Business process reengineering: a remedy for health care

Health care organizations are facing significant economic constraints that threaten to dismantle core services. The perceived need for reform is great. Business process reengineering may be the strong medicine required to achieve dramatic productivity improvement without jeopardizing the quality and scope of core health care services. Reengineering challenges health care organizations to eliminate functions that do not contribute to a flattened organization structure in which fewer care providers deliver a wider range of health care services. Information technology is used to displace manual checks and controls. Reengineering may facilitate the implementation of contemporary management models, such as patient-focused care, case management and product or program management. The product of reengineering can be enhanced over time by Continuous Quality Improvement.