Improvement of OHS Processes Kari-Pekka Martimo PAA

1)Success depends on the ability to meet the customer needs 2)Quality consists of processes 3)Processes produce information that can be used for their improvement 4)Most employees strive for quality Principles of Quality Improvement

Any work/activity/action can be described as a process A group of interacting actions presented one after another In a process inputs are modified into outputs, which include added value perceived by the customers (Work) process

A graphical description of a process, where an activity is divided into various steps They describe usually the customer’s route from the beginning of the service to the desired end Enables to see the delivery of a service Best way to describe key processes Flowcharts

1.Drawing them encourages communication and mutual understanding among colleagues 2.They give an overview of the whole work process; employees usually recognise their own part but not the whole process 3.Helps to understand how the work is done and to pay attention to bottle necks, repetition, unnecessary steps, inconsistencies, and “knots” Advantages of Flowcharts

4.Because they are used to verify how the customer should be served, deviations can be identified better 5.They help to identify possibilities for improvements and reasons for problems 6.They help to explain processes to outsiders Advantages of Flowcharts

Customer calls by phone to make a reservation Receptionist answers the phone Answering machine Urgent reason Appointment with physician on duty Appointment agreed with the customer YES NO Appointment registered in computer Receptionist requests preferred doctor, date and time How does the process begin? Process of making a reservation for an appointment with a physician How does the process end? Who does what? Decision to be made Customer has an appointment

What are the characteristics of a service that help assessing and making conclusions about quality? Which characteristics make customers delighted? (= Key characteristics) Quality Characteristics

Quality Characteristics: -Customer finds phone number easily -Short waiting time -Pleasant waiting time -Friendly service -Informative answering machine -Qualified assessment of the nature of the illness -If nec essary, appointment a.s.a.p. -Preferred doctor available, as well as suitable date and time -Customer knows where to come and when -Polite closing of the conversation -What else? Which of them do you find to be Key Characteristics? Customer calls by phone to make a reservation Receptionist answers the phone Answering machine Urgent reason Appointment with physician on duty Appointment agreed with the customer YES NO Appointment registered in computer Receptionist requests preferred doctor, date and time Customer has an appointment

What are the variables of a service process having influence on Quality Characteristics? Process Variables having influence on Key Quality Characteristics are Key Process Variables Process Variables

Customer calls by phone to make a reservation Receptionist answers the phone Answering machine Urgent reason Appointment with physician on duty Appointment agreed with the customer Customer has an appointment YES NO Appointment registered in computer Receptionist requests preferred doctor, date and time Quality Characteristics: -Customer finds phone number easily -Short waiting time -Pleasant waiting time -Friendly service -Informative answering machine -Qualified assessment of the nature of the illness -If necessary, appointment a.s.a.p. -Preferred doctor available, as well as suitable date and time -Customer knows where to come and when -Polite closing of the conversation Process Variables: -Information available in telephone book or brochure -Availability of employees and telephone lines -Music/information during waiting -Training of the receptionist -Contents of the tape -Training and experience of the receptionist; assistance if needed -Availability of physicians on duty -Availability of physicians; work contract -Reservation made in computer as agreed -Computers work -Date, time, place repeated by receptionist -Training of receptionist

Process Variables: -Information available in telephone book or brochure -Availability of employees and telephone lines -Music/information during waiting -Training of the receptionist -Contents of the tape -Training and experience of the receptionist; assistance if needed -Availability of physicians on duty -Availability of physicians; work contract -Reservation made in computer as agreed -Computers work -Date, time, place repeated by receptionist -Training of receptionist Measurements: -Is it available? -Customer/market survey -Waiting time can be measured -Customer survey -Training specification -Audit of the contents of the tape -Customer survey -Training specification -Survey among physicians on duty -Waiting time -Customer survey -Waiting time -Number of deviations -Survey among personnel -Customer survey -Incidence of delayed or missing customers -Training specification Customer calls by phone to make a reservation Receptionist answers the phone Answering machine Urgent reason Appointment agreed with the customer Customer has an appointment YES NO Appointment registered in computer Receptionist requests preferred doctor, date and time Appointment with physician on duty

Recognise the process to be improved Invite the employees who know the process Clarify the present picture of the process Understand the deviations in the process Learn how to improve the process Quality Improvement

Deming Quality Improvement Circle

Methods for Quality Improvement Desired outcome Materials Market Machines Manpower Methods Ishikawa Diagram

What is the key process of Estonian OHS? How does it start? Where does it end? (employer’s, employee’s or provider’s view) What are the successive steps? (draw a flowchart) Who are the participants in the process? Who is responsible for the process (owner of the process)? What are the quality characteristics? What are the process variables? (employer’s, employee’s, provider’s view) How are they measured? What are the needs for quality improvement? Group discussion