Question

Create and Analyze a Process Flowchart

Health Care Quality Management Student Workbook - 4h edition Project 6-3: Create and Analyze a Process Flowchart Project Description: A flowchart is a graphic representation of how a process works. For performance improvement purposes, a flowchart helps people clarify how things are currently working ar could be improved. In this project you'll create a flowchart for a work process and identify opportunities for improving the efficiency of the process Instructions I. Read the description of the health information management (HIM) department process for filing transcribed hospital reports in patients charts (see below). ate a detailed flowchart of the process, as described. The flowchart should include at least the following symbols: Start/ End Decision Process Step Other flowchart symbols may be used as appropriate 3. When the flowchart is complete, review the steps in the process and write a report that answers the following questions: Are there any bottlenecks in the process? At which step(s)? Are there non-essential activities? At which step(s)? Are there any redundant or duplicative steps that can be combined? Which ones? e Is there any "idle time" in the process? At which step(s)? Is there any "back-tracking" in the workflow? At which step(s)? Does the process include any "re-work" that can be eliminated? At which step(s)? . Is there any way to reduce the number of steps in the process? Explain how you would change the process to reduce the number of steps Project 6-3 Process Description Health Information Management (HIM) Department Procedure for Charting Transcribed Hospital Reports 1. Pick up transcribed reports in the basket located on the HIM receptionist's desk. 2. Look up patient room numbers in the computerized alpha census 3. If computer is down, look up room number in in-house card box in HIM department. If card is not in box, look through un-filed cards still on the printer. 4. Write patient's hospital room number in pencil in upper right corner of report. 5. Look up discharge date for discharged patients. 6. Write discharge date in pencil in upper right corner of report. 7. If patient was discharged less than 2 days ago, place report in file cabinet in assembly/analysis work area. File in discharge date order 8. If patient was discharged more than 2 days ago, place report in in-basket in file clerk area 9. If patient has not yet been admitted, look up surgery schedule for current day 10. If surgery schedule cannot be found, call admitting department and ask that one be sent to you. 11. Record patient's anticipated date of admission in pencil in upper right hand corner of report. 12. If patient will be admitted the next day or at some future date, forward report to admitting department via inter-office mail. They will file the report with patient's preadmission forms. 35

A flowchart is a graphic representation of how a process works. For performance improvement purposes, a flowchart helps people clarify how things are currently working and how they could be improved. In this project you'll create a flow chart for a work process and identify opportunities for improving the efficiency of the process.

Hint: Look at each step in the process and ask yourself these questions:

Does the step wasted time?
Does the step wasted movement?
Does the step wasted inventory or resources?
Does the step cause delays in administration functions patient safety, or patient care,
Does the step depend on waiting for approvals?
Are there delays due to batching of work, unnecessary steps, duplication of effort, errors or rework?
Instructions:

Read the description of the HIM department process for filing transcribed hospital reports in patient charts
Create a detailed flowchart of the process, as described in the process description. The flowchart should include at least the basic symbols (see pg.35) Note: This process will take a couple of pages to map. You will upload the flowchart as a separate document from your report.
When the flowchart is complete, review the steps in the process and write a report (for the results portion please put "see attached flowchart"). Note: You will address each question in the analysis section of your report (see pg. 35). Your summary is answering the last question in your workbook.

Health Information Management (HIM Department Procedure for Charting Transcribed Hospital Reports
1. Pick up transcribed reports in the basket located on the HIM receptionist's desk.
2. Look up patient room numbers in the computerized alpha census.
3. If computer is down, look up room number in in-house card box in HIM department. If card is not in box, look through un-filed cards still on the printer.
4. Write patient's hospital room number in pencil in upper right corner of report.
5. Look up discharge date for discharged patients.
6. Write discharge date in pencil in upper right corner of report.
7. If patient was discharged less than 2 days ago, place report in file cabinet in assembly/analysis work area. File in discharge date order.
8. If patient was discharged more than 2 days ago, place report in in-basket in file clerk area.
9. If patient has not yet been admitted, look up surgery schedule for current day.
10. If surgery schedule cannot be found, call admitting department and ask that one be sent to you.
11. Record patient's anticipated date of admission in pencil in upper right hand corner of report.
12. If patient will be admitted the next day or at some future date, department via inter-office mail. They will file the report with patient's preadmission forms.
13. If patient will be admitted today, file in patient's record on next charting
14. If patient cannot be found by one of the above methods, set report aside and try again in 6 hours at time of next charting run.
15. If patient cannot be found after seven days, return report to transcription department where it will be held in a pending file.
16. File reports for current inpatients and patients that will be admitted today.
17. Arrange dictated material for filing by floors and room numbers.
18. Walk to each floor's nursing station (start with ICU, then same day surgery, then other units)
19. Locate patient record at nursing station and file report(s) in proper location in the record.
20. If patient is transferred, ask unit staff for patient's new room number or look up on the computer and take report to new location for charting.
21. If patient is discharged, write discharge date with pencil in upper right hand corner of report and bring report back to assembly/analysis work area in HIM and place in file cabinet in discharge date order.
22. If patient is still on the census but the record is not available (e.g. chart and patient are off the ward for treatment or procedure), bring report back to receptionist's desk in-house charting basket for charting on the next run in 4 hours

You will need to apply the flowchart tool for a common HIM process, filing transcribed hospital reports in patient charts and analyze the process to identify improvement opportunities.

Objective: The student will apply the flowchart tool to a common HIM process and analyze the process for opportunities to improve the process.

Assessment: The student will use the data provided to create a flowchart for the HIM work process of filing transcription reports. Then using the flowchart the student will look at identify steps for opportunities of improving the efficiency of the process.

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Answer 1