Improving Patient Experience Through Seamless Inter-SOC Blood Taking at the Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOCs) in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH)
Care Continuum
Care Process & Redesign
National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals
National Healthcare Group
31 December 2020
To improve patient experience by reducing the number of blood pricks through seamless inter-SOC blood taking processes. Seamless blood-taking reduced patient discomfort, saved time, and improved efficiency hospital-wide.
Year Submitted: 2020
Published Date: 31 December 2020
Tags: Care Process ＆ Redesign, Care Continuum, Quality Improvement, Workflow Redesign, Value Based Care, Patient Reported Experience Measures, Patient Satisfaction, Access To Care, Waiting Time, Productivity, Cost Saving, Outpatient Care, Specialist Outpatient Care
About this Content
Aims
To improve patient experience by reducing the number of blood pricks through seamless inter-SOC blood taking processes.
Background
TTSH patients often have multiple appointments with independent blood orders, leading to multiple pricks, increased costs, and patient discomfort.
Methods
Developed guidelines for blood collection on behalf of other SOCs. Piloted in 14 clinics, using Full Blood Count, Renal Panel, Liver Panel, Lipid Panel, Glucose, Viral Load, and CD4 tests as a scope. Implemented visual workflows, exclusion criteria, and SOC staff training.
Results
183% increase in inter-SOC blood taking practice from 2017 to 2019. Patients saved 98.38 workdays of waiting time, while cost savings increased by $7,198.10. 1130 more patients experienced fewer blood pricks.
Conclusion
Seamless blood-taking reduced patient discomfort, saved time, and improved efficiency hospital-wide. System-level improvements are sustainable with visual cues and data integration.
Lessons Learnt
Continuous improvements, effective communication, and collaborative teamwork were crucial to sustaining success. Manual data recording challenges remain and need system integration for tracking.
Additional Information
Future plans include automating data collection via EGIS, enhancing patient awareness, and maintaining staff training.
Keywords
Care Redesign, Patient Experience, Workflow Improvement, Quality Improvement, Cost Savings, Visual Cues, Blood Collection, Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | National Healthcare Group |
Organization(s) Involved | Tan Tock Seng Hospital |
Platform(s) | National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Healthcare Administration |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Healthcare Administrators |
Project Lead(s) | Jamilah Jantan |
Project Member(s) | Karen Rajoo D/O Gomathy |
Connect with this contributor!
Ms Jamilah Jantan - jamilah_jantan@ttsh.com.sg
Project Attachment
345_TTSH_NHIP_2020_Improving_Px_Through_Seamless_Inter_SOC_Blood_Taking_combine.pdf