L. V. Prasad leaders requested a GlobalHealth Lab project to identify bottlenecks and other causes of high patient service time in outpatient departments at the non-profit’s flagship hospital. The 2013 student team began its work from campus via extensive discussions with the organization’s operations leads, seeking to understand patient flow in various clinics. They also conducted research with Boston-area hospitals to identify existing practices for managing patient flow and to identify new ideas to consider for LVP’s use. While on site, the team performed time and motion studies in four of the clinics; interviewed various clinicians, administrators, and other stakeholders; and conducted patient surveys at walk-in and checkout counters to understand patient behaviors and concerns. The team recommended several strategies to improve efficiency while maintaining quality, including better use of the appointment system, strategies to better manage walk-in patients, and monitoring potential factors that could contribute to service times in the late afternoon.
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