Case Details
Blood Sample Transport Process Optimization
Process improvement involves the identification, analysis, and enhancement of processes to optimize operations. In the health-care industry, process improvement plays an important role in ensuring that work systems are finely tuned to deliver optimal patient care.
Specimen loss is a very important but challenging issue to hospitals, especially large hospitals where tens and thousands of specimens have to be handled on a daily basis. Specimen loss can severely affect the results of diagnosis analysis, causing irreversible negative impacts on both patients and the hospital.
This case explores the process improvement initiatives undertaken in the blood sample circulation process at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, one of the best and largest hospitals in China. It illustrates how a computerised system can help to standardize and improve the laboratory specimen circulation process, from specimen collection to result publication.
This case will give students an opportunity to learn how to carry out process improvement projects. They can learn how to identify the pain points of a system, evaluate the improvements made by a new system, and make recommendations on how to further improve said system. The case also introduces students to some of the specific needs of hospitals.
Learning Objective:
This case is suitable for teaching undergraduate students the concept of process management and process improvement models. The case can be used in the courses such as process management, information systems and health-care service management.
students will be able to:
1. Understand the critical role of process management in hospitals
2. Apply process management methodologies, such as the model for improvement
3. Analyze existing business processes, identify pain points, and establish project targets
4. Measure change and identify areas for achieving desired improvements
5. Implement the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle to foster continuous improvements through a trial-and-learning approach.