CASE STUDY #3
Read and study the case on Health Maintenance Organization (B) – Case 5.2, p. 144 of the textbook. DO NOT answer the questions at the end of the case on p. 144. Answer the following 3 questions:
1. Draw an initial flowchart for this process using an example on slide 15 of the lecture materials. Identify the process bottleneck, cycle time and flow capacity. Can this initial process flow have a capacity of 50 patients per hour? Explain your answer.
2. Identify and draw an improved layout (process flow) that will allow to have the capacity of 50 patients per hour. Use two pharmacists and two technicians for this layout. Explain what you improve, identify bottleneck, cycle time, and flow capacity per hour. (Hint: use the example on slide 16 of the lecture materials).
3. In addition to savings on personnel costs, what benefits does this arrangement have?