PDCA GUIDE

PLAN
Identify and
analyze the
problem
What: Ordering medical supplies for patients
Who: Clinical Staff
Where: Home health care
How: Currently handled in multiple ways dependent on the clinician
When: Every day. Every time supplies are ordered for a patient.
Data: Supply sheets are often not returned to the office for billing and clinical staff is
not notifying the supply coordinator when supplies are obtained after hours
Select a measurable goal: Supply orders will be documented and forms returned to
the office the next business day
DO
Develop and
implement
solutions
Establish criteria for selecting a solution: Mutually agreed upon by home health care
and the supply coordinator
Select the solution: Clinical staff will call the supply coordinator to order medical
supplies stating the name and quantity of product and date needed. The supply
coordinator will gather the supplies ordered, place a note on the patients schedule for
delivery, and place bagged supplies on the pick-up shelf. The clinical staff will
deliver the supplies to the patient, obtain signature from patient or family as proof of
delivery, and return completed form to the supply room.
Implement the solution: Staff will be notified of the new supply ordering process by
email and memo placed on the communication and each staffs mailbox. Education of
the new process will be conducted during informal meetings with staff in the morning
for a week.
CHECK
Evaluate the
Results
Did the process improve as expected? What are the results? YES and NO. Clinical
staff began to call in orders to the supply coordinator and was more specific about the
name and quantity needed. Also, all completed forms were returned by the end of the
month to allow for timely billing. The staff was unclear on how to complete the form
while obtaining supplies and needed significant guidance on how to correctly
complete an order after business hours. This required some corrections to be made by
the supply coordinator.
Did the changes implemented change the customers point of view? No
Process Improvement: ORDERING MEDICAL SUPPLIES
Process Owner: Candace Graham, RN and Jill Beison, MSN, RN
Start Date: June 24, 2014 Follow Up: July 30, 2014
Completed Date: TBD
Does the data support the improvement? YES and NO. Standardizing the process
did improve the ordering and delivery of supplies. However, the staff remains
confused on the how the supply form needs to completed if they have to fill an order
after business hours.
How could team efforts be improved? Staff education about the bundled medical
supplies and non-bundled supplies. Creation of a new supply order form which would
be used for bundled supplies.
Desired Goal
Achieved?
If YES, go to the ACT phase of PDCA
If NO, go back to the PLAN phase of PDCA
ACT
Standardize the
Solution and
Capitalize on New
Opportunities
Identify systemic changes and training needs for full implementation: Creation of
form to be used when completing an order for bundled supplies which is less
complicated and does not require a signature upon delivery. Formal education on the
supply order process which includes the difference between bundled and un-bundled
supplies.
Adopt the solution: Implement with changes on August 12
th
after staff meeting
Plan ongoing monitoring of the solution: Evaluation of the process at the end of each
month for the next 3 months
Continue to look for incremental improvement to refine the solution: Ongoing
Share your success: Share results of the improvement in staff meetings and via email