Success Stories

Community Health North Reduced Variability in Infusion Wait Times by 30%

30% Reduction in infusion wait time variability

3% Increase in average daily completed infusion volume

9% Increase in nurse productivity, with 0.5 more appointments completed per nurse per day

4% Increase in chair utilization

Summary

Community Health Network is a community-based health system serving patients across Indiana, operating seven outpatient infusion centers with 109 chairs systemwide and using Epic® as its EHR. At the North Infusion Center, a 38-chair facility, leaders partnered with LeanTaaS to reduce day-to-day variation and improve infusion center operational efficiency — supporting a more consistent patient experience and a more sustainable workflow for staff, without adding chairs or resources.

*Epic is a registered trademark of Epic Systems Corporation

Profile

109 chairs

7 centers

EPIC EHR

Problem

Community Health Network’s North Infusion Center, a 38-chair facility, faced day-to-day operational variability that made it difficult to balance patient flow, nurse workloads, and infusion chair utilization. Pod-based scheduling and pre-assigned nurse lists often led to uneven conditions across the day, particularly during high-variability periods. As disruptions accumulated, charge nurses spent significant time reworking schedules and patient wait times became inconsistent, impacting patient access and experience. Staff raised concerns about workload equity and preparedness. The center needed a way to smooth daily operations and improve nurse satisfaction without adding chairs or staff.

Solution

The center implemented the Nurse Pull model using iQueue for Infusion Centers' Patient Assignment feature and moved to a single pooled chair template to reduce waste created by pod silos and improve infusion chair utilization. Change management was deliberate: leadership socialized the “why” months ahead of go-live, used a limited trial period, and created lightweight feedback loops (including a pros/cons whiteboard reviewed in staff meetings). During go-live week, leaders planned to remain on the floor to coach decision-making — yet by early afternoon on day one, nurses reported they were comfortable and the day felt smoother with fewer pileups.

Operationally, nurses began selecting patients when ready, enabling more focused chart prep (“one patient at a time” rather than prepping an entire day up front) and improving nursing workflow efficiency. This allowed the team to pause assignments appropriately when a nurse was managing a complex case. The center also strengthened teamwork using Epic secure chat to coordinate in real time — flagging when a pod needed to temporarily hold pulls and helping ensure equitable distribution across the day. Within the first 90 days, North reduced infusion patient wait time variability by 30% while improving productivity, supporting more equitable nurse workloads, and freeing charge nurses to spend more time supporting staff and managing flow.

Seeing Nurse Pull live sold me. The unit felt calmer — nurses had more control and could pause when a patient needed extra one-on-one care. It’s been overwhelmingly positive, and our wait times are steadier for every patient.

Amy Dumitrescu-Matei, RN, BSN, OCN,

Nurse Manager