, as it's not feasible to focus on everything. The paragraph reiterates the significance of process analysis tools, which are critical for understanding and improving organizational operations. Arnold Palmer Hospital is again used as an example, demonstrating how it produces numerous flowcharts to study and enhance its operations. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the long-standing and varied nature of process tools, which are essential for managerial understanding and improvement of organizational processes.

Keywords

💡Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement refers to the ongoing effort to enhance processes, products, or services by identifying and reducing inefficiencies. In the video, this concept is central to the operations management strategy of Arnold Palmer Hospital, where they strive for productivity improvement through ongoing process analysis and refinement. The hospital uses various tools to chart and analyze hundreds of processes, such as labor and delivery, to ensure efficiency and quality of service.

💡Process Analysis

Process analysis is the examination of the steps involved in a process to identify areas for improvement. The video script describes how Arnold Palmer Hospital performs process analysis on key processes like labor and delivery, using tools like process flow charts to understand and enhance the efficiency of patient care from admission to discharge.

💡Flowcharts

Flowcharts are graphical representations of a process, showing the steps and decision points. They are among the tools used by the hospital to visualize and improve processes. The script mentions traditional flowcharts, which use annotated boxes and lines, to map out processes like vacated room turnaround, admissions, and food service delivery.

💡Value Stream Mapping

Value stream mapping is a technique that analyzes the flow of materials and information through a process, adding the perspective of customers and suppliers. Although not explicitly detailed in the script, it is implied as part of the process analysis tools that could be used to enhance the hospital's operations by identifying waste and improving value delivery to patients.

💡Time Function Mapping

Time function mapping is a type of flow diagram where time is added to the horizontal axis to analyze the duration of each step in a process. The script does not provide a direct example, but this tool could be instrumental in the hospital's efforts to reduce wait times and improve the efficiency of patient care.

💡Process Charts

Process charts are detailed flow diagrams that use specific symbols to represent the flow of materials or people within a process. The script mentions that Arnold Palmer Hospital uses process charts to track the flow of maternity patients and their paperwork, ensuring that every step is accounted for and can be improved.

💡Service Blueprinting

Service blueprinting focuses on the customer's interaction with the service process, mapping out the service process from the customer's perspective. The script does not explicitly mention service blueprinting, but it is a relevant concept for the hospital's process improvement efforts, particularly in understanding and enhancing the patient experience.

💡Labor and Delivery

Labor and delivery refers to the process of childbirth, including the stages from admission to the hospital until the baby's birth and the mother's recovery. In the script, this is a key process that Arnold Palmer Hospital analyzes and improves, focusing on the flow of patients and paperwork to ensure a smooth and efficient experience.

💡Barcodes and Wristbands

Barcodes and wristbands are used for tracking purposes in healthcare settings. The script describes how the hospital creates barcodes and wristbands for mothers and babies to ensure accurate tracking of patients and items used during their stay, which is crucial for billing and patient safety.

💡Computerized Paperwork

Computerized paperwork refers to the digital documentation of patient records and processes. The script highlights how Arnold Palmer Hospital enters registration and admitting paperwork into the computer system, allowing for real-time updates and accurate charging of processes and materials to the patient's account.

💡Billing Department

The billing department is responsible for the financial aspects of patient care, including the completion and submission of patient records for payment. The script mentions that once the patient's stay is concluded, the computerized documents are transferred to the billing department, which is a critical step in the hospital's process to ensure proper financial management and reimbursement.

Highlights

Continuous improvement is essential for organizational productivity.

Process improvement strategies can be process-focused or product-focused.

Understanding and analyzing actual processes can lead to significant efficiency gains.

Flowcharts are graphical tools developed for process analysis.

Traditional flowcharts show processes with annotated boxes and interconnected lines.

Value stream mapping adds customers and suppliers to traditional flowcharts.

Time function mapping includes time on the horizontal axis of a flow diagram.

Process charts use symbols to map the flow of people or materials.

Service blueprinting focuses on customer interaction with service organizations.

Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida emphasizes continuous process improvement.

Process flow charts are used to analyze labor and delivery processes at Arnold Palmer Hospital.

Hundreds of processes are charted to improve activities like room turnaround time and food service delivery.

The hospital examines the flow of maternity patients and their paperwork from entry to discharge.

Process flow includes steps from check-in to discharge, with considerations for pre-registration and complications.

Barcodes and wristbands are used for tracking mother, baby, and items used during the stay.

The hospital's process design aims to improve service productivity.

Organizations should have a global focus and common goals for continual process improvement.

Process analysis tools are critical for understanding and improving organizational processes.

Arnold Palmer Hospital produces numerous flowcharts to study and improve hospital operations.

Transcripts

continuous improvement is critical to

organizations productivity improvement

is an ongoing process whether the

strategy is process focused as found in

low volume high variety job shops or

product focused as used by high volume

low variety organizations understanding

and analyzing actual processes can lead

to significant efficiency gains as part

of operations management's ongoing

effort to improve organizational

processes a number of graphical

techniques and tools referred to as

flowcharts have been developed to aid

process analysis these graphics help

managers make sense of each process and

ultimately provide insight about how the

process can be improved

among these tools are traditional flow

charts which show a process with

annotated boxes and interconnected lines

value stream mapping similar to

traditional flow charts but adds

customers and suppliers time function

mapping a flow diagram with time added

on the horizontal axis process charts

which use symbols to map the flow of

people or materials and service

blueprinting which focuses on the

customer and interaction with the

customer service organizations also

require process strategies in this video

we'll see how Arnold Palmer Hospital in

Orlando Florida performs process

analysis as part of its emphasis on

continuous process improvement by

looking at a key process labor and

delivery one of the tools the hospital

uses to analyze its processes is the

process flow chart like the one shown

here

hundreds of processes are charted by

hospital staff to help improve such

activities as vacated room turnaround

time admissions inventory and delivery

of food service lately the hospital has

been examining the flow of maternity

patients and their paperwork from the

moment they enter the hospital until

they are discharged

hopefully with their healthy baby a day

or two later the flow of maternity

patients follows these steps first the

mother-to-be enters Arnold Palmer

hospital's labor and delivery check-in

desk entrants like Tasha here if the

baby has been born in route or birth is

eminent as in the case with Sheena the

mother and baby are immediately taken by

elevator to a special floor and

registered and admitted at bedside the

paperwork from registration and

admitting is entered into the hospital's

computer system so that processes and

materials used can be charged to the

account as they are incurred barcodes

and wristbands are created so that

mother baby and items used can be

correctly tracked throughout the

inpatient stay if the baby is not yet

born as with Shannon the front desk

checks to see if she is pre registered

most are registered by the 28 to 30 week

pregnancy point but if she's not she has

taken to the registration office on the

first floor if she has already

registered prior to arrival she goes

directly to the labor and delivery

triage department on the 8th floor for

assessment if she is ready to deliver

she moves to a special labor and

delivery room on the second floor until

the baby is born if she is not ready for

example she experienced false labor

pains or there are no contractions

she'll be sent home to return on a later

date if her contractions aren't quite

close enough as with Celeste she will be

asked to walk around the hospital

grounds to encourage progress and then

we'll return to labor and delivery

triage on a prescribed time

at the nursing station here the staff is

able to access the patient's records

which have followed her to this floor if

there are complications with the mother

as with Carla she goes to an operating

room or intensive care unit from there

she goes back to a mother baby care room

upon stabilization complications where

the baby may result in a stay in the

neonatal intensive care unit before

transferred to the baby nursery near the

mother's room the computerized paperwork

is updated by the staff working in this

area as needed when mother and baby are

ready to be discharged they're taken by

wheelchair to the exit for pickup to

travel home the computerized documents

comprising the patient's record of stay

are transferred to the billing

department for completion and submission

to the appropriate parties for payment

as you can see the Arnold Palmer

Hospital has paid close attention to the

design of its processes to improve its

service productivity I think it's

important in any organization to have a

global focus and a common bond common

goals and objectives for continual

process improvement you can't possibly

focus on everything and you have to

determine what the priorities for your

specific organization are in 10 you'll

eat rye to improve in whatever those

particular areas are I think that is

ultimately going to be the success in

any organization the tools of process

analysis and design that we describe in

this chapter are critical to every

organization flowcharts by the dozens

are produced at Arnold Palmer Hospital

to study and improve every aspect of how

the hospital runs the process tools help

a manager understand what's going on and

how to improve it various versions of

process tools including time function

mapping process charts and service

blueprints have been around a long time

and are described in this chapter of

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