Paediatric Orthopaedic Clinic at the Children's Hospital of Western Ontario

The chief of paediatric orthopaedic surgery was very concerned by the long times that the young patients (and their parents) were experiencing in the orthopaedic clinic. Long wait times tended to aggravate the already pent-up distress and concern that the patients were facing. The chief glanced at recently collected data on service times and wondered how the process could be improved, while continuing balancing budgetary pressures to reduce costs. Moreover, any changes couldn't be done in isolation, as her clinic shared resources with other departments. A monthly executive meeting was fast approaching and expectations were starting to run high that her efforts might be able to spur improvements in other departments too.