Reducing delays in the CT scanning process at Bloomington Hospital.
Over a two-month period in 1992, a team in the Radiology Department at Bloomington Hospital recorded the number and types of delays that occurred in the computer tomography (CT) scanning process. Using the Pareto principle, the team identified two root causes for delays--equipment failure and insufficient information collected at scheduling. Appropriate interventions were identified, and the number of delays decreased dramatically.


RESULTS
The number of delays in the CT scanning process decreased from a median of 19 per day to 2. Staff overtime hours decreased from a median of 87 per month to 46. The time patients spend waiting to receive a CT scan decreased from an average of 20 minutes to 30 minutes to 0 to 10 minutes. Patients are scheduled for a scan within one day's notice, as opposed to one week previously. Complaints from patients, physician offices, and other customers decreased dramatically. Morale and empowerment improved among staff.
Lewis
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P
McAllen
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West
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R
D003625:Data Collection; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D007196:Indiana; D008330:Management Audit; D008332:Management Quality Circles; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data