Page 103 - Lean six sigma demystified

82 Lean Six Sigma DemystifieD

to fill out some basic paperwork on my way out. She suggested I do a follow-up
with my chiropractor in about a week.
I was in and out in 15 minutes. I couldn’t believe it. And she was $12 cheaper!
Then I realized that she has a much smaller office (fewer exam rooms), so her
fixed costs are lower. She uses electronic medical records, so her filing room is
much smaller. I knew I had to get another glimpse into this operation. So, since
my chiropractor was still going to be out of town, I scheduled a follow-up visit.
The following week, I walked in as the new chiropractor was finishing with
her current patient. I was immediately led into the exam room. We talked
briefly about my progress, she adjusted my back, I paid and I was out in
15 minutes. Wow! Now that’s my kind of patient care.
With my existing chiropractor, I knew that if I arrived a little late, I’d still
have plenty of time to do the paperwork and get in some reading. With the new
chiropractor, I know that I’d better be on time. Her speed demands my timeli-
ness without ever having to say anything, post any signs or say anything.
Time Is Money!

My current chiropractor created an assembly line with three patients in the
queue at any time. This means we have to wait 20 to 30 minutes in the exam
room reading out-of-date magazines to fill the time while our back continues
to spasm or be in pain.
I realized that my medical doctor also has a waiting room and numerous
exam rooms to create a batch of three to five patients. It takes an hour to see
her as well, even if you go first thing in the morning.
This new chiropractor understands the secrets of one-piece flow. One patient at
a time, one exam room, and no “work” in process. Notes are entered immediately

before you leave the room, not written on a piece of paper that needs to be filed.
So am I going to switch chiropractors on the basis of my experience? Let’s
examine the data I’ve collected so far.

Current Doctor New Doctor

60 minutes 15 minutes
1 $12 cheaper!
I figure my time is worth a lot. I can do a lot in 45 minutes that I can’t do if
I’m sitting idle in an exam room. What would you do?
If you study any typical mass-production doctor’s office, you’ll find that the
doctor is always busy, but the patient is idle 90% of the time. To accelerate patient