Every year, over the Winter period, volunteers administer flu vaccine shots at a local pharmacy. At any one time, 4 volunteers are required for this process which requires 4 activities. Each of these volunteers is responsible for one of the activities. The activities are carried out in the sequence indicated below.
|
Activity
|
Average Time in Seconds
|
|
1
|
Reception
|
30
|
|
2
|
Drug allergy consultation
|
60
|
|
3
|
Fill out form and sign waiver
|
45
|
|
4
|
Administer vaccination
|
90
|
(a) What is the maximum number of people that can be processed in one hour?
(b) Discuss the implications of a 5th volunteer being assigned to help administer vaccinations.
(c) Using five volunteers, suggest a reallocation of activities that would result in increased service capacity, and draw a product flow diagram. Finally, determine the capacity of your improved system.
(Limit your answer to 350 words. This word length should exclude any tables, diagrams or figures)