Page 182 - HA Convention 2015

Service Priorities and Programmes Free Papers

SPP6.5 Managing Service Demands 10:45 Room 221

Lean Management for Aids Loan Service of Occupational Therapy Department in Shatin Hospital
Ng TH, Lau M, Yue SY
Occupational Therapy Department, Shatin Hospital, Hong Kong

Introduction

Facing with an ever increasing turnover rate and decreasing length of stay of inpatient rehabilitation service in Shatin
Hospital, aids loan service is becoming a very demanding service. The number of transaction of this high volume service
is over 500 every year. Occupational therapists need to spare their clinical time to carry out each transaction and the total
clinical time spent is up to 255 hours.

Objectives

(1) To reduce both lead time and processing time by 25%; and (2) to decrease the labour costing by 50% per transaction by
May 2014.

Tuesday, 19 May Methodology

Lean management was used (1) to review the workflow; (2) to identify possible root causes; and (3) to identify possible
solution for long handling time in aids loan service. Solutions include streamlining the workflow and rearranging the work
tasks of therapist and clerical staff. The percentage change of total lead time, processing time, and cost per transaction is
calculated as outcome measures.

Results

Since April 2014, the enhanced workflow was used in aids loan service. The total lead time was reduced by 33.3% from 33.72
minutes to 22.5 minutes. The total processing time was reduced by 25.3% from 30.6 minutes to 22.87 minutes. The cost per
transaction was reduced by 81.3% from HK$174.05 to HK$32.52. In addition, therapist time spent on each transaction was
also reduced by 93%.

HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CONVENTION 2015

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