Patient Experience Improvement at UPMC Eye Center

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Eye Center is an Ophthalmology outpatient clinic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The center’s focus on adopting cutting-edge imaging technology led to a double-digit increase in patient flow. Meantime, severe congestion at the imaging room yielded poor patient experience: a patient visit, typically involving a 15–20 minute consultation session and two to three imaging tests, took an average of more than three hours due to long waiting times. In 2008, a resident physician approached the operations management faculty at Carnegie Mellon University to conduct a collaborative study aimed at improving patient. This case study describes various inefficiencies and the team’s improvement efforts. In addition, the case discusses the economic incentives of various parties involved in the imaging-room operations, and alluding ...