This project was conducted using a lean six sigma approach. Our research across the Mater hospital and partner sites included:
1. Extensive interviews with staff and patients, and observations in the different
ward environments
This helped to capture the “voice of the patient” and the “voice of staff” to better understand the problem areas and pain points.
2. Data collection about patient journeys
This helped to identify variation and delays within these journeys.
3. Data collection about duplicate efforts
by staff
This helped to identify areas where staff time could be saved and the process could be streamlined.
Key staff members across four organisations carried out “Fundamentals of Lean” training, taught by the Mater Lean Academy to bring about an understanding of lean principles and systems thinking. A series of workshops were then completed, using the collected data to tease out the areas of delay and “non-value add”, understand root cause, co-design a suite of solutions and prioritise a set of high impact interventions to address the problem.