Nov./Dec. | 2009
Inside This Issue
Bookmark and Share

Go Lean:
An Eye on Change
Patient Relations goes lean with visual display boards

A picture is worth a thousand words. Just ask the Office of Patient Relations, which adopted a visual management approach to improve its ability to work as a team and resolve patient complaints in a timely manner.
 
Last spring, OPR staff decided that even though they were resolving 85 percent of patient complaints within 30 days in accordance with UMHHC policy, this was not good enough for patients. After consulting with Lean Coach Kevin DeHority, who introduced them to lean concepts such as visual management, the team introduced a daily huddle around a visual display board, bringing a team approach to the next steps for each complaint.

An Eye for ChangePatient Relations begins each morning with a daily huddle to visually assess priorities.“In four weeks, we went from resolving 50 percent of our cases in 10 days to resolving 77 percent of our cases in 10 days,” says Patient Relations Coordinator Kandi Jurek. “Because we can see what’s happening on a visual display board, we can prioritize much more easily. And that means patients are getting quicker responses.”

“Now everybody has a better sense of what’s going on,” says Quality Improvement Administrative Director Louise Grondin, who points out that quick responses for patients are good for faculty and staff, as well. “We’re mediating for both parties.”

“Patient Relations was one of the quickest teams I’ve worked with,” DeHority says. Within two days, the team agreed on the visual management process and started their daily huddles.”

Among other things, this led to the development of response time standards for UMHS staff, dedicated times for writing case closure letters and the creation of an instant messaging system for more efficient call distribution – a must when time is of the essence.

OPR Lean Team
Kathy Lindsey, administrative assistant
S. L. Julien, patient relations coordinator
Kandi Jurek, patient relations coordinator
Kelly Roth, patient relations coordinator
Bill Spangler, patient relations coordinator
Deidre C. Todd, patient relations coordinator
Louise Grondin, director, Patient Relations and sentinel & serious adverse events

"Visual management has helped me and my colleagues better embrace the concept of teamwork in this job,” says Patient Relations Coordinator Bill Spangler, who has been with U-M for 36 years and with OPR since its beginnings. “As we ponder an issue, or struggle with a challenging grievance, we are reminded daily of our ability to share with and benefit from the experiences of the members of our team."

The biggest take-away from this experience, says DeHority, is that teams don’t always need a lengthy process to make breakthrough process improvements. “Teams can identify what their customers value, and design a visual management system to uncover and solve problems on a daily basis,” he says.

For more information about the Office of Patient Relations, visit http://www.med.umich.edu/patrel/.

Written by Cathy Mellett

Comment on this article


You may post my submission in future articles Please share with editor only

Please fill out the following contact information. This information is required to process your request.
Your Name:
 Your Department:
Your E-mail Address:
 Your Work Phone Number:
 
Other Internal Publications:    Daily Bulletin    |    M-News Now!    |    Community Beat