Gulf Coast Medical Center - Essay Example

On the other hand, the presence of radiologists and the hospital administrators will ensure understanding of the issues with delay in scheduling procedures with the facility. Therefore, while physicians would be able to more easily identify the likely problems causing the unusually long time each procedure takes, the administrators and managed care companies might be better able to identify issues related with time it takes physicians to schedule a slot at the facility. The Shewhart Cycle proposes a four-step process of continuous quality improvement which includes: Act, Plan, Check and Do (Shewhart, 1980).

Creating a work group to identify the relevant issues with the facility is obviously the first step, i.e. 'Acting'. The outcome of deliberations of the work group which will identify the relevant issues and propose steps towards resolving these issues is the Planning stage. The outcome of the work group will be critically appraised in the light of activities and practices of competitors and what is obtainable in evidence based practice, for viability; which is the 'check' process. Lastly, once the feasibility of these recommendations has been ascertained, implementation will follow.

Reduction in the time and processes required for physicians to get a procedure slot in the facility by 40% after six months and keeping up with what is obtainable from competitors within th. Improving customer perception of the facility through better cleanliness, reduced charges and increased follow up screens.d: Measuring the Success of the Work GroupThe success of these measures would be measured byReduction in the time per case from 1.5 hours per case to 55mins per case in the first six months and down to the national average of 50mins per case after 12months.

Reduction in the time and processes required for physicians to get a procedure slot in the facility by 40% after six months and keeping up with what is obtainable from competitors within the next 18months.Better customer perception of the facility as measured by increased return rates for follow up screens and better customer satisfaction feedbacks. 2. Dealing with Physician Perforation Rates The medical profession being a human endeavor is prone to errors, miscalculations and other human errors, and the endoscopy services is not an exception.

Several government documents have acknowledged the fact that medical error is a human fact (Linda, et al., 1999). Therefore, perforation after colonoscopy is no an unusual thing, however, the rates should not be too high. Thus to deal with the high physician perforation rates in the Gulf Coast Endoscopy Facility, the first step would be to get better commitment from physicians. The facility should be able to ensure that physicians get a procedure slot without having to go through so much time wasting processes and requirements.

Furthermore, the facility should be placed in a better competitive position, through cleaner and tidier environment, better facilities, so that the improve customer levels will encourage the physicians to do better jobs (Wennberg, 2005, Kaiser Family Foundation, 2004). However, besides the