Lean healthcare: Evaluation of the scheduling and prior authorization process in a mid-sized hospital

Intro: A patient’s journey in diagnosis or healing frequently includes referral to a hospital system for images or ancillary services, wherein the authorization and scheduling process for those services can cause delays, threatening patient outcomes. Reducing these delays improves patient care and the hospital revenue. In this study, a team trained in LEAN healthcare quality improvement methodologies sought to analyze the referral and authorization processes of a midsized urban hospital to identify root causes of delays and propose solutions for Csuite's consideration.