Problem Statement / Requirements:
According to Schneider (2012), process time is the time where a product or service is going through the modification process and activities from raw materials into completed products (p.503). In the doctor’s office, the process time can be identified as the time spent with the doctor, nurses, and dietitian; changing the ‘raw’ patient/client into a ‘final’ informed and medicated patient. Actions that consist of process time are checking in with the receptionist; talking to the doctor; and the discussion with the dietitian. Inspection time is the time spent guaranteeing product/service quality is great (Schneider, 2012, p.504). For that reason, inspection time is essential to assure a patient/client recovers the appropriate and highest status of care. In the doctor’s office, inspection time would be the actions done to guarantee the appropriate data or samples were gathered for high quality attention to detail. Therefore, inspection time actions would involve weighing in; collecting personal data (medicines, insulin dose, and sicknesses); blood sample to test blood sugar; blood pressure check; and the concluding collection of blood samples based on the physician’s orders. Schneider (2012) said that move time is the time used moving an unprocessed, work in progress, or completed work between procedures in a facility (p.504). In the doctor’s office the move time actions entail moving from the waiting area to the inner station; moving from the inner station to the patient room; and moving from the patient room back to the receptionist waiting room. According to Schneider (2012), wait time is the measure of time a product or service in any condition spends waiting for the next action (p.504). In the doctor’s office the wait time action includes waiting to be called by the nurse; waiting for the physician to come to the room; and waiting for the dietitian consultation. Lastly, Schneider (2012) claims storage time is the time that a completed product or service is held in stock or waiting to be appropriately taken care of (p.505). In the doctor’s office, the service would be complete once the patient talks with the dietitian. Therefore, the only storage time action would be the time the receptionist is being employed to assist the client in paying for the visit and scheduling the next visit. Nonvalue-added actions can be recognized with each action named. Schneider (2012) said a significance on recognizing actions is to be able to classify nonvalue-added activity and eliminate them (p.503). The first nonvalue-added activity is move time. According to Schneider (2012) move time is a nonvalue-added activity, thus making all the move time actions previously mentioned, nonvalue-added activities (p.504). Furthermore, Sabri & Shaikh (2010), classified nonvalue added activities as having no value to the client and is not necessary to running the business (p.11). Hence, certain actions could be made more productive with technology in order to generate more value to the client and lower resources required in the doctor’s office for achievement, for example computerizing check-in, paying out, and scheduling next visit. Another example is a simpler coding scheme eradicating the dialect some staff may grasp better than others. This example would be useful for the inspection and process times, generating more of a smooth flow between recording data and the physician conference; between the physician’s orders and more tests; and between data and dietitian. Lastly, Schneider (2012) commented that wait time actions are potentially important nonvalue-added actions (p.504). Hence, from a personal perspective, wait time is necessary because most doctors have more patients than time in a day. Therefore, the issue becomes more of a time management issue instead of a nonvalue-added activity. Placing a time limit per client could help raise efficiency and lower hard to define causes of wait time. Nevertheless, it is hard to conclude whether Dr. Rosenthal is efficient without any given time values. However, even minus the data, a person can see nonvalue-added actions do exist. Hence, Dr. Rosenthal should assess the actions of his office and decide which expenses can be eradicated by revising technology, protocol, and practices.