Course Level: Beginner
Format Requirements: The short course will cover many tools of Focused Operations Management using real world examples from various health care organizations.
Background: How can a hospital successfully reduce the response time in the ED by 40%, or increase the throughput of the OR by 20% using existing resources? How can the removal of inexpensive bottlenecks easily increase throughput, reduce response time and increase quality? These topics and more are the focus of this short course. The main theme of the course is that one can do much more with existing resources in terms of throughput, response time and quality by using simple practical tools and techniques. The course includes the use of methods such as the Theory of Constraints (TOC) that yields fast improvement in systems such as ORs and EDs. The course demonstrates how simple tools like the Focusing Table, Focusing Matrix, the Complete Kit concept, working in Small Batches, Specific Contribution and Pareto Analysis can increase throughput, reduce response time and create value in the healthcare industry.
Description and Objectives: How can a hospital successfully reduce the response time in the Emergency Department by 40% and at the same time increase the clinical quality, all this using existing resources? How can one increase the throughput of the Operating Room by 20% using the same resources? Why do performance measures sometimes undermine value creation? How can the removal of inexpensive bottlenecks easily increase throughput, reduce response time and increase quality? Why adding more personnel and making more capital investment are not usually the answer for the improvement of healthcare organizations?
These topics and more are the theme of this short course on managing healthcare organizations. The main theme of the course is that one can do much more with the same resources in terms of throughput, response time and quality by using simple practical tools and techniques. It provides a system view and touches upon issues of performance measures, operations management, quality, and above all, value creation and value enhancement.
The course includes the use of methods such as the Seven Focusing Steps of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) that yields fast improvement in systems such as operating rooms and emergency departments. The course demonstrates how simple tools like the Focusing Table, the Focusing Matrix, the Complete Kit concept, working in Small Batches, Specific Contribution and Pareto Analysis can increase throughput, reduce response time and create value in the healthcare industry.