JMH | Research Award
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I have been researching and collaborating with Rian, from the ITS department, to improve patient-access to scheduling Imaging services and reduce staff time and resources when tracking down work-orders.
After putting together an analysis of the benefits, complete with diagrams, screenshots, and testimonials from in-person interviews, we submitted the idea to the Transformation Department for evaluation.
I am thrilled to say that we WON! This was a great example of collaboration across departments. Between Rian’s specialized knowledge of Epic Systems, and my user-centered approach, we have been recognized for combining both the technical and the human perspective.
Below is a summary of the suggestion with the journey map we put together to visualize the process [ view ]
Situation
When an imaging-exam is ordered by a provider–x-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.–the request is added to a scheduling work-queue for the PAS team to use when scheduling the exam. With more than 3,000 orders in the queue on any given day, the PAS team schedules only 700 of them on a daily basis, after a patient calls the Central Scheduling number.
With scheduling dependent on patients calling and talking to the scheduling personnel, it can lead to phone-tag and language misunderstandings, which in turns causes delays in patient care and patient overall experience.
Suggestion
With the new Ticket Scheduling, our system generates a one-time, single use option to schedule the associated test online directly from the patient portal. Once the test is scheduled, the option is removed, thus preventing inappropriate appointments or duplicates.
Advantages
Decreased turn-around time from order to appointment, to result, improving patient safety and adherence.
Diminished wait/hold times on the phone for patients.
Reduced miscommunication between patient and staff scheduling the appointment, and trying to answer screening questionnaires over the phone.
Guarantees the order is associated to the scheduled appointment.
Increased MyJMH Patient Portal activation rates as online scheduling functionality becomes a draw.
Improved imaging appointment utilization.
Improved patient access to JMH services electronically, at the patient’s convenience rather than during business hours.
Enable the PAS team to proactively focus on calling patients who haven’t scheduled, or that still do not have a myJMH Patient Portal account.
