The Challenge

Prolonged Patient Bed Stays Were Clogging Acute ER Wards. Outpatient individuals lingered in ER beds post-treatment, inflating "time in bed" KPIs and reducing ward efficiency.

VA’s ask: Use Six Sigma and Lean Methodology principles to map the full patient journey, identify bottlenecks, and devise fixes to accelerate safe releases while boosting metrics.

My Role

Industrial Engineer. As a Six Sigma Black Belt, I guided a cross-functional team through Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) methodology, focusing on value stream mapping to visualize and eliminate waste. The workshop brought together diverse stakeholders including doctors, nurses, surgeons, maintenance, administration, transportation, and patients for collaborative problem-solving.

1. Define and Map. Kicked off with goal setting: Reduce bed utilization by targeting discharge delays. Conducted group sessions to create a comprehensive value stream map, tracing the patient journey from ER admission to home release. Mapped steps like intake, treatment, paperwork, and transport, highlighting value-added vs. non-value-added activities.

2. Measure and Analyze. Gathered data on cycle times, wait periods, and bottlenecks. Analyzed the map to pinpoint issues: Afternoon/weekend transport shortages forced overnight stays, paperwork silos added hours, and staffing mismatches slowed handoffs. Used root cause analysis (e.g., fishbone diagrams) to quantify impacts on KPIs.

3. Improve and Control. Brainstormed solutions: Shift discharge planning earlier, introduce late-day transport options, and standardize protocols. Developed pilot plans with controls like dashboards for ongoing monitoring, ensuring changes were sustainable and measurable. Throughout, emphasized multidisciplinary input to foster buy-in, drawing from Six Sigma tools like process flow diagrams and waste elimination.

The Solution

Redesigned Discharge Flows for Timely Releases.

Value Stream Map: Detailed visualization of the end-to-end journey, revealing transport as the primary bottleneck (e.g., no options after 3 PM Fridays).

Key Fixes: Earlier discharge targeting (AM rounds), on-demand late-day transport partnerships, and streamlined admin processes to cut overextended stays by 12%.

Implementation Tools: Standardized checklists, real-time tracking apps, and cross-training for staff to handle surges.