Increasing efficiency in the
radiology and surgery department
“We learned from Philips the professional management skills, and we were able to develop the mindset that we must improve our efficiency and think about how to increase our profits. This was really the biggest result.”
Dr. Teiji Tominaga, Hospital Director
Tohoku University Hospital
Workflow improvements resulted in reduced patient waiting times, and
improved staff satisfaction
Results achieved in the MRI department*:
Tohoku University Hospital (TUH) in Japan was facing several challenges in their radiology and surgery department. Long patient waiting times, increased number of surgeries performed outside of work hours and an increased workload for staff, made clear that operational improvements were needed. The hospital also wanted to increase the number of Da Vinci surgeries with the existing resources – staff, space, and equipment. Additionally, TUH wanted to provide a better work-life balance for their staff - an important topic for the University Hospital to retain their staff. TUH knew they needed assistance in addressing these challenges and turned to Philips for help. Using co-creation and LEAN methodologies, the Philips consultants worked together with TUH management and staff to identify root causes for the issues in both departments. Collaboratively, TUH and Philips defined and implemented several workflow improvements that increased the efficiency in both the radiology and central surgery department.
Learn from TUH management and staff which improvements were made and how they experienced working with Philips. Watch the videos.
Performance improvement
Data analysis and co-creation
Improved productivity and efficiency
Other results*:
“We knew we had to do something, but we had no idea what to do and where to start. Philips started by encouraging us to be aware of what the issues were and worked with us to figure out what to do to achieve our goals. I found this invaluable.”
Toru Kodama, Assistant Manager Medical Affairs
Tohoku University Hospital
* Results achieved in one year. Results from case studies are not predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary.
Tohoku University Hospital (TUH) in Japan is a public hospital with 57 departments and 1,262 beds. The hospital offers diagnostic and therapeutic treatment using advanced medical equipment by healthcare professionals who aim to provide patient-centered care. As an academic institution, TUH provides specialist training and is committed to continued research on intractable diseases and advanced medical care practices.
