ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To improve multiple levels of utilization and efficiency in specialized outpatient consults using information technology-based systems, process reengineering, and patient-centeredness. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective research from 2008 to 2014 conducted in a hospital in Madrid, Spain. Quantitative analysis of 1,162,477 consecutive consultation requests and qualitative techniques of 72,368 surveys using a structured questionnaire. METHODS: Key performance indicators were evaluated: operational outcomes (productivity, time gap between requested consultations and performance, staffing accuracy, wait time, and underlying variability), administrative burden (downtime losses; no-show, drop-in, cancelled, and rescheduled visits), perceived quality scores, and income. Data mining, modeling seasonality in demand, process reengineering, and a patient-centered approach were incorporated as strategies to drive changes. RESULTS: Productivity increased 34% for the entire period, closing the gap between consultation request and performance from 43.7% to 8.7%. Wait time decreased from 82.7 to 7.9 days, with an 82.9% reduction in interservice variability. Staffing adjustments prevented understaffing situations; more accurate modeling reduced understaffing from 282 to 4 full-time equivalent staff. A seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (1,0,0)(0,1,0) model explained 90.3% of forecasted data variability with an absolute percentage error between 2.4% and 8.3%. The project reduced administrative burden, inefficiency, and downtime losses by 47.3%, 53.7%, and 54.5%, respectively. Perceived quality indices improved by 19.6%, and complaints were reduced from 63 to 10 per 10,000 consultation-years. Hospital incomes rose by 49.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Improving efficiency is complex and requires a multimodal approach. Health information systems, patient feedback, and multidisciplinary teams are components that can improve clinical processes.
