Episode 31: Solving Healthcare Bottlenecks with Process Modeling
What’s better than one Lean Six Sigma Black Belt? Two! On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout welcomes Lean Six Sigma Black Belts Raquel Chase-Kelly and James Perry to the show. Raquel and Jamie work for Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics and use process modeling to streamline hospital operations and improve patient care.
Process modeling lets you rapidly simulate and anticipate how a system reacts to different situations. During this fun, informative chat, James and Raquel explain how MoreSteam’s Process Playground helped Dartmouth Health clear a 155-car backup at a drive-through flu clinic and fix an MRI backlog. This episode also covers building a model with imperfect data and fighting staff burnout. Of course, as always, there are some laughs along the way. Listen and find out why everybody should have a Jamie.
Want to see the full story? Read the Dartmouth Health case study to learn how they used simulation tools to drive measurable improvements in patient care and operations.
In this episode, you will hear about:
2:23 - The backgrounds of our guests
5:22 - Using Process Playground during the pandemic
6:37 - Streamlining the drive-through flu clinic
9:29 - Starting out with process modeling, simulations, and Process Playground
11:05 - Building models with imperfect data
13:09 - Fixing the MRI backlog
14:50 - Modeling shows the need for additional staff
16:03 - Using Process Playground to advocate for staff well-being
18:48 - The magic of process improvement
20:57 - Teaching process improvement at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Value Institute Learning Center
25:05 - Collaborating with other healthcare providers
26:14 - Advice for beginners in process improvement
27:49 - Future challenges in healthcare
32:00 - Closing thoughts
Additional Resources:
Raquel Chase-Kelly on LinkedIn
The Dartmouth Hitchcock Value Institute Learning Center
MoreSteam's Process Playground
Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook
Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram
Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn
Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter
What is Discrete Event Simulation?
Best Process Modeling Tools of 2025
5 Common Process Modeling Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam
Host • MoreSteam
Dan Swartwout is the host of Quality Time with MoreSteam. A lifelong Central Ohio resident, Dan is a double Buckeye. He earned both a BA and a law degree from The Ohio State University. Before joining MoreSteam, Dan had a long career as a host, comedian, and master of ceremonies. For 17 years, Dan was the studio audience host for the Ohio Lottery game show Cash Explosion. Dan was also the host of CBuzz, which was a collaboration between the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, WWCD 92.9, and the Columbus Dispatch. On CBuzz, Dan interviewed some of the most prominent entrepreneurs in Central Ohio. From 2002-2020, Dan toured the country as a standup comedian. Tracks from his comedy CD have been played over 5,000 times on Sirius/XM satellite radio. Now, Dan brings his experience and enthusiasm to Quality Time with MoreSteam -- it's business and fun, together.
Performance Improvement Consultant • Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics
Raquel A. Chase-Kelly, LSSBB, is a Performance Improvement Consultant at Dartmouth Health, leading improvement projects, coaching Green Belt candidates, and teaching through the Value Institute. With over seven years in ambulatory operations administration, she has managed surgical sections including Vascular Surgery and Cardiac Surgery. Raquel completed her Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training at Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering.
Senior Performance Improvement Consultant • Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics
James Perry, LSSBB, is a Senior Performance Improvement Consultant at Dartmouth Health, where he leads improvement projects, coaches Green Belts, and teaches through the Value Institute. With a background in occupational therapy and certifications in Lean Six Sigma and hand therapy, James brings over two decades of healthcare experience to his work in Operational Excellence. James completed his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training through MoreSteam's Blended Black Belt Certification Program.
