Methodist Hospital Had The Efficiency Of An Assembly Line
Methodist Hospital in The Woodlands has been given an allotment of 10,000 vaccine doses a week. They started with contacting the 75 and up people. Last week, I got a text saying they were now doing the 65 and ups, and it gave me a link to schedule. I clicked it and scheduled for today at 12:05, answered some questions and gave my Medicare information.
I arrived at the hospital compound at 11:45 and a County Deputy told me to go around the corner and they’d valet park me. I told him I was driving a stick-shift (my ’09 Challenger) and that it is always a CF with Valet Parking – and that walking is not an issue. He pointed the way to the parking lot. When I got to the lot there were four row seat golf carts to take people to the building – but it was a short distance so I walked.
As I approached the building, I saw a steady stream of people going in and out without the doors closing, but no stopping. Before I got to the door there were five girls stopping people to ask the time of their appointment. No wait. I told the girl 12:05 and saw her look me up on two pages for that time, and estimate there were 70-75 names on that 5-minute period. She verified I had a 12:05 appointment and put a green dot on my shirt – indicating good to go as it was 12:00. I walked in the door and there were three women taking temperatures. No wait. I was asked if I was there for the first or second shot. I indicated first as was pointed to the correct line and a yellow dot was put onto my shirt. There were about 7 people in the line, but you moved up to the next spot to stand on about every 5-seconds. I was in line for less than a minute.
There were 35 stations, and I was pointed to one that just had someone leave. I sat down, she looked me up, said “Good you already filled out your paperwork”, told me next appointment (for second shot) was the 27th (four weeks) at 12:05 and put a label with my name and saying Pfizer on my shirt. Two minutes tops at that station. I was directed to the next room. In it there were 20 stations for Moderna on the left and 20 for Pfizer on the right. I was pointed to go to a vacant Pfizer cubicle where a lady was waving a green flag. There I sat down and was asked if I’d had a vaccine in last 14 days (15 days ago I received my second Shingles shot), if I was allergic to any vaccine I’d ever been given and which arm I wanted the jab. I got my shot, Band-Aid, and a log card to bring with me to get my next jab. No more than 5 minutes in the cubicle. I assume I got Pfizer as a random selection as both sides were busy.
I was directed to sit in a waiting area for 15 minutes (longer than the sum of everything else since I walked up onto the building), which I did. At the end of 15 minutes I walked to the building exit, where a Doctor asked me how I felt. Outside there were golf carts waiting to go to parking area – but its only a five minute walk, so I declined the ride.
When Honorably Discharged 46 years ago, I worked on a factory assembly line, where timed precision was a must. Methodist gives 70-75 shots every 5 minutes with the best choreographed precision I’ve ever experienced. The timing was so perfect that there were no open parking spots, yet there was no wait to get one. There were no open check-in clerks, yet no wait to go sit at one. No open shot givers – yet no wait to going to next available. I’m very impressed. Everyone was very nice and pleasant, and a few thanked me for my service – as I happened to have been wearing a Veteran’s Shirt.
As I drove home I received a text thanking me for getting my vaccination at Methodist. Then another confirming my next appointment. Then another saying my Doctor Portal record was updated with the shot.
