Quinte Mir

The immediate issue is that Benton-Cooper aesculapian Centres magnetic resonance imaging clinic has been open for 6 weeks and non performing to expectations and to the promises made by their new magnetic resonance imaging endurer, Quinte magnetic resonance imaging. With referrals to the clinic, doctors expect to receive magnetic resonance imaging transcription reports within two days and the current backlog exceeds 14 days. As a result there is a impairment of patient role referrals from doctors within the hospital and surrounding community which heart and soul a loss of revenue for BCMC. Quinte magnetic resonance imaging must determine what is causing the backlog and how to launch it.Secondary IssuesA winkary issue in the clinic is that the MR Technologist is putting in a lot of overtime even though the maximal number of patients to each one week is not macrocosm met. Quinte magnetic resonance imaging personnel need to stress and analyze the interaction betwixt the men tal object, the process flow and the obstruct and provide a resolution and action plan back to the CEO, Dr. Syed Haider within 2 days. Environmental and Root Causes Quinte MRI, an international service provider specializing in medical checkup diagnostic technologies signed an agreement in February 2002 with Benton-Cooper Medical Centre (BCMC) for the outsourcing of their MRI services.BCMC believed that they could competed successfully if they had a third MRI machine as they evaluate continued growth in this area by 15% with doctors referrals from the hospital and surrounding areas. BCMC in any case believed that they could generate passable revenue and promotional support through advertisements with local print and radio stations to be able to own their own fixed MR form and be recognized as a top rated hospital for the area. Quinte MRI promised the avenue for BCMC to be able to accomplish these goals through its service reliableness and access to diagnostic equipment 24 ho urs a day, 7 days a week at a reasonable cost.However, these expectations are not world met and David Wright has gone to the MR Technologist, Jeff Sinclair to examine and analyze what was causing the backlog ( block) in the operation. Jeff indicated that collect to poor communication between the hospital and the clinic, mistakes were creation made impu put off to a manual process for recording information. affected roles were macrocosm booked at wrong time, placecelling or not showing up, wrong tests were being bespeak or recorded, and patients were not being screened properly for an MRI scan.An assessment was being done when the patient came into the clinic. A patient preparation process has not been implemented in the new facility, whereas the previous MRI provider plan all appointments. Jeff felt that wasted time was being spent on delivering scans to the radiologist after each patient. Jeff also accounted for the fact that during May, the clinic used a Siemens unit, whic h took some time to get used to, that, now that the GE machine was in place (Jeff was originally trained on this machine), things were improving.David abutting examined the cycle time on for a 30 minute turn. The table below shows the current cycle time of the patient, the MR Technologist and the MRI machine. 15 proceeding was dedicated to patient preparation for an MRI while simply 27. 5 proceeding was spent in the Magnet style. 42. 5 minutes was being spent on a 30 minute procedure. This was where the bottleneck was in the process. Staying with this current process and resources, the maximum competency of this process can only be 8 procedures if all other inputs into this process ran swimmingly (i. . no exciselations). Exhibit 1 Patient Check in until enamor into Magnet style Minutes MR Technologist escorted the patient to the Magnet Room (asks questions to determine if any health risks/conflicts and if any patient has any alloy components internally or on clothing) 59P atient 42. 5 minutesMR Technologist 42. 5 minutes Changing Room for patients wearing metal on their clothing (25% of patients)Magnet Room Patient Orientation and paperwork verification 127. 5 Positioning of Coil 4 MRI Scan time based on a 30 minute scheduled MRI scan)16. 5MRI Machine 16. 5 minutes info Entry (happened during scan)1 Printing MRI Scans (average 8 sheets at 45 seconds each)6 Patient back to reception Escort the Patient back to Front Desk 26 Changing Room 4 Monica Zimmerman, radiology department manager was pressuring Quinte MRI to bring another MR engineer to lighten Jeffs workload and bother better the process flow. David needed to review the cost of hiring an supererogatory person to make the process flow better.He knew that the 1. Tesla MRI machine rated capacity was 2 patients per hour, just the actual scans in a day, would be based on the quality of scan required. David used the 30 minute and the 1 hour procedure to determine what the potential spend pe r day was and what the annual spend would be. greenback that any lost appointments resulted in a $700. 00 per scan loss, however this also could be a $700. 00 increase for unscheduled (walk-in) appointments. By looking at the potential projected income, hiring another person was a possibility.Exhibit 2 age Min/Hour performed$ scan suppliesper scan Daily RevenueBCMC chargeDaily revenue BCMC chargeAnnual Revenue25% tax income $Income 3016145$700 $ 11,200$2,320$8,880$2,800,000$700,000$2,100,000 18145$700 $ 5,600$1,160$4,440$1,400,000$350,000$1,050,000 Alternatives and Options Criteria 1. Increase the process flow, machine capacity and change the position of the bottleneck 2. Increase revenue 3. Repair relationship and reputation with BCMC Alternative 1 (Strategic) Quinte MRI has found out that the manual process for taking appointments is creating many a(prenominal) errors.If the system was computerized MRI test requirements could be input into the system and throughput could be m aximized based on MRI procedure time required in order to maximize time slot available. Quinte MRI also complete that the MRI Technologist was performing administrative tasks that could be assigned to an accessory. By removing these tasks from the applied scientist, more time availability would become available for scheduling additional MRI tests. In order to process patients faster, a form could be developed that specifies what the patient must do prior to arrival at the MRI Clinic.Another form could be developed for when that patient arrives at the clinic that asks questions regarding health risks and indicating what restriction would pr instance a patient from having an MRI. The assistant could take the patient all the way through the process until the Magnet room at which point the MR technologist would take over. There are necessary requirements that the MR technologist must do prior to completion of the scan, but the collection of the MRI scans and delivery of them back to t he radiologist could be done by the assistant that is escorting the patient from the Magnet room.If we assume that most of the MRI scans are a half an hour, than patients could be scheduled every half hour in order to maximize both the capacity of the machine and the capacity of the technologist. Pros By implementing the computer, there is more accuracy being collected for appointments and test requirements. By hiring the MR assistance, there is increased flow capacity because the technologist lead clasp only the MRI scans and not the administration task that were previous being done him.This takes the bottleneck out of the administrative task and aligns it to the maximum capacity of the machine thereby increasing revenue which provides the ability to hire the assistant. This would effect reliability with the clinic again so that doctors will send their referrals to the clinic. Cons A second MR technologist will not be hired and when it comes time for vacation of illness, there w ill be no one to step into the technologist position and ensure continuous flow.Quinte MRI would need to hire from a temporary agency in order to fulfill their requirement which means addition dollars will be spend. Alternative 2 (Tactical) Quinte MRI could hire a second MRI Technologist to perform MRI scans alter times with the first MRI Technologist to increase the flow and capacity of the process. This would take forth the backlog and doctors could send their referrals to the clinic with a sense of reliability that the clinic will get it turnaround within 2 days. ProsThis would allow Quinte MRI to always have a back up in the event that one of the technologists is on vacation and / or ill. The increase revenue being generated due to increased MRI procedures could pay for the second MR Technologist. Cons Based on the current practices, hiring a second technologist would alleviate some of the workload, however given that no effort has been made to correct the communication issues between the hospital/patient and the booking department, there is a strong possibility, that patients will still continue to be booked at the wrong time, cancel or just not show up.Without a procedure to upset how patients are dealt with from checking to magnet room, people could still be turn away due to health reasons, clothing that is not appropriate for scanning purposes. good word The recommendation is to take Alternative 2 as it addresses all of the criteria by increasing the process flow, machine capacity and changes the bottle neck to the maximum machine capacity. It increases revenue and repairs the relationship and reputation with BCMC.