Case Study - Process Optimization for a Healthcare Organization
Introduction: When Growth Exposes Operational Cracks
A large healthcare organization approached Brewster Consulting Group with a growing concern: operational inefficiencies were stifling performance and exposing the business to unnecessary risk. Over time, their internal workflows had evolved without a cohesive structure, resulting in a tangled web of manual tasks, inconsistent reporting, and siloed communication between departments.
Leaders recognized that what once worked at a smaller scale was now creating friction at every level of the business. But without standardized processes, clear KPIs, or real-time visibility into performance, they couldn’t measure what was broken, let alone fix it.
They needed a trusted partner to help them regain clarity, introduce structure, and lay the foundation for continuous, data-informed improvement.
The Challenge: Lack of Visibility, Consistency, and Collaboration
The client’s challenges were layered and interconnected, creating compounding issues across operations:
- Inconsistent workflows: Without standardized processes, teams were operating differently across locations, leading to variability in quality and efficiency.
- Manual tasks and bottlenecks: Critical operations were bogged down by excessive manual steps, increasing the risk of human error and slowing progress.
- No standard metrics: Without KPIs tied to business objectives, the organization couldn’t measure performance or prioritize improvements effectively.
- Limited visibility: Leadership lacked real-time insight into performance, making it hard to identify what needed fixing—or whether past efforts were working.
- Siloed departments: Cross-functional collaboration was minimal, and communication gaps made alignment difficult on key initiatives.
Collectively, these issues were making it harder for the organization to make
strategic decisions or operate efficiently at scale.
Our Approach: Mapping the Path from Complexity to Clarity
Brewster Consulting Group implemented a structured, multi-phase approach focused on operational clarity, standardization, and visibility.
1. Process Documentation - We began by mapping 15 critical workflows across departments, documenting the current state with clear visualizations and detailed narratives. This helped align teams on how work was being done, and exposed inefficiencies that had previously gone unnoticed.
2. Automation Identification - Through gap analysis and stakeholder interviews (with over 40 employees across functions), we pinpointed manual tasks that were prime candidates for automation, reducing time spent on repetitive activities and increasing capacity for higher-value work.
3. KPI Framework Design - We developed a custom performance measurement framework aligned to the client’s strategic objectives. These KPIs served as a foundation for long-term performance tracking and continuous improvement.
4. Dashboard Development - To bring insights to life, Brewster built a Power BI sample dashboard focused on pharmacy operations. The dashboard enabled leadership to view real-time metrics, identify bottlenecks, and evaluate performance trends.
5. Prioritized Recommendations - The engagement concluded with a detailed roadmap of optimization opportunities, ranked by business impact and implementation effort, ensuring leaders could take focused action without getting overwhelmed.
6. Cross-Functional Collaboration - We helped create communication channels and routines to break down silos, empowering departments to collaborate, share insights, and align on improvement goals.
The Results: A Strong Foundation for Long-Term Operational Excellence
Brewster’s engagement produced both immediate and strategic value across the organization. By engaging with over 40 stakeholders, the team was able to uncover deep operational insights, build alignment, and ensure cross-functional buy-in from day one. Through detailed mapping of 15 critical processes, inefficiencies were clearly identified and analyzed, laying the groundwork for effective change.
The team delivered a comprehensive set of enterprise-wide optimization recommendations, prioritized by business impact and ease of implementation. Alongside this, a custom KPI framework was developed to drive standardized performance measurement across departments. To support visibility and reporting, Brewster also designed a Power BI dashboard prototype that provided real-time insights into pharmacy workflows and operations.
With these tools and strategies in place, the organization now benefits from a structured and scalable operational model. There teams are better equipped to collaborate, make data-informed decisions, and monitor performance in real time, establishing a culture of continuous improvement backed by clear, measurable outcomes.
Conclusion: Real Change Starts with Operational Clarity
What began as a response to inefficiency turned into a full-scale transformation of how this healthcare organization understands and improves its operations.
Thanks to Brewster’s structured approach, the client isn’t just reacting to bottlenecks, they’re proactively managing performance with the right tools, insights, and alignment across the organization.
As the healthcare environment grows more complex, this organization is now better positioned to adapt, scale, and serve patients, backed by data and driven by intentional, continuous improvement.
At Brewster Consulting Group, we recognize that managing data can be a daunting task for small and mid-sized enterprises. Allow us to assist you in harnessing the potential of operational intelligence! Reach out to one of our specialists today to refine your data strategy, optimize your processes, and establish solid governance. Ready to cultivate data analysis and propel scalable growth? Your journey begins right here!
