Enhancing operational efficiency in a health care organization

Article Abstract:

A quantitative model was developed for forecasting workload levels needed at an emergency unit of a hospital, treating the problem in a manner similar to production system approaches. A 590-bed regional hospital in Tennessee recorded 56,294 visits to its emergency room in the fiscal year ending June 1990. In an increasingly competitive atmosphere, the hospital wished to streamline operations to cut operating costs, but also to improve service quality, and sought an aid to avoid understaffing or overstaffing of its emergency room. The model developed can be used in a computer spreadsheet and can put out a forecast for any shift at any time of year. It is said to be useful for hospitals of any size or type, and can be modified to forecast patient numbers in particular categories as well as aggregates.

Management, Quality management, Medical care quality, Health facilities

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Have health care professionals adopted the marketing concept?

Article Abstract:

A survey of hospital administrators, nurses, and physicians indicates differing degrees of acceptance of the marketing concept for healthcare services. The marketing concept is stated as the need for organizations to identify the needs and wants of their target markets, then offer the services and products desired. The marketing concept was preferred by top hospital administrators, who saw it as the best approach for serving patients. Physicians and nurses were found to prefer the product concept and see it as the best means of providing patient services, looking upon the marketing concept with, at best, mixed feelings.

Physicians, Medical professions, Nurses, Surveys, Hospitals, Health services administrators, Hospital administration

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Applying mail response enhancement techniques to health care surveys: a cost-benefit approach

Article Abstract:

The use of financial incentives (such as including a dollar bill) to increase mail survey response rates is seen to have a significant positive impact, and apparently did not skew the demographics or attitudinal characteristics of the response group, according to a study. The survey included 1206 mailed surveys to healthcare consumers in the Midwest and included combinations of three variables to test their effects on response rates. Six groupings were developed based on levels of the variables of financial incentives, time appeals, and promised charitable contributions.

Mail surveys, Survey response rates, Medical care surveys

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