Case Study-Diagnostics Centre

HEADINGS:

1 Abstract

2 Scope of work 

3 Strategies/models

4 Method 

5 Solutions / Implementation

6 Conclusions

ABSTRACT

Healthcare consulting services (HCS), having corporate office at Malad (West) serving the hospitals to meet their need of operations and marketing streamlining, HR recruitment and policy, trainings and so on. HCS has undertaken the project of Diagnostic Centre located at Nallasopara which cater the clientele for wide array of diagnostics facilities like MRI, CT, USG, X-ray, Mammography, Color Doppler, ECG, TMT, 2-D Echo, PFT etc. 

SCOPE OF WORK/CONCERNS/ GAP ANALYSIS

· To streamline day-to-day operations of the center

· To manage Front Office

· To build and implement marketing strategies

· To monitor marketing team and set monthly targets

· To help in developing branding of the center

· To develop website of the center

· To develop and streamline HR functions

· To help in HR recruitment

· To fill the gap in accounts and purchasing 

STRATEGIES/MODEL: 

· Segregation of the reception counter

· To develop different forms and format (appointment tracker) 

· To implement certain processes (tag and token system)

· Weekly meetings about operations and marketing

· Maintaining certain log books (over book at reception, account hand over book, reception staff log books)

· Reception staff – decide their JD, training

· Briefing sessions- incidence discussion, ATR (Action Taken Report)

· Purchasing – three quotations, PO raising 

· To develop SOPs

· Staff benefit and motivation activities (leave policy, incentive, certificate of appreciation, certificate of participation, appointment letter, salary matrix) 

· DIH model- MOU 

Methods / Efforts

SOLUTIONS/SUGGESTIONS:

· Reception Segregation-Diagnostic Centre had a single reception counter, which was trying to handle inquiry, billing and report dispatch simultaneously which was creating a lot of chaos. It was suggested to separate Inquiry, billing and report dispatch which has to manned by trained and experienced staff in each shift (3 morning+ 3 evening). This idea faced a lot of resistant, as there was an element of multitasking for each staff. In that process, it was required to extend the reception counter. After lot of juggling it was done as suggested.

· Implementation of token system -To serve the patient better and reduce the waiting time C4HCS tried to bring token system in practice. The staff was reluctant to implement it as they found it as additional job but after realizing the benefit of it, they accepted it.

· Implementation of tag system-To avoid the missing out on the waiting patient, tag system was implemented. The difficulties faced were printing the tag, how to put on the patients, collecting the tags back etc. Finally HCS took initiative of designing and printing it out. After few days monitoring, the process was smoothened.

· Forms and Format-To track USG patient for one of the radiologist, an appointment tracker was formatted. 

BOTTLENECK:

· Acceptability of the promoters in the overall management changes.

· Implementation of any new ideas were challenge

· Staff acceptability is not there.

CONCLUSION/ OUT COMES:

· Reception got streamlined- Enquiry were handled without much of a glitch, billing was ha

· Marketing got streamlined

· Promoters were not aligned with the overall offerings.

Statistics for Diagnostic Market in India- Diagnostics is a big business in India, in every nook and corner of the city you can find one pathology laboratory. But, imaging is a big business in metro. If you have MRI and CT scan, it can bring big turn around. On an average a good centre does almost 350 to 400 MRI per month, CT scan around 350/month, X-ray 650/month & USG 600/month. Ratio of walk-in to referrals is 80:20. 

Marketing Analysis - Diagnostic Centre Brochure, service wise information leaflet, flyers for mass distribution, competitive analysis for creating and edge, Internal and external signage, Online presence of the centre is missing- it had no website, no social media presence, no blogs by the practicing doctor or radiologist, paper, awards, recognition were not highlighted by the centre. No accreditation of the centre in place, pricing or standardization of tariff is missing, location being an advantage, in the name of promotion only annual mega events - organized by Medical Association of the area. 

Operational Analysis:  The biggest hurdle in operation in healthcare delivery is people, promoters in order to cut down on cost had to constantly compromise on the quality of the manpower hired. With average good salary of around 15-20k a well-qualified staff could have been hired, but, it was an age-old practice of taking manpower in less than 10k only. In absence of qualified people, the delivery of the services were compromised, since we had to take manpower in less than 10k, so their aptitude tends to low. Like the saying goes” In peanuts, you get monkeys only”. Another issue is training of the manpower, In absence of proper job description and job profiler, staff were not aware what they are suppose to do and what is expected out of them. 

Productivity: As far as productivity is concerned, the center was growing on month -on -month basis. Physical ambience- Interiors of the center were done well and it was maintained well too. After all intervention and improvement, center revenue improved from INR 30 L to 65 LPM. Collections were almost doubled and EDITA improved by 40% to 55%. Over all staff were trained , B@B improved, HLM improved, referrals improved, scheduling improved, no shows improved, TAT for reporting improved.