Improving Staff Workflow in Urology Procedure Clinic Using the Model for Improvement

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Healthcare Management
• Process Improvement

Background:

• Workflow inefficiency in urological clinics leads to wasted time, staff dissatisfaction, and reduced revenue.
• Optimizing procedure volume and minimizing workflow inefficiencies are critical for clinic success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reduce team workflow duration (TWD) by 50% through a targeted workflow intervention.
• To improve clinic efficiency and staff wellness in a urological procedure clinic.

Main Methods:

• A baseline time study measured TWD for clinical teams.
• A workflow intervention was developed, splitting staff duties into 'staffer' and 'triager' roles.
• Six Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles were used to implement and refine the intervention, with semistructured interviews for balance measures.

Main Results:

• The workflow intervention reduced staff TWD by 44% and patient TWD by 42%, saving approximately 17 minutes per appointment.
• Time savings were reallocated to protect staff lunch breaks and complete essential nonclinical duties, such as patient calls.

Conclusions:

• The introduction of 'staffer' and 'triager' roles significantly enhanced clinic efficiency by reducing TWD.
• The time saved supported increased procedure volume and positively impacted staff well-being.