Written Case Study 1
on
Quinte MRI
Module 4 – Session 3: Capacity, Process Flow and Bottlenecks II
Prepared by
Mohd Rahman
Oct 12, 2015
1
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Quinte MRI got the contract as sole MRI service provider for Benton-Cooper Medical
Center (BCMC), a non profit 144 bed community hospital at Palmer. Quinte MRI started
its clinical operation at BCMC in May 2002. Within six weeks of its operation a 14 days
backlog has developed. Patients need to wait 14 days for MRI scans. Besides patients
were experiencing frequent delays at the clinic and also returned back without scan.
The relationship between Quinte MRI and BCMC is getting fragile and raised working
concern. Doctors have started referring their patient to other MRI centers.
I have studied overall operation procedure of MRI clinic and located few bottlenecks.
Among them lack of experience in scheduling and coordination, imbalanced scanning
process and procedure, insufficient training, low use of information technology (IT),
shortage of MR technologist and idle time of MRI machine are important. Strength
weakness opportunities and threat (SWOT) analysis are done. I have made few
recommendations such as developing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for MRI
scanning to bring harmony between the steps, imparting training to scheduling and front
desk staffs, hire one more MR Technologist etc. If my recommendations are accepted
and implemented as per my plan, Quinte MRI would be able to overcome current
backlog and accept double number of patients within one month. I have marked few
KPI’s those can be used for performance evaluation. However monitoring and
controlling is very important for continued success of Quinte MRI project.
2
Table of Contents
Seria
l
Description Page
1 Executive Summary 2
2 Issues Identification 4
3 Environmental and Root Cause Analysis 4
4 Recommendations 10
5 Implementation Plan 14
6 Monitor and Control 14
7 List of reference and exhibits 15
3
2. ISSUE IDENTIFICATION
The main bottleneck was found in “scheduling, screening and feeding the right patient to
the MRI machine in right time”. Following immediate and long term issues are detected
in the MRI clinic operated by Quinte MRI at BCMC.
Short term:
Quinte MRI machine is not meeting its expected outputs as projected and causing
concern to both Quinte MRI and BCMC. Scheduling department and customer service
has made the scanning process unbalanced. Patients need to wait 14 days for a scan.
Profit is compromised by overtime payment. Numbers of unsatisfied customers are
increasing due to delay during scan and sent home without scan. Doctors have started
referring their patient to other MRI centers.
Long term:
Relationship between Quinte MRI and BCMC is getting fragile and raised working
concern as sole MRI service provider.
3. ENVIRONMENTAL AND ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
A patriotic Professor Dr Syed Haider, PhD in electron spine resonance and nuclear
magnetic resonance from the University of Wales founded Quinte MRI to serve his
community. His able leadership, integrity and personal attentiveness Quinte MRI has
earned a good reputation for its multi dimensional impressive scanning and imaging
4
capabilities. Quinte MRI got the contract as sole MRI service provider for Benton-
Cooper Medical Center (BCMC), a non profit 144 bed community hospital at Palmer.
Quinte MRI started its clinical operation at BCMC in May 2002. While analysing the
case main bottleneck was found in “scheduling, screening and feeding the right patient
to the MRI machine in right time”. The steps and process of MRI scan are shown in
exhibit 1 and described in nest paragraph.
MRI scan process
Patient with referral from their doctor
Contact scheduling department for an appointment
Receptionists enter patient details on a form at 8 hour time’s slot
Arrives at reception 15 min before to check in and waits for MR Technologist to
take them in magnet room
Patients are questioned by MRI Tech about identify, briefed them on health risk
