Healthcare
Transforming the Neurosurgical Pathway
Transforming the Neurosurgical Pathway
We supported the UK’s largest dedicated neurological and neurosurgical hospital, providing comprehensive services for the diagnosis, treatment and care of all conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nervous system and muscles.
Results
- 15% increase in theatre session utilisation
- 60% of previously empty sessions now being filled
- 30% increase in daily theatre patient throughput (achieved within existing resource)
- £3million of additional annual revenue as a result of increased activity 20 theatre staff of all professions received lean overview, patient flow and waste identification training
- 20 theatre staff actively took part in patient flow mapping events to identify improvement areas and develop solutions
Approach
- Diagnostic activity to highlight areas for improvement
- Significant opportunities were identified within:
- Improving theatre scheduling (session utilisation);
- Improved in-session utilisation;
- On-the-day patient and equipment planning;
- Standardising processes, with clear accountability and responsibilities;
- Improved team working;
- Increasing engagement and empowerment of staff;
- Increasing quality of patient care;
- Improving patient experience;
- Increased throughput activity;
- Increasing profitability and financial position
- Strong, effective engagement with all key theatre stakeholders, including Surgeons, Anaesthetists, theatre staff and management, wards staff, theatre booking teams, pre-assessment and patients
- Overhaul of theatre scheduling processes, including visualisation of theatre lists 6 weeks in advance, to identify empty sessions and allow sufficient time to reallocate and ensure utilisation
- End-to-end patient flow mapping: thorough analysis and redesign of all associated theatre processes, including booking, pre-assessment, on-the-day and post-operative;
- Waste identification, measurement and elimination, using robust and sustained new ways of working
- Introduced morning briefing to better plan theatre lists, understand potential issues and resolve with live decision making
- Theatre quality boards to document any issues, allowing for recording, root cause analysis and resolutions to recurring problems
- Standardised processes with clear roles and responsibilities to ensure sustainability and consistency
Solution
- A thorough understanding of current processes and challenges was gained through a wide range of methods, including: face-to-face engagement, mapping events, idea and feedback boards, work shadowing, meetings and presentations, in addition to being a constant, visible and approachable presence within theatres on a daily basis
- Improvements were developed and delivered as a result of strong and effective engagement, with solutions being designed by those experts who work the process on a daily basis; KM&T role was to facilitate, guide and implement those changes and improvements
