Process Mapping

Key Points

• Process maps provide a useful tool to help understand a system and stimulate improvement ideas.

• Process maps are a visual representation of a process or pathway broken down into the constituent steps and options along the pathway.

• Creating a process map should involve key stakeholders across the process.

• A perioperative process map is most useful if it includes patients to give important insights into how the process works and scrutiny of whether individual steps add “value” to their care.