Ops_Roles_and_Goals

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 healthcare services. Quantitative management implies a heavy use of analytical and optimization tools, as well as extensive use of process and quality improvement techniques to drive improved results. Healthcare operations management is a discipline of management that integrates scientific or quantitative principles to determine the most efficient and optimal methods to support patient care delivery. This field is relatively new to health care, but it has existed in other industries for nearly a hundred years (Lanagabeer, J.R, 2008). The scope of healthcare operations management includes all functions related to the management systems and business processes underlying clinical care. This includes extensive focus on the following: workflow, physical layout, capacity design, physical network optimization, staffing levels, productivity management, supply chain and logistics management, quality management, and process engineering (Lanagabeer, J.R, 2008). This writer believes that the most important role of an operations manager is to help integrate and find ways to keep cost down but still be able to make the company profitable. Although all of the roles that the operations manager does are important, the cost is the most important role. In conclusion to the paper the writer defined the operations management, and briefly described the roles and goals of health care operations managers. Which role is most important and why' Operations management is the quantitative management of the supporting business systems and processes that transform resources into healthcare outputs. It is focused on achieving operational effectiveness defined as lower costs, higher productivity, and continuous process improvement. There are five key goals of the operations manager: reduce costs, reduce variability and improve logistics flows, improve productivity, improve quality of customer service, and continuously improve business processes. Operations management is a field within the discipline of management, and it evolved initially from the scientific management school of thought. It has progressed into a much broader and comprehensive discipline (Lanagabeer, J.R, 2008). Reference Langabeer, J. R. (2008). Health care operations management: A quantitative approach to business and logistics. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. Retrieved from the University of Phoenix student website. August 27, 2010. Pohly.com Health Administration Books. Retrieved from Google, August, 27, 2010.