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| Self-registration
is a breeze |
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| It
takes only 45 seconds to register
for a follow-up visit. |
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Many of the best service
providers are those who can put themselves into
others’ shoes. People like the Ace Team from
the National Skin Centre for example.
This six-member WIT understood how frustrating it
can be to be kept waiting, especially when one is
feeling unwell. So the members brainstormed ways
to cut down patients’ waiting time.
They first listed all the points where patients
were required to wait, such as for registration,
consultation, treatment, billing and medication.
The team then focused on reducing the waiting time
for registration.
From examining the registration process, they learnt
that most of the patients who need registration
are on follow-up visits. This means their biodata
would already exist in the Centre’s system.
So the team proposed self-registration for such
patients.
The idea of installing self-registration kiosks
met with strong support from management, and the
team soon went ahead with prototype development,
system testing, review and finetuning.
The implementation of five self-registration kiosks
(costing $20,000 in total) has reduced the average
waiting time for registration from 12 minutes to
merely 45 seconds!
Automating the registration process has also resulted
in manpower savings of 63 man-days monthly or $36,000
yearly.
There is less crowding at the registration area
and hence less stress for counter staff, who can
then provide better service. The kiosks have also
upped patient satisfaction.
Said Mdm Jacqueline Oehlers, a patient: “Your
innovative idea to cut down registration time is
commendable. The self-registration kiosk is quick
and easy to use.”
“Self-registration is actually not a new idea.
Other hospitals had tried using a standalone unit
with limited success,” said Senior Nursing/Clinic
Operations Manager Koh Yong Leng.
“Our key success factor is the ability of
our self-registration system to alert the downstream
stations on the arrival of the patient, and automatically
place the patient in the queue for consultation.
This makes it different from other standalone versions.”
Pleased with the outcome, Assistant Clinic Executive
Wong Soon Joo summed up: “The results are
worth all the effort!” |
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Next: Inter-agency
WIT: drawing global investors |
