Streamlining admissions to outpatient substance use treatment using lean methods

ABSTRACT

Background

Waiting to be admitted to treatment poses a significant barrier to substance use recovery. Such delays occur when service demands exceed treatment capacity. One issue that contributes to this problem is clients missing scheduled appointments (i.e., no-shows) because it typically leaves time that could be used to counsel others in need.

Methods

This research utilized Lean methods, which encompass approaches for improving process efficiency by reducing waste (i.e., work that does not add value to a product or service), to reduce intake appointment no-shows and admission wait-time within an intensive outpatient substance use treatment program in Fort Bend County, Texas; hence, this study involved mapping the client admission process, analyzing it for causes of inefficiency, and developing and implementing countermeasures (i.e., solutions) to address the issues identified in order to improve performance.

Results

By implementing enhanced appointment reminders, posting admission process information online, and transferring financial eligibility tasks to nonclinical staff, intake appointment no-shows were reduced from 24% to 17%, and admission wait-time was reduced from 14 to 9 days.

Conclusions

This case report provides a detailed example from which other outpatient substance use treatment programs can learn to streamline their admission process with little to no additional resources.

KEYWORDS:

• Lean methods
• process improvement
• outpatient substance use treatment
• appointment no-shows
• admission wait-time

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.