Operations Management in Health Care

Operations Management in Health Care

Signature Assignment: Operations Management in Health Care

Instructions:-

  1. Paper is to follow APA (6th ed.) Ground Rules outlined in course syllabus.
    1. Follow APA guidelines for personal communication when paraphrasing or using direct quotes from the interviewee.  See APA manual, p. 179 and examples of how to cite personal communication in the APA power point posted in BeaconLearning.  Note that personal communication is not included on the reference page.
  2. Paper mechanics:
    1. Consistent use of proper grammar, spelling, and avoids one sentence paragraphs.
    1. Written in 3rd person voice.
    1. Limited to 4 pages, excluding title and reference page. 
    1. No Abstract is required.
  3. Paper is to include a clear, concise, to the point introduction paragraph(s).
    1. Please do not use the heading of Introduction.  APA does not allow for this as it is assumed the author will provide an introduction.
  4. Paper is to include a response to the following elements:
    1. Interview a person who is functioning as an Operations Manager in a health care organization or agency.  This can include a nurse manager, clinic manager, unit manager, billing, medical records, pharmacy, information technology, materials, environmental etc. manager, director of operations, administrator, etc.  The goal is to pick someone who has knowledge and experience with the concepts discussed in this course.

NOTE:  Please contact course faculty if you need assistance identifying someone to interview.

  1. Prepare questions to ask the person you are interviewing about the following topics.  Feel free to add questions of your own as they relate to the topics of health care finances, regulatory agencies, and health care technology:
    1. Gather some back ground information about the interviewee:  Job role, duties, responsibilities, and placement within the organization’s structure or system; years of experience as a nurse and/or in current role; educational background, etc.  Be sure to indicate where this person works (in a clinic, on a unit, in administration, a local hospital etc.).
  • Explore health care finances including the interviewee’s role within the unit or organization in relation to the budget and reducing costs.  Explore what and how cost drivers impact finances. Explore how reimbursement from Medicaid, Medicare, or commercial health care insurance company’s impact finances of the unit or organization.  Explore the costs of technologies currently being used.
  • Explore what regulatory agencies govern the unit or organization.  Explore one specific measure, tool, protocol, or initiative a regulatory agency has mandated the unit or organization implement or has impacted delivery of health care, nursing practice, safety, or quality.  Explore what is working well and some of the pitfalls of the measure, tool, protocol, or initiative.
  • Explore utilization of health care technology on the unit or within the organization as it relates safe, quality care and patient or health outcomes.  Explore how decisions are made in regards to use of technology, integrating new technology etc.  Explore technologies Operations Managers are using to communicate with nurses and other health care providers and staff; with each other; to attend or conduct meetings, etc.  Explore measures used to keep data secure and provide for patient confidentiality and privacy.  Explore how nurses are educated and trained to use technology in their nursing practice. 
  1. Following your interview, write a paper that compares and contrasts what you learned from your interview about operations and information management with concepts from your course readings and other assignments about:
    1. Health Care Finances
    1. Regulatory Agencies
    1. Health Care Technology
  1. Include a concluding paragraph that summarizes 3 major things you learned about Health Care Operations and/or Information Management

Solution

Signature Assignment: Operations Management in Health Care

Operations Management in Health Care

Within the healthcare, two factors coin the provision of care different from other services. First, healthcare facilities are conventionally organized as non-profit institutions compared to an investment type of structure. Second, the payments for healthcare services are in many cases made by the third party rather than a particular patient who needs the healthcare services. As such, as the industry thrives, there is a need for organization managers within health care to initiate principles of operations management for their scramble to present a clear value scheme to patients and customers(Langabeer & Helton, 2016). This paper transcends a comparison of the concepts of healthcare financial management, regulatory agencies, and healthcare technological requirements as compared with the interview results from a clinical nurse specialist, Shannon Paz, at PeaceHealth Riverbend.

Background information about the Interviewee

Shannon Paz is a Clinical Nurse Specialist at an operating room at Peacehealth Riverbend who is ranked at middle management. The main responsibilities that the specialist undertakes include organization of staff assignments and scheduling, managing the staffing production ratio, an assistant to the OR manager, and an overseer of the specialty charge nurses, staff as well as ancillary staff. Furthermore, Shannon is graduated in 2004 with an Associate Degree in Nursing. He previously worked as a staff nurse in the operating room, manager of the Short Stay Unit for two years, evening charge nurse, and board coordinator in 2008, After the merge of the main operating room and SSU, in 2012, Shannon became the day shift board coordinator and charge nurse. Shannon has been in the current position of Clinical Nurse Specialist for a year. Currently, he enrolled in an RN-BSN online program.

Comparison Paper

Health Care Finances

Performance Improvement refers to a methodology in which managers analyze performance issues and set up systems that focus on fostering good performance. According to Giannini, (2015), the performance improvement is one of the key factors that affect the customer satisfaction and health professional contribution as well as the overall performance of the health care organization. As such, Mosadeghrad (2013) defines quality as the consistent provision of care efficiently, effectively and efficaciously in line with the latest standards and guidelines that suit the needs of a patient. As such, for organizations to be able to meet these requirements they are expected to manage their process just as any other business to provide healthcare for a larger “clientele.” Regarding the results of the interview, it is evident that Shannon Paz utilizes the core requirements of operations management in healthcare through the maintenance of PI. Shannon actively assigns tasks to other staff members as well as takes part in the management of staff productivity ratio.

Capital budgeting is one of the key features of operations management and performance improvement that affects the quality of care in healthcare organizations. Peacehealth, an organization in which the interviewee works uses this method of cost control to reduce cost as well as improve the quality of care to patients. The interview results suggest that at the Surgical Specialty groups, amounts of funds are allocated to each Operations Room staff workers depending on the type of specialty that an individual offers. The organization clearly reveals an efficient cost control structure which helps in the organization to provide better services to its patients as well it initiates a good employee-employer relationship.

According to Baron (2010), it is suggested that healthcare systems must be able to manage the way funds are being used to its ability. As such, (Weston & Roberts, 2013) suggests that quality improvement is an important factor to consider for better care outcomes. To support this, it is recommended that the organization must have an apparent organizational structure that investigates, forecast and approve strategies for better management. At Peacehealth, it is noted that the administration has to approve of the capital budgeting as they realize the cost drivers such technology and equipment, staffing cost, new staff recruitment, and equipment training. Additionally, communication is a key factor in the process management. As such, Peacehealth organization’s communication system relies heavily on text messages via smartphones which are more convenient.   

Health Regulatory Agencies 

As a resource-intensive sector in the economy, healthcare utilizes significant resources that lead in the output of wastes and pollution (public health). As such, they are subject to oversight by some regulation agencies(Turner, 2011). First, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) focuses on the protection of employees from work-related injuries. For Peacehealth organization is evident that OSHA has recommended the organization to change the operating room due to complaints regarding the surgical pans that have weight restriction due, due to back injuries. Additionally, the organization has fixed the problem of falls after an installation of a non-slippery floor at the front of scrub sinks. Second, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) focuses on the protection of patient safety and health through the analysis of the care environment, safety, and leadership. For Peacehealth, it is apparent that patient safety and health is of high standards due to the overseeing by JCAHO which determines healthcare reimbursement. Lastly, the CDC focuses on the on the protection of workers and the public health for in regards to regulating medical wastes and infection control. For Peacehealth, it is evident that the CDC has launched an isolation protocol for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C-diff).

Health Care Technology

            According to Baron, (2010),has become an imperative component within healthcare. Research suggests that with emerging technologies within healthcare, managers should also address the issues of privacy, confidentiality, and privacy. Therefore, an efficient technological strategy an organization stipulates must consider the ethical requirements for both the patient and the organization. Evidently, Peacehealth has new implemented an efficient health records system, Care Connect EMR that is secure, efficient in the documentation, as well as sharing of patient records.  Also, the new technology within the organization must be easy to use. As such, the stealth navigation with the O_Arm imaging has enabled surgeons at Peaceheatlh to providing accurate and precise guidance for the surgical processes on spine and cranial. Also, the surgical robot at Peaceheatlh is less invasive, resulting in the better patient outcome and accelerated recovery.

            Conclusively, results of the interview suggest that Shannon as a Registered Nurse practices in line with the standards of healthcare as it pertains to the operations management in healthcare. Furthermore, it is important to utilize the management skills in healthcare to foster better outcome for the organization and the patient. Active monitoring by regulatory agencies such as OSHA, JCAHO, and CDC helps in making the organizations align with the good treatment of patients and employees. Additionally, technological development plays a major role in the delivering healthcare services. Overall, as per the interview results, Shannon and Peacehealth clearly foster operation management practices in the field of healthcare.  

References

Baron, R. J. (2010). What’s Keeping Us So Busy in Primary Care? A Snapshot from One Practice. New England Journal of Medicine, 362(17), 1632–1636. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMon0910793

Giannini, M. (2015). Performance and quality improvement in healthcare organizations. International Journal of Healthcare Management, 8(3), 173–180. https://doi.org/10.1179/2047971915Y.0000000002

Langabeer, J. R., & Helton, J. (2016). Health care operations management : a systems perspective (2nd ed.). New York: JB Learning Publishers. Retrieved from http://www.jblearning.com/catalog/9781284050066/

Mosadeghrad, A. M. (2013). Healthcare service quality: towards a broad definition. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 26(3), 203–219. https://doi.org/10.1108/09526861311311409

Turner, L. G. (2011). Quality in health care and globalization of health services: accreditation and regulatory oversight of medical tourism companies. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 23(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzq078

Weston, M., & Roberts, D. W. (2013). The Influence of Quality Improvement Efforts on Patient Outcomes And Nursing Work: A Perspective from Chief Nursing Officers at Three Large Health Systems. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 18(3), 2. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26812095