Guidelines for written assignments must be:
Completed in Microsoft Word
Display proper grammar
Completed in APA format (typed in font size twelve (12) using Times New Roman, Ariel, or Calibri fonts, normal margins (no more than 1 inch), double spaced, 0.5 indentation at the beginning of each paragraph and 0.5 hanging references).
Title page must consist of your name (First and Last), Course ID number, and research topic/title (APA format).
Must have a minimum of two (2) references. One reference can be the course textbook.
For the written assignment, make sure you address all required instructions/criteria as noted in the assignment instructions.
There must be a minimum of two (2) pages for the written assignment. Address all questions presented. If a paragraph is required, please ensure each paragraph has at least five (5) sentences.
Instructions for individual written assignment: VSM and Process Flow
Select a current process or system (e.g. patient check-in for a surgical procedure, consent forms for admission into a hospital, physician screening in an ER, etc.) in a healthcare environment that you identify as needing improvement to improve flow and reduce waste. Define the process and the population served; detail why the area is an important area to focus your process improvement efforts; describe how many patients/customers are served on a daily basis, who provides the services, hours of operation for the process, etc.
Draw a value stream map (VSM) for the process identified including time stamps for each step in the process. Calculate cycle time, idle time, throughput time, takt time, and percent value added in the process.
Describe in detail the muda (or areas of waste) in the system (e.g. DOWNTIME) you’ve identified in the system or process.
Use Lean principles to describe the process improvement you would make to remove non-value-added activities and decreases the throughput time for the patient. Be specific with the principles you would use and why.
Now that you have described what tools you would use to improve the system or process and how, construct an updated VSM to highlight the new process including updated calculations on cycle time, throughput time, takt time, and percent value added in the process. Describe what immediate changes you intend to see (e.g. increase in patient satisfaction, provider satisfaction, reduction in inventory waste, etc.).
Grammar/APA Format/Meet All Guidelines for Written Assignment.
*Attached to this assignment are two simple VSM and process map examples that you can use as a guide.
