Continuous Improvement in Generation and Distribution of Organizational Determinations in the Document Receipt and Channeling Unit In MCS

Abstract

The MCS company has observed significant growth in demand for its Classicare line, following its 5-star rating, and a reduction in the number of commercial medical aircraft providers. This growth has led to an increase in document volumes, particularly clinical documentation and pre-service authorizations, with a forecasted 16% increase in pre-authorizations by 2024. The current process, relying on overtime to meet demand, faces challenges such as technician absenteeism, impacting productivity and compliance. The objective of this project is to implement DMAIC methodology with Lean Six Sigma tools to optimize the Document Receipt and Channeling Unit (URC) process, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. During the Define phase, a project charter was created, identifying the issue as the inability to meet demand, and a VOC and CTQ Tree were developed to establish quality metrics. The Measure phase involved mapping the process, collecting data, and analyzing performance, revealing inefficiencies such as missing documentation and excessive technician absenteeism. The Analyze phase identified key issues, including absenteeism and system discrepancies, with multiple systems causing delays and errors. FMEA was used to prioritize these issues, and solutions were proposed for the Improve phase. In the Control phase, a monitoring plan was established, focusing on attendance, error reports, and system functionality. Financial analysis suggested that, although the cost of salaries would increase due to absenteeism reduction efforts, the improved process would be more sustainable than relying on overtime. Recommendations for future improvements include standardizing medical order formats to streamline documentation submission. Ultimately, the project aims to ensure that the URC process can handle growing demand while maintaining compliance and reducing long-term costs.