Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Cutting Patient Wait Times, Waste By Being Lean

The Problem

Wait times in the hospital's inpatient rehabilitation center were unacceptable; some patients were refusing physical and occupational therapy as a result. Patient satisfaction scores reflected the frustration patients felt.

The Solution

Using Lean methodology, St. John's turned patient therapy scheduling on its head, coordinating scheduling among acute therapy, nursing and transportation staffs, putting the patients' needs first.