Photo By Douglas Stutz | The eyes have it...Lt. Courtney Rafferty (standing) and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class...... read more read more
Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit (NMRTU) Everett Optometry clinic was experiencing lengthy patient wait times for routine eye exams.
Patients were spending upwards of 30 minutes in the waiting room prior to being called back into the doctor’s examination room.
Not anymore.
In the past six months, the Optometry clinic reduced patient wait time by 87 percent and increased access to care by 51.4 percent. The implemented changes resulted in a cost-savings of $24,192 and projected patient wait time savings of 994 hours annually.
The collective creativity and ingenuity in improving direct patient care wasn’t just noticed by clinic patients.
The modifications implemented to increase access to care and shorten wait times resulted in NMRTU Everett being commended by the Military Health System (MHS) 2020 Advancement towards High Reliability Healthcare Awards Program as a Patient Centeredness Award winner.
“I’m still in shock and humbled our project was selected for the award. I think it signifies that even at a smaller branch health clinic with fewer resources, including staff members and clinic space, there are always opportunities to take ownership and allow staff the creativity to challenge the culture of accepting things as ‘good enough,’” said Lt. Courtney Rafferty, NMRTU Everett Optometry head and team lead for the clinic project entitled, ‘Increasing Access to Care and Minimizing Patient Wait Time to Enhance Healthcare Efficiency and Improve Patient Satisfaction.’
Rafferty readily acknowledges that the clinic’s recognition is the result of input and inspiration from staff members contributing to improve overall patient care.
“Ms. Cheryl Morris, Clinical Support Services receptionist, is incredibly helpful and always willing to try new things, keeping track of all the various requirements not only for Optometry but also Physical Therapy and Mental Health,” Rafferty said. “Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Veronica Vargas has been an incredibly dedicated member of the team. She is the only optician at the clinic and she has developed a level of expertise within Optometry over the past year tantamount to fourth year Optometry externs. Her curiosity and willingness to learn and make suggestions has been essential in our patient care efficiency and implementing new suggestions for continuous process improvements.”
Rafferty also cited HM2 Abhiram Nair from Radiology who volunteered to assist in the Optometry clinic project.
“HM2 Nair and HM2 Vargas receive countless compliments from patients for their professionalism in customer service. We were also lucky to have Hospitalman Rachel Doyle from Medical Home Port who provided assistance and developed additional improvements like color-coding several hundred contact lens trials to prevent any defects. Lt. Cmdr. Cameron Mathie also assisted in providing information for data collection and ideas for improving templating in increasing access to care,” added Rafferty.
Using the business improvement methodology of Lean Six Sigma to promote patient centeredness, Rafferty and her team not only improved overall patient-care, but also enhanced patient and staff satisfaction, and boosted clinic revenues with increased efficiency and delivery of care.
Rafferty affirms that understanding that patient wait times and access to care are two of the most significant components of overall patient satisfaction rates in health care. Striving to improve the patient’s experience is at the heart of patient centeredness in a high-reliability organization.
“While there is a general consensus that access to care is a valuable metric to track, many may not concede that patient wait times are as critical to monitor. Many studies found that patient wait time was the single biggest indicator for patient satisfaction outcomes in healthcare, regardless of how satisfied the patients are with the provider or care received. Additionally, reducing wait times for patients while increasing access to care requires a look at the efficiency of every single step involved in a patient’s flow through the clinic, so it challenges the staff to find opportunities at every step to improve efficiency,” Rafferty explained.
An unintended consequence of the improvement project is that it also helped during the ongoing pandemic outbreak.
“Our project preceded the pandemic outbreak, but proved critical during COVID-19 in mitigating exposure by preventing patients from spending time in the waiting room shared with Physical Therapy and Behavioral Health,” Rafferty said. “The steps we took to improve the overall efficiency had the benefit of maintaining minimal patient exam flow times."
This recognition program annually recognizes initiative and commitment to the development of systems and processes to help MHS advance into a high reliability organization ensuring safe, reliable care for all patients and their families, promoting a culture that encourages learning, sharing, and continuous improvement. Along with the Patient Centeredness, the program presented awards for other such disciplines as Leadership and Commitment, Culture of Safety and Continuous Process Improvement.
“This project did not end when we submitted it. We continue to move forward and try new things. Sustained excellence comes from the continuous drive for improvement. I’ve been incredibly lucky to work with Sailors who have demonstrated a willingness to suggest new ideas and take risks to find solutions where others may not even see a problem. I am incredibly proud that HM2 Vargas and the Sailors have provided additional assistance. Optometry is a safe space for them to make recommendations, challenge themselves and leave their creative mark on the clinic and even the Navy. Regardless of rate or rank, continuous small changes over time can make a significant and meaningful difference,” Rafferty stated.
| Date Taken: | 10.24.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 10.24.2020 11:32 |
| Story ID: | 381691 |
| Location: | EVERETT, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 295 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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