Implementing a shared services model in a matrixed academic medical center.

Area of Science:

• Health Care Administration
• Organizational Management
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Academic medical centers (AMCs) face challenges in managing risks, inefficiencies, and fragmented processes.
• Stakeholder engagement is often hindered by poor communication between departments and service providers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the implementation and benefits of a shared services model in a school of medicine within a large AMC.
• To highlight how this model addresses key administrative challenges and improves operational efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a shared services model for administrative functions including human resources, finance, research administration, communications, and facilities.
• Evaluation of the model's impact over six years since its inception in 2019.

Main Results:

• The shared services model promoted economies of scale, improved efficiency, and maintained high-quality administrative support.
• Benefits include enhanced consistency, structure, collaboration, flexibility, and professional development.
• The model successfully balanced centralized support with unit independence, preserving autonomy.

Conclusions:

• Shared services models are effective in improving administrative productivity and processes in AMCs.
• This model is generalizable to other large, complex organizations in public and private sectors seeking efficiency gains.
• The model fosters smoother operations, a more engaged workforce, and supports the core missions of research, patient care, and education.