Hospital Wait Times Reduced With SIMPLEX^®

Hospital wait times are problem issues and the focus of numerous studies. It has now become a political nightmare with enough visibility to attract renewed provincial and federal funding. This may not be a matter of making further dollar investments in equipment. Increasingly the issue is around the performance of the processes leading up to treatment.

09. 11. 05

During the summer of 2005, Basadur Applied Creativity (BAC) conducted process improvement projects at the Toronto Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre and the Hamilton Juravinski Cancer Centre to address the waiting time prior to radiation treatment. An important part of waiting is the planning time required to prepare a specific plan of treatment for an individual patient. The goal was to speed up the treatment planning process.

The team, with BAC support, applied the SIMPLEX system to the challenge.
Creative problem solving sessions led by independent facilitators involved all
of the stakeholders. They defined critical challenges, identified and assembled
appropriate data, generated creative solutions and implemented the best
solutions which reduced wait times the most.

Results and Impacts
For example, at JCC, the Radiation Treatment Planning process, a key
contributor to total wait time was reduced from 12.5 days to 7.6 days.
This represents a reduction of 39% over a four month period.

Methodology
Basadur Applied Creativity (BAC) has developed a proprietary methodology
for applying creativity known as, “THE SIMPLEX SYSTEM”. Its use in
process improvement (PI) projects with front line staff greatly improves
the ability to:

• Assemble quality facts
• Define and select the best opportunities to improve the process
• Create high quality, fresh solutions
• Objectively evaluate and select the best solutions
• Build team commitment to solutions and transfer ownership
• Prepare clear action plans
• Implement changes quickly and effectively
• Continuously improve the process

Involvement
Successful process improvement demands the creative involvement of everyone
from start to finish. SIMPLEX uniquely engages participants in interactive,
efficient discussion and decision making in team working sessions.
Participants are surprised at their ability to create novel solutions, reach
consensus, and commit to concrete implementation plans.

Key Considerations When Tackling Process Improvement:
Working on the Right Problems
Collecting and analyzing good data is essential and time consuming. Failure
to do so can lead teams to solve the wrong problem. SIMPLEX greatly expands
the ability to accurately capture, analyze and organize information to make
reaching the right decisions obvious.

Removing Roadblocks to Implementation
Implementation roadblocks always emerge. The SIMPLEX methodology
empowers participants to work through these roadblocks and maintain
enthusiasm and commitment to the solution thus avoiding typical excuses
for not taking action.

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