Reduce Rate of OT-related Dropped Calls in Parkway East Hospital
Care Process & Redesign
National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals
Private Hospital
24 December 2025
Reduce OT-related dropped calls rate from 25% to 8% by 30 June 2024. The change led to 40% of cases booked via the system in the first week and a 50% reduction in BMU support calls, significantly.
Year Submitted: 2025
Published Date: 24 December 2025
Tags: Care Process ＆ Redesign, Operational Management, Scheduling ＆ Planning, Product Development, Commercialisation, Proof Of Concept, Productivity, Cost Saving, Time Saving, Quality Improvement, Workflow Redesign
About this Content
Aims
Reduce OT-related dropped calls rate from 25% to 8% by 30 June 2024.
Background
Parkway East Hospital (PEH)'s Bed Management Unit (BMU) manages both the Bed Management System (BMS) and Operating Theatre (OT) Scheduling (OTS). The current manual booking system requires clinics to contact the BMU to book beds or OT slots, leading to high call volumes (300 daily), creating bottlenecks during peak hours. Staff struggle to handle the load, especially during peak hours, resulting in a 25% OT-related dropped call rate. This inefficiency not only delays bookings but also impacts patient experience and staff workload.
Methods
Using the Ishikawa diagram and 5 Whys technique, the key issue identified was clinics lack of direct access to the OT booking system, leading to manual processes and reliance on the BMU team, causing inefficiencies and delays. A Proof of Concept (POC) was developed with vendors, BMU, and the nursing team, incorporating real-time access, automated notifications, and double-booking prevention. Two rounds of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) were conducted, followed by a two-month pilot in three PEH-accredited clinics.
Results
The project improved efficiency, reducing missed OT cases by 43% (7 to 4) and OT-related dropped calls by 50% (68 to 34), minimizing lost opportunities. Financially, it mitigated $642,857 in revenue loss out of a projected $1,071,429.
Conclusion
The change led to 40% of cases booked via the system in the first week and a 50% reduction in BMU support calls, significantly improving efficiency and user experience.
Lessons Learnt
Clear and consistent communication is essential, as underestimating this led to delays and misunderstandings. Regular updates through meetings and emails should be prioritised to enhance collaboration and manage expectations.
Keywords
Bed Management, Operating Theatre, Scheduling, dropped calls, User Statisfaction
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | Private Hospital |
Organization(s) Involved | Parkway East Hospital, IHH Healthcare |
Platform(s) | National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Healthcare Administration, Nursing |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Healthcare Administrators, Facilities Management, Nursing |
Project Lead(s) | Law Hwee Tian |
Project Member(s) | Soo Jun Wei |
Connect with this contributor!
Law Hwee Tian - hweetian.law@parkwayeast.com.sg
Project Attachment
196_PEH_NHIP_2025_Reduce_Rate_of_OT_related_Dropped_Calls_in_Parkway_East_Hospital.pdf