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Improve Work Flow:
Schedule into Multiple Processes

A system can be redesigned to include multiple versions of the same process focused on the specific requirements of the situation. Rather than a "one size fits all" large process, multiple versions of the process are available, each tuned to the different types of needs of customers or users. Priorities can be established to allocate and schedule the inputs in order to maximize the performance of the system. For example, most hospitals and emergency relief organizations sort and allocate (triage) patients and victims according to a system of priorities. The specific processes can then be greatly simplified since they address only a limited range of input requirements.




Examples of Tests of this Change

A quality improvement team focused on improvement in efficiency and effectiveness in the emergency center. They improved the hospital's triage system to better prioritize medical urgency. They were able to trim 5,000 hours from patient stays in the emergency center during the first year using the new system.


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