AB100. 17. Patient experience in a surgical assessment unit following a closed loop audit using a Kaizen Lean system

Background: The acute surgical assessment unit (ASAU) in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has provided a solution to overcrowding and long waiting times since centralization of emergency services to UHL. Recognizing the importance of its evolving role, the ASAU in UHL has recently undergone a major revamp to ease the pressure in the overcrowded emergency department (ED). This included a new purpose built state of art building and equipment, improved staffing levels and use of a Kaizen Lean system to identify key area of delays and inefficiency with subsequent implementation of suggestions derived after Kaizen Lean. The aim of this study was to analyse patient satisfaction response rates with the ASAU prior to and following Kaizen Lean implementation and change to a new custom made building.

Methods: The survey comprised of two phases. In phase I, 100 questionnaires were distributed to patients in ASAU (older building, pre-Kaizen Lean). In phase II, the survey was repeated (100 patients) after Kaizen Lean implementation in the new state of art building. Questionnaire design was based on WHO strategy on responsiveness measurement guidelines and was tailored to a population of surgical patients. Results were analysed using IBM SPSS, version 21 and Excel, 2013.

Results: Two hundred questionnaires were analysed. Implementation of suggestions derived post Kaizen Lean were translated into improved resource usage with reduced waiting time to be seen by nurses and doctors. Patients had improved awareness about their treatment plan and planned next steps in management. Overall satisfaction, perceptions of privacy and general treatment were also improved.

Conclusions: A Kaizen Lean approach improved the transition of an ASAU to a new purpose built building and brought altogether substantial improvement in patient satisfaction with services of the ASAU.

Keywords: Acute surgical assessment unit (ASAU); Lean Kaizen; patient satisfaction