MGT$3501$ Operations Management

Process Analysis Exercise

A university is interested in optimizing current protocol in place for campus COVID$19$ testing. At any

given time, $50$ students wait in one of $2$ total lines $($two healthcare providers$)$ for testing. Once the

student reaches the front of the line, a healthcare provider provides a questionnaire to the student

regarding reason for visit and contact tracing. The questionnaire may be utilized for categorization of

samples in terms of priority testing or contact tracing, should the individual sample return positive. The

questionnaire is then filed in a locked cabinet in the Healthcare Services building.

On a label, the provider will then note the current time, date, the student$$s identification $($university$)$

number, and the reason for testing. Reasons for testing may include symptomatic behavior, recent

exposure to an individual who tested positive for COVID$19,$ or a benchmark test for asymptomatic

behavior. The label is then placed on the side of the sample cup.$$

The cup is provided to the student who then provides a saliva sample. A second healthcare provider

retrieves and seals the cup with a tight lid. A maximum of $25$ sample cups can be stored in one bin. Bins

retrieved from a single day of testing are stored at ambient conditions at the site of testing and later

transported to the Healthcare Services facility. A third healthcare provider attends to alphabetically

organize samples from provided bins within the storage room.$$

To mitigate the financial impact of testing each sample individually, the healthcare provider performs a

$$batch$$ or pooled test per bin. $10$ microliters per sample in one bin are pipetted into a new sample cup

$($at a maximum capacity of $250$ microliters$).$ A single diagnostic test is utilized per the pooled sample.

Results are returned in $48$ hours after the initial diagnostic screen.$$

$$ Overall Test Return Negative: Results indicating $$Batch Test Negative for SARS$$COVID$19$ are

uploaded to the student$$s unique patient portal. Samples are discarded appropriately.$$

$$ Overall Test Return Positive: Results indicating $$Batch Test Positive for SARS$$COVID$19$ are

uploaded to the student$$s unique patient portal. A fourth healthcare provider performs a

diagnostic test per each sample $(25)$ in the tested bin.$$

o Results are returned in $48$ hours after the second diagnostic screen. Results indicating

$$Individual Test Positive for SARS$$COVID$19$ or $$Individual Test Negative for SARS$$

COVID$19$ are uploaded to the student$$s unique patient portal.$$

o Samples are discarded appropriately.

Q$1$: Create a flowchart of the described process $($use correct symbols$).$

Q$2$: How does adding a third line at the start of testing change the cycle time of the process?$$

Q$3$: Currently, the retrieved samples are organized alphabetically at the storage site, prior to testing.

Provide a recommendation to improve organization of samples to improve testing efficacy.$$

Q$4$: Describe two process improvements to make the testing process more efficient.