Program evaluation and healthcare process improvement focused on complex wheelchair procurement

• Published in: Assistive technology 2024-10, p.1-9
• Main Authors: Taylor, Sally, Hoo, Grace, Brewington, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1040-0435; 1949-3614; 1949-3614
• DOI: 10.1080/10400435.2024.2413649

The operations of a specialty wheelchair (WC) seating center can influence the evaluation to delivery timeframe in days for a complex rehab technology (CRT) WC. Operations at one facility improved due to departmental process improvement (PI) project with evaluation of the delivery workflow and implementation of changes. A retrospective chart audit gathered baseline data on the evaluation to delivery timeframe in days of a CRT WC for 50 individuals prior to PI changes. Standard departmental workflow collected 745 individuals' post-PI changes. The interventions took place from March 25, 2017, to April 5, 2018, and included defining and educating stakeholders on their roles and expectations, revisions of the electronic medical record, weekly and quarterly meetings with supplier leadership, paperwork completion goals, and follow-up paperwork centralization. Mean pre- and post-intervention evaluation to delivery timeframes in days was significantly different (162.2 versus 127.4 days,