Optimizing the Therapy Scheduling System on the Acute Rehab Unit

Team Rehab Leadership:

Nicolette Mitchell, BS, OTR/L

Michele Simler, MS, CCC-SLP

Kate Steinhable, PT, MPT

Vivian Tyler, BS, PT

Clinical Staff: Moira Aronson-Brown,

CCC-SLP Sara Dopirak, PT, DPT Lisa Fabian, PTA Shanna Glastetter,

OTR/L Margaret Marinovich,

PTA Chris Nees, OTR/L Tony Pawlisz, PTA Danita Wilson, PTA Julie Wolk, OTR/L

Opportunity Statement

As an Acute Rehabilitation Unit, we are required to provide each patient with an average of 15 hours of therapy per week. Patients are scheduled for three hours of therapy per day Monday through Friday. If time is missed during the week, therapy is scheduled on weekends to reach the 15 hours/week target which challenges weekend staff coverage.

Goal Scheduling was identified as the most

significant cause of missed units of therapy during the week.

Analysis of the data from June ’06 through September ’06 indicated an average of 24 missed units of therapy per week due to scheduling conflicts

Goal: Reduce missed units of therapy related to scheduling conflicts by 50%

Solutions Implemented Old Scheduling

Process Staff create their own

daily schedules Staff keep track of

missed units of therapy

At the end of the week, staff schedule patients for additional weekend treatments to make up missed time

New Scheduling Process

Staff create their own daily schedules

Leadership staff reviews the schedules

Schedules are adjusted to accommodate missed time on a daily basis

Mis

sed

The

rapy

Uni

tsMissed Therapy Units due to Scheduling Issues

Week/Month

5/8/

06

5/15

/06

5/22

/06

5/29

/06

6/5/

06

6/12

/06

6/19

/06

6/26

/06

7/3/

06

7/10

/06

7/17

/06

7/24

/06

7/31

/06

8/7/

06

8/14

/06

8/21

/06

8/28

/06

9/4/

06

9/11

/06

9/18

/06

9/25

/06

10/2

/06

10/9

/06

10/1

6/06

10/2

3/06

10/3

0/06

11/6

/06

11/1

3/06

11/2

0/06

11/2

7/06

12/4

/06

12/1

1/06

12/1

8/06

12/2

5/06

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

UCL

Mean=16.35

Results & Analysis The new process resulted in a statistically

significant decrease in the number of missed units related to scheduling.

Our average went from 24 missed units to 2 missed units.

Leadership involvement in daily scheduling has been successful in decreasing the number of missed units during the week.

Next Steps We will collaborate with the multi-

disciplinary team to address reasons for missing therapy other than scheduling issues

Other reasons for missing therapy include: Patient unavailable due to tests/procedures Patient too ill to participate Patient refusal