As healthcare leaders focus on improving their operations, they must understand the systems in which change resides… taking a broad systems view can improve the effectiveness of change.
As healthcare leaders focus on improving their operations, they must understand the systems in which change resides… taking a broad systems view can improve the effectiveness of change.
—Daniel B. McLaughlin and John R. Olson
An old truism is that change is a constant, and this is certainly applicable not only to the health care industry, but to most modern institutions. Every industry and every organization has experienced change at some level, whether impelled by an internal drive for change or in response to an external event. The effectiveness of an adaptive change depends in part on the effectiveness of the operational and communication systems within an organization.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by selecting the “Post to Discussion” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before selecting Submit!
To prepare for this Discussion:
Identify one example of an event that has changed the operations of your organization or an organization with which you are familiar. If you are not currently working in a health care organization (HCO), you may choose a case study from a reliable source from which to work.
By Day 3
Post a cohesive response to the following:
Describe the organization you have chosen in terms of its industry; number of employees; and whether it is a local, regional, national, or international enterprise. How was the event which changed operations in this organization assessed and managed? Was this change addressed and communicated throughout the organization? Was that communication effective? Justify your conclusion.
Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings. Consider how your colleagues’ postings relate to the information presented in the Learning Resources and to your own posting.
By Day 5
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings and continue the Discussion through Day 7. Based on what you know, were the actions taken appropriate to the event? Provide a rationale for your assessment.
MMHA6700 Healthcare Operations Management
Week 2 Discussion
Transitions in Health Care Delivery
At the core of the value transformation is changing the way clinicians are organized to deliver care. The first principle in structuring any organization or business is to organize around the customer and the need. In health care, that requires a shift from today’s siloed organization by specialty department and discrete service to organizing around the patient’s medical condition. We call such a structure an integrated practice unit (IPU). In an IPU, a dedicated team made up of both clinical and nonclinical personnel provides the full care cycle for the patient’s condition.
—Michael Porter and Thomas Lee
The impact on value of IPUs is striking. With a dramatic contrast compared to regional averages, patients at Virginia Mason’s Spine Clinic miss fewer days of work (4.3 versus 9 per episode) and need fewer physical therapy visits (4.4 versus 8.8).
The shift to value-based health care delivery represents an opportunity to create a more patient-centered organization as well as a more efficient one. Resource limitations and other pressures place a strain on an organization’s ability to change, and organizations respond to these pressures of change differently.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by selecting the “Post to Discussion” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before selecting Submit!
To prepare for this Discussion:
Consider the impact of the transition from volume- to value-based health care delivery in your organization or one with which you are familiar.
Potential transitions to consider may be examples such as the shift from inpatient to ambulatory care, the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) initiative, or the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) initiative.
With this in mind, read the Porter and Lee article published in the Harvard Business Review, and compare their strategic proposal with the transition you are considering.
By Day 3
Post a cohesive response to the following:
Describe the nature of the transition in the organization. Discuss and assess how this transition affected operations, based on the organization’s operational resources and limitations. How did the organization respond to the changes? Was the response effective? How does the IPU approach compare to the transition response? Justify your conclusion. Recommend an alternative course of action.
Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings. Consider how your colleagues’ postings relate to the information presented in the Learning Resources and to your own posting.
By Day 5
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings and continue the Discussion through Day 7. Compare the response of your organization’s to those posted by your colleagues’. How and why do they differ? How and why are they similar?
MMHA6700 Healthcare Operations Management
Week 4 Discussion
Requirements for High Reliability
Since the mid-twentieth century, much patient care delivery has moved from the inpatient setting to the ambulatory clinic. Because this trend is likely to continue, matching clinic capacity to patient demand becomes a critical operating skill.
—Daniel B. McLaughlin and John R. Olson
Becoming and sustaining the ability to be a highly reliable organization has developed into a critical focus for not only patient care, but also regulatory agencies and managed care organizations. Depending on an organization’s state of readiness, meeting the criteria for high reliability can be a challenging transition.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by selecting the “Post to Discussion” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before selecting Submit!
To prepare for this Discussion:
Read Chapter 12 of the course text and this week’s Learning Resources, then reflect on how your health care organization, or a health care organization with which you are familiar, meets the criteria for high reliability. If you are currently working in a health care organization, what has been your experience in preparing for this transition to become a highly reliable organization?
By Day 3
Post a cohesive response to the following:
Assess the health organization in which you work or one with which you are familiar, and describe how staffing and scheduling processes in particular make your organization a high-reliability organization. Then, evaluate any areas that may need improvement, and recommend steps for improvement.
In your evaluation and recommendation, consider the requirements and standards in becoming a highly reliable organization. Do these standards hinder or improve the quality of care? Justify your rationale.
Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings. Consider how your colleagues’ postings relate to the information presented in the Learning Resources and to your own posting.
By Day 5
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings and continue the Discussion through Day 7. Provide additional recommendations and consider if regulatory agencies control an organization’s ability to develop new health care delivery models.
MMHA6700 Healthcare Operations Management
Week 5 Discussion
Health Care Reform Initiatives
Healthy People 2020 can be viewed as a strategic approach for improving the health of the US population over a ten-year timeline, applicable nationally, regionally, and in states, counties, cities and towns. … The Healthy People strategy was designed to define and promote a common sense of purpose and goals, with specific targets.
—JonathanFielding, Shiriki Kumanyika, & Ronald Manderscheid
The effects of the continuous effort of various health care reform initiatives to improve a population’s health are difficult to track, measure, sustain, and analyze, but evaluating the impact of changing guidelines and requirements is part of effective operational management. How are improvements aligned with an appropriate return on investment, and how can this be measured?
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by selecting the “Post to Discussion” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before selecting Submit!
To prepare for this Discussion:
Read the three articles provided this week, and reflect on how these initiatives have impacted health care organizations.
By Day 3
Post a cohesive response to the following:
Describe how health care reform initiatives and mandates have impacted your organization. What changes in operations have been made in response to these initiatives? How well-organized were these changes? How have they offered measureable improvements in both clinical practice and performance? Explain how these improvements were a result of the reform initiative.
Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings. Consider how your colleagues’ postings relate to the information presented in the Learning Resources and to your own posting.
By Day 5
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings and continue the Discussion through Day 7. Provide an alternative to the changes which have been made in your organization. How can improvements be measured?
MMHA6700 Healthcare Operations Management
Week 7 Discussion
Logistic Efficiency
Given the complex interplay between incentive program designs, provider characteristics, and other external factors, evaluations of VBP programs need to consider an array of factors that potentially contribute to observed effects.
—Damberg et al., 2014
As you compose your response to the questions posed below, reflect on how facility design, logistics, and value purchasing represent some of the array of factors that contribute to logistic efficiency.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by selecting the “Post to Discussion” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before selecting Submit!
To prepare for this Discussion:
To prepare, read the case studies provided in this week’s Learning Resources and consider the application of these ideas to your organization or an organization with which you are familiar.
By Day 3
Post a cohesive response to the following:
Based on the readings and case studies on facility design, what are some of the advantages and disadvantages of these changes? How do these facility design concepts impact patient care? Does it offer an advantage in improving quality outcomes?
What logistical operational processes exist in your organization that enhance efficiency and performance? Describe them briefly.
What advantage does value-based purchasing offer to a health care organization? Is there a downside to this strategy?
Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings. Consider how your colleagues’ postings relate to the information presented in the Learning Resources and to your own posting.
By Day 5
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings and continue the Discussion through Day 7. Compare logistical processes within your organization with those posted by one of your colleagues. Offer any suggestions that may improve their processes.
MMHA6700 Healthcare Operations Management
Week 8 Discussion
The Impact of Information Technology on Operations
The mobile technology revolution has impacted nearly every industry, and revolutionized communication and connection. Mobile technology has made an appearance in many health care organizations. From mobile health apps to learning via video, electronic health records, and “big data” analysis, mobile health technology is poised to have a continuous impact on health care for some time to come. Some facilities use tablets to access patient information on the spot, tools for patient monitoring have increased, and improved data gathering can result in better outcomes.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by selecting the “Post to Discussion” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before selecting Submit!
To prepare for this Discussion:
Read the articles provided this week and reflect on the use of information technology in your health care organization or an organization with which you are familiar. Also, consider the recent trend in the implementation of mobile technology in health care organizations. Conduct an online search to find information about mobile IT implementation in other industries.
By Day 3
Post a cohesive response to the following:
Write an assessment of the logistical, financial, and any other considerations of implementing eMobile/eHealth information technology in your organization. If mobile technology is in use in your organization, give a brief description of the technology in use, and assess the impact this has had on operations.
Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings. Consider how your colleagues’ postings relate to the information presented in the Learning Resources and to your own posting.
By Day 5
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings and continue the Discussion through Day 7. Recommend best practices from other industries that can help health care organizations achieve an optimal outcome.
MMHA6700 Healthcare Operations Management
Week 10 Discussion
Performance Improvement
Clearly the criteria, discipline, and focus that underlie the Baldrige process have been key contributors to our daily improvements. The feedback we received … has been instrumental in providing a clear road map for the journey.
—Michael Murphy, CEO, 2007 Baldrige Award recipient, Sharp HealthCare
Incremental change is how a culture of continuous improvement creates a pattern of success. In the Discussion for Week 4, you examined an organization’s actions in relation to criteria of high reliability and recommended steps for improvement. This week, you will revisit your recommendations.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by selecting the “Post to Discussion” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before selecting Submit
To prepare for this Discussion:
Read this week’s articles on the standards for high reliability, then review the Week 4 Discussion. Draw comparisons between your organization and others, and examine any feedback provided by your peers.
By Day 3
Post a cohesive response to the following:
With the feedback and this week’s readings in mind, reexamine the steps for improvement of high reliability which you suggested for your organization. Would you change your recommendations in light of what you have learned in this course? Could your recommended steps be expanded or refined?
Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings. Consider how your colleagues’ postings relate to the information presented in the Learning Resources and to your own posting.
By Day 5
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings and continue the Discussion through Day 7. Provide feedback for your colleagues on their revised and improved recommendations.
MMHA6700 Healthcare Operations Management
Week 11 Discussion
Future Implications
High energy is usually present when a new initiative is introduced, at the start of a large project, or at the beginning of an effort to solve a problem. However, as time passes, new priorities emerge, team members change, and operations can drift back to unsatisfactory levels.
—Daniel B. McLaughlin and John R. Olson
As you reflect on what you have learned in this course about the changes in health care delivery and their impacts, about tools for project management, decision making, and performance improvement, and the operational implications for these trends and tools, consider how any of the projects or changes taking place can be sustained over the long term, and how change and growth in a health care organization can be managed.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by selecting the “Post to Discussion” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before selecting Submit!
To prepare for this Discussion:
Consider the range of topics covered in this course and the implications they hold for the future. Identify your three most important takeaways.
By Day 3
Post a cohesive response to the following:
Describe the three takeaways which are the most important and relevant for you in your current role. How can this information impact the long-term viability of your organization? If you are not working in a health care organization, name three takeaways from this course that you can apply in your current situation.
Consider what changes or considerations could be sustainable and still in place nine months from now. Which changes will still be in place in 18 months? Which will be still in place two years from now?
Support your response by identifying and explaining key points and/or examples presented in the Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings. Consider how your colleagues’ postings relate to the information presented in the Learning Resources and to your own posting.
By Day 5
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ postings and continue the Discussion through Day 7. List and describe three examples of practices in other organizations that you could present to your current organization as operational improvements. How would these practices affect the long-term viability of your current organization?
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