This project charter outlines an internship to evaluate and optimize the patient scheduling system at St. Joseph's Family Medicine Residency Program. The intern will analyze reasons patients are not seen in a timely manner, research other residency programs' scheduling models, and make suggestions to improve St. Joseph's system. The goals are to increase patient satisfaction by 25% and help St. Joseph's earn NCQA medical home certification. Over 12 weeks, the intern will define the project, analyze issues, summarize findings, propose solutions, and deliver a final report. Benefits include identifying scheduling barriers and enhancing patient access.

1. Scheduling System Optimization
Project
St. Joseph’s Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program
Project Charter
Mariana Sabeva
Graduate Student - Intern
Masters of Health Sector Management
W. P. Carey School of Business
Arizona State University
Faculty Advisor:
Marjorie Baldwin, PhD
Site Supervisor:
Robert Garcia, MD
Associate Director, St. Joseph’s Family Medicine Residency Program

2. Scheduling System Optimization Project – Project Charter
Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................ 3
2. Project Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 4
A. Problem/Opportunity Statement .................................................................................................................... 4
B. Business Objectives and Goals ..................................................................................................................... 4
C. Project Description......................................................................................................................................... 4
D. Scope ............................................................................................................................................................. 5
E. Timeline ......................................................................................................................................................... 5
F. Benefits .......................................................................................................................................................... 5
3. Project Organization ........................................................................................................................................... 6
A. Organizational Structure .............................................................................................................................. 66
B. Project Roles and Phase End Approvers ...................................................................................................... 6
4. Major Assumptions, Risks and Dependencies ................................................................................................ 7
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3. Scheduling System Optimization Project – Project Charter
1. Executive Summary
Starting on March 7, 2011 my internship project will take place at Peppertree Family Practice Center, St. Joseph
Hospital. I will work under the supervision of the medical director Robert Garcia, MD. The goal of the project I
will lead is to evaluate patient satisfaction with the process of scheduling appointments at the clinic.
Dr. Garcia wants to apply for National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Medical Home Certification
and one of the requirements is to measure the patient satisfaction with the appointment scheduling. At present
they don’t know where they fall.
Eventual patient dissatisfaction with the scheduling process could be related to:
1) The automated phone system;
2) Front office staff;
3) Availability of physicians;
4) The current “partial access” system;
In order to manage risks, issues and dependencies, this project will have a multi-step approach. The intern will
need the support of the site supervisor - Dr. Garcia and the case manager – Nida Torres to be successful with
completing the goals and objectives that have been set.
The key benefits to for this project include:
 Find the reasons why patients are not seen in a timely manner
 Make suggestions for improvements in the scheduling system area
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4. Scheduling System Optimization Project – Project Charter
2. Project Overview
A. Problem/Opportunity Statement
Dr. Garcia is aware of the problem of patients not to be seen in a timely manner.
The guiding principles of the project will be:
Find reasons for the problem
Investigate other Phoenix area based Family Medicine Residency programs to assess effectiveness of
“open-access” scheduling system on their programs
Perform a literature search to assess effectiveness and feasibility of implementation of an “open-access”
system at St. Joseph’s Family Medicine Residency program
B. Business Objectives and Goals
Business Objective Business Goal Project Measure of Success
Find reasons why patients are not be Make suggestions in that area. 25% increase of customer
seen in a timely manner satisfaction
C. Project Description
The objective of the Scheduling System Optimization project is to find out what are the reasons for the inability of patients to
be seen in a timely manner. In addition the intern will make suggestions to make improvement in the area of the scheduling
system.
Define phase - the internship coordinator, Dr. C.J. O’Connor will meet with St. Joseph’s Family Medicine Residency
Program representative and define the site supervisor and the business need.
Analyze phase – the intern will finalize the project charter and present it to project stakeholders for approval. “Afterwards the
intern will start working toward the project goals.
Summarize findings – the intern will summarize the findings of the problem investigation and will prepare findings report. In
addition, if there is a need PowerPoint presentation could be prepared also to summarize the findings report.
Make suggestions – Based on the findings results and literature review the intern will make to the best of her knowledge
suggestions to make improvements in the area of appointment scheduling system.
Project Wrap-up – The intern will review the project and prepare a summary report with lessons learned and will get
feedback from project stakeholders.
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5. Scheduling System Optimization Project – Project Charter
D. Scope
1) In-Scope
a) Project Scope
The current effort for the project is to find out reasons for the inability of patients to be
seen in a timely manner
The project will:
Summarize reasons for the problem
Investigate and research other Phoenix area based Family Medicine Residency
programs and their experience with “open-access” scheduling system
Perform a literature search to assess effectiveness and feasibility of implementation
of an “open-access” system at St. Joseph’s Family Medicine Residency program
b) Organizational Scope
St. Joseph’s Family Medicine Residency Program
2) Out of Scope
a) Project Scope
 Post-implementation survey – administration, results analysis
 NCQA Patient Centered Medical Home Certification compliance
b) Organizational Scope
 Other Family Medicine Residency Programs
E. Timeline
1) Key Business Dates
Target Completion is end of May.
2) High Level Schedule
Overall Project Timeline – Using World Date Format
Project Framework Estimated Estimated
Phase Start Date End Date
Define 02/22/2011 03/07/2011
Analyze 03/10/2011 05/27/2011
Summarize Findings 05/28/2011 06/27/2011
Make Suggestions 06/28/2011 07/08/2011
Project Wrap-up 06/28/2011 07/15/2011
F. Benefits
1) Expected Benefits
Find the reasons why patients are not seen in a timely manner.
Help to formulate suggestions to make improvement in the scheduling system.
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6. Scheduling System Optimization Project – Project Charter
3. Project Organization
A. Organizational Structure
Stakeholders Organization Role
Dr. M. Baldwin W.P. Carey Graduate School of Faculty Advisor
Business, MHSM
Dr. R. Garcia St. Joseph’s Family Medicine Site Supervisor
Residency Program
Dr. C.J. O’Connor W.P. Carey Graduate School of Internship Coordinator
Business, MHSM
B. Project Roles and Phase End Approvers
Name Dept Project Role
Define Analyze Summarize Make Project
Phase Phase Findings Suggestions Wrap-up
Phase Phase Phase
Dr. M. Baldwin W.P. Carey, x x x x x
MHSM Faculty Advisor
Dr. R. Garcia St. Joseph’s x x x x x
Family
Medicine Site Supervisor
Residency
Program
Nida Torres, RN St. Joseph’s x x
Family
Subject Matter
Medicine
Expert
Residency
Program
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7. Scheduling System Optimization Project – Project Charter
4. Major Assumptions, Risks and Dependencies
Type Assumptions/ Mitigation/Contingency Mechanisms
Risks/Dependencies
People  Support of the graduate  They are signers on this project and will
student at the internship site is be informed in the weekly status
key to the success of this communication via email.
project
 The project is completed on  There is project schedule which will be
time signed and agreed upon project start.
 Only deliverables existing in  Scope will be signed and reviewed from
the project charter will be major project stakeholders.
delivered upon project
completion
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