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A problem-solving routine for improving hospital operations.
Manimay Ghosh1, Durward K Sobek Ii
1Department of Operations Management and Decision Sciences, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, India.
Journal of Health Organization and Management
|March 25, 2015
Summary
A systematic problem-solving routine is crucial for hospital process improvement. Adhering to all steps leads to greater improvements and sustained operational efficiency by preventing recurring issues.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Operations Research
- Quality Improvement
Background:
- Hospitals often face challenges with process improvement efforts.
- Short-term solutions are frequently adopted, failing to address root causes of recurring problems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically investigate the role of systematic problem-solving routines in hospital process improvement.
- To understand why healthcare workers may favor short-term solutions over long-term preventative measures.
Main Methods:
- Grounded theory approach applied to data from 18 process improvement cases.
- Data collection included semi-structured interviews, reports, documents, and artifacts.
Main Results:
- Full adherence to problem-solving steps correlated with higher improvement degrees.
- Two models were developed: one explaining short-term solution tendencies, another detailing behaviors for sustained improvement and problem recurrence prevention.
Conclusions:
- Effective problem-solving routines in healthcare settings should possess three key characteristics.
- Adopting these routines can enhance patient care and operational efficiency in hospitals.
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