Queue-ring the Wait Time Blues at Pharmacy
Care Process & Redesign
National Healthcare Group Quality Improvement
National Healthcare Group
26 December 2025
The project aimed to reduce wait times at TTSH Basement 2 Outpatient Pharmacy and streamline work processes by eliminating. The interventions significantly improved wait times and operational efficiency while maintaining safety standards.
Year Submitted: 2025
Published Date: 26 December 2025
Tags: Technology
About this Content
Aims
The project aimed to reduce wait times at TTSH Basement 2 Outpatient Pharmacy and streamline work processes by eliminating duplications,
enhancing both patient experience and operational efficiency across three key touch points: Registration, Packing, and Dispensing.
Background
Prior to the implementation of this project, TTSH Basement 2 Outpatient Pharmacy faced significant challenges with long wait times, impacting patient satisfaction and operational efficiency. The baseline data collected from first half of 2024 revealed the extent of these issues and highlighted several areas of concern such as complex dispensing process with multiple clinical checks and inefficiencies in the pick and pack process.
Methods
Utilising Kaizen methodology, lean principles, and advanced simulation modelling, the following were conducted:
1. Conducted root cause analysis and value stream mapping
2. Developed a simulation model of Outpatient Pharmacy processes to test scenarios such as queue permutations, varying prescription lengths.
3. Identified motion and transport wastes at Pick and Pack, and duplicative checks at Dispensing
4. Optimised queue logic
5. Implemented and refined changes through Plan-Do-Check-Act cycles, iterating through multiple scenarios and collecting both quantitative and qualitative feedback from staff
Results
1. Registration wait times reduced: 50th percentile by 36% and 95th percentile by 30%
2. Dispensing wait times reduced: 50th percentile by 30%, 95th percentile by 18.4%
3. 20% reduction in staff pick and pack activity time
4. Maintained medication error rate at 0.39 per 1,000 prescriptions
Conclusion
The interventions significantly improved wait times and operational efficiency while maintaining safety standards. The team continues to refine processes for further enhancements in patient experience and exploring the application of these successful strategies to other areas of our pharmacy services/ locations.
Lessons Learnt
Analysis through value stream mapping identified that the wait time was longest after the Registration phase. Additionally, the 8 wastes methodology revealed:
- Motion and transport wastes in the Pick and Pack process
- Excess processing waste in the Dispensing stage
- Non optimal queue series management based on operations management principles
These findings provided the foundation for targeted interventions, focusing on queue management, process streamlining, and efficiency improvements while maintaining the critical focus on medication safety.
Keywords
Pharmacy, Wait Time, Lean Methodology, Kaizen
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | National Healthcare Group |
Organization(s) Involved | Tan Tock Seng Hospital |
Platform(s) | National Healthcare Group Quality Improvement |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Pharmacy |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Pharmacology, Healthcare Administrators |
Project Lead(s) | Tan Shu Yee, Lai Ho Yan |
Project Member(s) | Chong Yi San |
Connect with this contributor!
Tan Shu Yee - shu.yee.tan@nhghealth.com.sg