Health Care Operations Management Roles and Goals Paper
Deborah Hufty
September 6, 2010
Hospitals can be somewhat of a large complex organization, as they can function as a largely without sophistication and technology inherent in other large businesses (Health Administration, 2009). Over half of all hospitals can have reports of negative operating margins, yet driving down the costs by achieving operational excellence is one of the most important areas of any hospital in the United States as well as other countries. Healthcare operations management is the emerging discipline that integrates quantitative and qualitative aspects of management to determine the most efficient and optimal methods of supporting patient care delivery (Healthcare Administration, 2009). The functions of an operations manager will focus on what will help the hospitals and other health systems understand and improve labor productivity, reduce waiting lines, shorten cycle times, and generally improve the patient’s overall experience, all of these areas will assist and improve the organization’s financial health.
Healthcare operations management is a discipline that integrates scientific principles of management to determine the most efficient and optimal methods to support patient care delivery. Most positions today in hospitals are, in fact, roles that involve coordination and execution of operations. In chapter one it provides the rationale for operations management and describes its evolving role in helping hospitals become more competitive. Healthcare operations management can therefore be defined as the quantitative management of the supporting business systems and processes that transform resources (or inputs) into healthcare services (outputs). Inputs are defined as the resources and assets such as labor and capital, including cash, technology, personnel, space, equipment, and information (Lanagabeer, J.R, 2008).
Outputs include the actual production and delivery of...