Hospital Decreased Surgical Supply Update Time By 42% With Kure
PROJECT SUMMARY
A healthcare organization was facing significant challenges with updating its surgical supplies, a crucial task that ensures surgeries run smoothly and costs are reported accurately.
To solve this problem, the organization turned to Kure, an AI-powered process improvement software. With Kure’s AI-driven workflow, the team was able to follow a structured process, complete their project faster, and achieve a 42% in update time.
The Problem
In the healthcare field, speed and accuracy are essential. Delays and errors in any area can have a huge impact, especially when it comes to updating surgical supplies. These updates ensure that the right materials are on hand for surgeries and that costs are accurately tracked. However, in this hospital, the current system was taking more than 50 hours to complete an update.
The process relied heavily on manual communication through email, which often led to mistakes and delays. Critical steps were sometimes missed, forcing staff to go back and redo their work. This was frustrating for everyone, particularly the nurses who needed accurate, up-to-date information to do their jobs effectively.
To address these issues, a team of skilled professionals was assembled, led by a project leader undergoing the GLSS Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training & Certification. The team utilized Kure to guide them through the project using its AI-powered workflow and the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) approach. Kure’s guidance helped the team focus more on problem-solving and less on numerous cumbersome applications.
The Root Causes
After analyzing the process, the team identified two main root causes behind the inefficiencies:
Manual communication: The process relied entirely on emails to communicate supply updates, leading to frequent delays and missed messages.
Complex process with too many steps: Updating surgical supplies involved numerous steps, and without a clear checklist, important tasks were often overlooked, causing delays and errors.
The Solutions
With Kure’s AI-driven workflow guiding them, the team implemented two key solutions that dramatically improved the process:
A checklist for analysts: Kure’s suggestions led to the development of a detailed checklist that analysts could follow when completing supply updates. This ensured that every step in the process was followed, reducing the chance of errors or missed tasks and providing a clear, consistent structure.
Automated communication: Instead of relying on manual emails, the team automated the communication process. Now, when an analyst marked a supply request as completed in the system, an automated notification was triggered and sent to the relevant staff. This eliminated delays and ensured that updates were communicated promptly.
The Results
The results were immediate and substantial. The time required to complete surgical supply updates dropped from 54 hours to 31 hours per update—a 42% improvement. Staff were notified of updates right away, reducing frustration and ensuring smoother surgeries.
Additionally, the improved accuracy of case costing reports allowed the organization to better manage its resources and budget.
The detailed checklist helped prevent missed steps, eliminated rework, and streamlined the entire process. With these improvements, staff satisfaction increased, and the organization created a more reliable and efficient system for managing surgical supply updates.
Conclusion
Kure’s AI-powered process improvement software made all the difference in helping this healthcare organization tackle its surgical supply update challenges. The platform’s innovative workflow, complete with real-time data analysis, AI-driven guidance, and helpful suggestions, allowed the team to complete their project up to three times faster with 10 times the results.
By reducing the time needed to update supplies and improving communication, the organization is now well-positioned for continued success. With the tools and insights gained from Kure, the team is ready to take on future projects with confidence, driving even more results faster and more effectively.
*We value our clients’ confidentiality. While we’ve changed their names, the results are real.
