Creating a one stop clinic to reduce pathway variation for patients with suspected cancer
A Urology service from NHS Lothian wanted to reduce the time from referral to diagnosis for patients with blood in their urine (visible haematuria). The team used process mapping, clinical outcome data and patient and staff input to locate areas for improvement within the pathway. They then opted to create a “one stop” diagnostic clinic for patients on this pathway. Learn more about their work here.
Improving waiting times and clinic flow in a tertiary diabetes centre
Due to inefficient processes and long in-clinic waiting times, the Diabetes Centre at Singapore General Hospital decided it needed to streamline clinic flow and ensure that appointment scheduling matched up with their demand. They performed a global assessment of all clinic processes, identified their key problem areas, and tested multiples change ideas pertaining to staffing, appointment scheduling, and patient flow. Click here to learn more.
Using tools to guide important team discussions
The Adult Gender Identity Service from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde joined the Access QI programme with a goal of reducing their waiting times. In order to examine and organise all of the factors contributing to this complex issue, the full team came together to complete a force field analysis and a cause and effect diagram. Read more about their work here.
Holding a virtual team development session
While participating in the Access QI programme, NHS Forth Valley’s Community Alcohol and Drug Service team felt it would be helpful to learn more about each other’s working styles and motivations. They used communication and project management tools to hold a virtual team development session over Microsoft Teams. Read this case study to find out more.
Using QI tools to understand your system
A Urology team from NHS Forth Valley set out to improve its Trial Without Catheter pathway as part of the Access QI programme. The team used the Last 10 Patients tool and a process map to analyse both waiting times and patient flow through the clinic. This prompted them to rethink their referral processes and the division of staff responsibilities. They have already begun to implement multiple high impact change ideas. Read more about their work here.
Improving patient waiting times in outpatient clinics within Clinical Haematology Services
The Clinical Haematology outpatient department at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital undertook an improvement project with the aim of improving patient flow and keeping the clinic running on time. They implemented two successful change ideas using PDSA cycles. Find out more in our learning summary.
Streamlining a hernia pathway for shorter wait times and fewer appointments
Faced with long waiting times and an inefficient hernia pathway, a team at Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust in Harlow mapped the pathway and eliminated steps that did not add value. Patients now have shorter waiting times and fewer appointments. Learn more by reading our learning summary.
Designing a physical capacity tool for organisation-wide remobilisation
To better understand the physical capacity of different services, a team from NHS Fife used a data-driven approach to develop a tool capable of calculating physical capacity across multiple services simultaneously. This tool is now embedded in NHS Fife governance structures and has been adapted for use in community settings. Find out more in our learning summary.
Using the Last 10 Patients tool to understand patient pathways
Facing a high volume of referrals and long wait times for skin cancer patients, NHS Lothian’s dermatology service participated in the Access QI programme in hopes of reducing patient waiting times. Using the case files for the last 10 patients treated along a pathway, the team mapped out each stage along the pathway and highlighted potential areas for improvement. This data was used to develop a change idea that will facilitate easier identification of patients with potential cancer. Learn more by reading the case study.
Streamlining a patient pathway using process mapping
To improve patient flow along a complex patient pathway involving many different people, NHS Grampian’s urogynaecology service held a Big Room, a multidisciplinary pathway meeting attended by staff from across a patient’s journey. Perspectives and concerns of staff from across complex pathways were collected and a collaborative plan to streamline referral routes and improve waiting times was developed. Find out more from this case study.