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Case Study $3$: QuickMed Clinics $-$ Healthcare Service Process Optimization

Background and Industry Context

QuickMed Clinics, a chain owalk$-$in health clinics, provides rast, convenient healthcare more accessible, cost$-$effective options, walk$-$in clinics like QuickMed have grown in popularity. However, this increase in patient volume has introduced challenges, particularly in balancing wait times, quality o $0$ care, and operational efficiency.

QuickMed's model is designed to reduce healthcare access barriers, but with high patient volumes, they struggle to optimize their processes to meet both patient expectations and clinical standards. This challenge requires efficient management o ${?}^{?}$ patient flow, T$7$om registration and examination to treatment and $$ollow$-$up$,$ while balancing staff utilization and resource availability.

QuickMed Operations Overview

Patient Flow and Registration Process

Upon arrival, patients are directed to a registration kiosk, where they input personal and insurance details. During peak hours, the registration process becomes congested, as multiple patients may need assistance with registration. This initial bottleneck leads to delays in patient flow through the clinic.

$2.$ Clinical Staff Allocation and Capacity Constraints

The clinic has a small team o $2$ healthcare providers, including one physician, two nurse practitioners, and two medical assistants, who are responsible $3$ ror patient triage, treatment, and discharge. During high$-$demand hours, such as mornings and evenings, the clinic's capacity is stretched thin, leading to long wait times and bottlenecks in the examination phase.

$3.$ Treatment Process and Resource Constraints

Each patient goes through triage, examination, and treatment. For simple cases, such as flu symptoms or minor injuries, the treatment time is short. However, complex cases require more examination and sometimes consultation with the physician, which

$6$lengthens the treatment process. This complexity oren creates backups at the examination room, $$urther delaying patient flow.

$4.$ Patient Satisfaction and Wait Time Reduction

QuickMed aims to keep patient wait times under $20$ minutes to ensure satis$$ction$.$ However, they struggle to meet this target, particularly during peak times. Patient has highlighted long wait times and inconsistent service experiences as key concerns, pushing management to explore improvements in process flow and resource utilization.

QuickMed's management is considering options like extending clinic hours, implementing an appointment option to smooth out patient volume, or adding more staff during peak hours. These changes aim to enhance patient satis$$ction without overburdening existing resources.

Discussion Questions

Initial Bottleneck at Registration: How might improving the registration process impact patient flow at QuickMed, and what specific changes could reduce this bottleneck?

Balancing Staff Allocation: With limited staff, how might QuickMed better allocate clinical stafif to improve patient flow during peak hours? Consider both skill utilization and patient needs.

Complex vs$.$ Simple Case Management: How could QuickMed streamline its process $[$or simple cases to reduce wait times, while ensuring complex cases receive aciequate attention?

Patient Satisfaction and Process Flow: Given QuickMed's $3$ ous on reducing wait times, what role does patient satis?action play in shaping their process improvement strategy?

Appointment vs$.$ Walk$-$In Model: How might introducing an appointment option impact QuickMed's workflow and patient satis?action? What trade$-$offs might this approach present?

Long$-$Term Process Optimization: How could QuickMed ensure sustainable patient flow improvements without overextending their resources?

Technology and Efficiency: What role could technology, like a digital triage system, play in improving QuickMed's patient flow and staff efficiency?

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