Reference no: EM132272176
CASE : Performance Improvement for a File Area
You are the new archives (file area) supervisor. The previous supervisor was terminated for incompetence, and the position remained vacant for 6 months before you were hired. There are major problems with the quality of the work provided by your staff, resulting in a lot of time spent searching for misfiled charts. Many of the misfiled charts are not just transposed numbers or 1 to 2 charts off, but are grossly misfiled. The loose material on the chart has been found filed in the wrong order and, in addition, frequently in the wrong chart.
The customers have several complaints:
• They are not getting the charts as requested.
• The records that they do receive are in shambles.
• Sometimes the charts are never provided.
• Sometimes they get the wrong patient record.
• At times, the requested visit is not in the volume that they received.
Your staffing is currently structured as follows:
• Six full-time employees (FTEs) on the day staff. The day staff retrieves charts for the ER, finishes up anything not completed by the night shift, and files loose material.
• Two FTE evening staff. The evening shift files back all of the charts returned throughout the day and pulls for the ER.
• Two FTE night staff. The night shift pulls for the clinic, for scheduled admissions, for the ER, and for administrative purposes.
The daily work assignment can be described as follows:
• Staff members grab the first stack(s) of charts that they get to, sort them into terminal digit order, and then file them.
• Staff members grab the first stack(s) of loose material that they get to, sort the sheets into terminal digit order, and then file them.
• There is no control over the number of charts picked up by the employee or the area in which the charts are filed.
The first thing that you evaluated is the work volume, and you found that the number of staff is appropriate. You also looked at the overall flow of the process and found that to be appropriate as well. However, as an experienced supervisor, you realize that there is no accountability for quality in this method of work distribution. By the end of the first week, you need to give a proposal to the HIM director regarding your plan to solve the quality problems in the department.
1. What changes would you recommend?
2. How would you implement your plan, if it is approved by the director?