Lean healthcare supply chain management: minimizing waste and costs

The purpose of this research is to investigate the management models applied in the supply chain providing services in healthcare organizations, considering the lenses of lean. The aim of this is to develop a model of supply chain management focusing on the identification and minimization of waste, assisting in decision making and contributing to the quality of services and as a consequence the reduction of the costs involved in healthcare supply chain. The philosophies of continuous improvement and lean techniques have a role to play in helping healthcare to provide quality service and support to reduce costs in the current budget constraints. In the supply chain of hospitals the financial costs can be around 40% of its budget (MASOUMI et al. 2012; SOUZA et al., 2013). This article sheds light on the improvement in decision making and the effect of reducing costs in the healthcare supply chain. In this sense, the research intend to expand knowledge related to supply chain management in the area of provision of healthcare services through the use of the philosophy of continuous improvement and lean principles, helping healthcare to provide quality service within their current budget constraints

Modelagem e análise da confiabilidade de sistemas

Este trabalho apresenta uma discussão a respeito dos principais métodos e técnicas utilizados na modelagem e na análise da Confiabilidade de sistemas. Primeiramente são apresentados os mais importantes conceitos da área da Engenharia de Confiabilidade, bem como os principais métodos para a análise da Confiabilidade de componentes, que servem de fundamento para a análise da Confiabilidade de sistemas. A utilização das informações de Confiabilidade em ambientes produtivos, bem como as implicações técnicas e gerenciais associadas a metas de Confiabilidade também são sucintamente abordadas. De modo a verificar a utilidade e a aplicabilidade prática dos métodos e algoritmos discutidos, é apresentado um software de apoio: o RelySys (Reliability Software for Systems Analysis). Operando com amostras de dados completas ou censuradas, sua principal função é a de auxiliar o engenheiro de Confiabilidade nas etapas de modelagem e análise da Confiabilidade de sistemas em série, a partir das informações de Confiabilidade dos componentes do sistema.This work presents a discussion about the most useful methods and techniques on systems’ Reliability modeling and analysis. Initially, the most important concepts of the branch of Reliability Analysis and the leading methods on components’ Reliability analysis, which are used as basis on systems Reliability analysis, are presented. The uses of Reliability information on productive environments, as well as the technical and administrative implications, are also discussed. In order to verify the utility and the practical applicability of the methods and algorithms discussed, a software is presented: RelySys (Reliability Software for Systems Analysis). Based on Reliability information about the components of the system, and dealing with censored or non-censored samples, its main function is to provide support for Reliability Engineers in all steps of the Reliability modeling and analysis of series systems

PSCPF: planning, scheduling and control of patient flow

Paper aims: Lack of operational planning in healthcare organizations may result in service disconnection and reduced value per effort to the patient. Production Planning, Scheduling and Control assists in determining “what,” “how much,”= “when” and “where” to deliver, which may be of great relevance to healthcare services. This study proposes a structural framework and analyzes the implementation of PPSC concepts in OR management. Originality: The application of concepts from manufacturing applied to healthcare as the PPSC, present in this text, demonstrates the crossing and alignment of global management techniques and tools applicable to both areas. Research method: The discussion is based on data gathered through action-research in a Brazilian public hospital. Main findings: In the hospital under study, the PSCPF implementation resulted in increased production control of surgeries, increased efficiency in management of waiting lists, increased operational efficiency, and motivational gains from staff integration. Implications for theory and practice: The understanding and proper implementation of the concept of PPSC contributed =to mitigate problems related to capacity management, reduced the unawareness of different levels of demand and waiting lists, cut down scheduling errors, and prevented the provision of false information from the disconnection between the various areas of the hospital.- (undefined

Sustainability: An Introduction View from ICIEOM

This Special Issue of the Brazilian Journal of Operations and Production Management (BJOPM) features four papers selected from the XVIII International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (ICIEOM), which conference theme was “Sustainability”, and two invited papers based on keynote speeches regarding Sustainability and its association to Industrial Engineering fields (one from ICIEOM and the other from the ENEGEP conference). This editorial paper evaluates and summarizes these selected contributions as well as introduces the term sustainability

2P. A conceptual framework to develop Green IT – going beyond the idea of environmental sustainability

This paper presents a conceptual framework aiming to better research, understand and develop Green IT within organizations. Based on a literature review on Green IT, regarding the concepts of responsibility and sustainability, we propose an initial framework with five dimensions: ethical, technological, economical, social and environmental. These dimensions compose Green IT strategies and practices. Additionally, the framework considers that environmental changing requirements, strategic requirements and dynamic capabilities are the forces which move organizations toward green practices and foster innovation. This framework is part of a five-year horizon project that began in 2009 and aims to contribute to the theory in the field, having as initial goal to identify the constructs associated with Green IT

8P. A Proposal for Metrics of Organizational Knowledge Creation based on a Simulation Model

This working paper aims to present the progress in the construction of a survey instrument for validating the results of a simulation model for organizational knowledge creation. Azevedo et al. (2010) developed a computer simulation model based on the contributions of March (1991), and incorporating aspects of Nonaka & Takeuchi’s (1997) SECI model to measure the knowledge generated in an organization. The model uses seven parameters to analyze knowledge generation: (i) the speed of socialization of the individual with the code of the organization; (ii) the effectiveness of the organization to learn; (iii) the turnover; (iv) the existence of market turbulence; (v) the adhesion of an individual to the code of the organization before he is hired; (vi) the influence of the market; and (vii) the influence of one individual to another. Based on the model, a survey instrument is being developed in order to evaluate the parameters in an organization and to compare the results of scenarios generated by the simulation with data from organizations. At this stage of the research, the discussion focuses on the different constructs that compose a parameter and the sets of statements that can express those constructs

Operating room effectiveness: a lean health-care performance indicator

Purpose: Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is a performance indicator that is been used to measure manufacturing productivity. The purpose of this paper is to propose the operating room effectiveness for hospital operating rooms (ORs), adapted from the OEE, to measure performance and identify losses based on lean health-care principles. Design/methodology/approach: The present study is an exploratory, descriptive and applied research work. Literature review, documents of the hospital, observation and interviews with employees of a large university hospital in southern Brazil were analyzed to organize the proposed effectiveness indicator. After that, historical data of the ORs was collected and the usefulness of the indicator was analyzed. The indicator was applied for 10 months and validated with an expert committee from the hospital. Findings: The present study describes an adaptation of a performance indicator to ORs of hospitals, allowing to classify its types of operational losses in a lean health-care context. The application of this indicator and the development of improvement actions to a university hospital, resulted in operational efficiency gains of 12 per cent and estimated annual savings of US$400,000. Practical implications: ORs are a critical service for hospitals. This paper presents a new way to measure the performance of ORs and identify their main types of wastes. It also shows how to implement it and the potential gains of its application. The main research limitations are related to technical analysis of care data from doctors and nurses involved. Originality/value: This paper fulfills the need to study how ORs performance can be measured and its operational wastes can be identified. In addition, this paper classifies the planning, performance and quality related losses, which can be used by researchers and practitioners to improve the performance of operation rooms.This work was partially supported by Portuguese national funds through FCT–Fundação para aCiência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2019

Lean office: Kaizen for improving communication processes

The application of lean thinking in offices and administrative processes has been growing in recent years and its results are still being evaluated. Organizational internal communication processes are constantly changing, and are important for the dissemination of organizational strategy and accelerate the dissemination of information among employees. Such processes require methods to guide the continuous improvement, resulting in speed and reduction of waste. This paper presents an application of the concepts of Lean Office from conducting Kaizen events in an agribusiness cooperative, more specifically in processes of their communication department. After the implementation of the proposed improvements, the process results reached around 50% reduction in cycle time by eliminating activities that do not add value

O Coordenador de Curso Superior e a Autopercepção do PsyCap

This study analyzes the self-perception of higher education program coordinators working on private and community higher education institutions in Southern Brazil about their Psychological Capital (PsyCap), and their perceived ability to generate PsyCap in faculty members with whom they work. The study is based on four dimensions to assess PsyCap: Optimism, Self-Efficacy, Hope and Resilience (Luthans, Youssef, & Avolio, 2007; Luthans, Youssef-Morgan, & Avolio, 2015), and some references on University Management, focusing on the role of program coordinators (Argenta, 2011; Colombo, 2011, 2013; Demo, 2005; Ferreira, 2009; Franco, 2013; Marcon, 2008). The research design is mixed, with data gathered by an electronic survey based on the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ24) instrument (N = 309), followed by semi-structured interviews with 10 program coordinators. Data analyses indicate a considerable amount of operational activities assigned to program coordinators, which interferes in their capacity of fully manage the programs they coordinate. Average level of Self-Efficacy was higher in men, and average level of Optimism was higher in women. The years of working experience at University was significant to self-perceived PsyCap levels, and coordinators who have between 5 and 10 years of working experience in higher education institutions presented the higher average of self-perceived PsyCap in the sample.Este estudo objetivou analisar a autopercepção de coordenadores de curso superior de IES privadas e comunitárias do RS/Brasil sobre o seu Capital Psicológico (PsyCap) e a sua capacidade de gerá-lo nos professores com os quais trabalham. O estudo é baseado em quatro dimensões para analisar o PsyCap: Otimismo, Autoeficácia, Esperança e Resiliência (Luthans, Youssef, & Avolio, 2007; Luthans, Youssef-Morgan, & Avolio, 2015) e em referências sobre Gestão Universitária (Argenta, 2011; Colombo, 2011, 2013; Demo, 2005; Ferreira, 2009; Franco, 2013; Marcon, 2008). O estudo é quanti-qualitativo e os dados foram recolhidos por meio eletrónico com o instrumento Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ24) (N=309), seguida de entrevistas semiestruturadas a 10 coordenadores. A análise dos dados indica que ao coordenador são atribuídas várias atividades operacionais, o que interfere na sua capacidade de gerir plenamente o curso que coordena. Observou-se uma média mais alta de Autoeficácia nos homens, e Otimismo nas mulheres. O tempo de atuação no meio universitário foi significativo para o nível de PsyCap percebido, apontando que os coordenadores com 5 a 10 anos de atuação em IES apresentam as maiores médias no PsyCap

Sustentabilidade e os diferenciais Cooperativos: Um estudo em um Sistema Cooperativo de Crédito

Organizations have a hard time applying sustainability concepts to the heart of their businesses. Cooperatives have a great potential for differentiation within the topic. The goal of this paper was to propose a sustainability management framework that considers the specificities of a credit union and to apply it to diagnose their performance. The study, with a qualitative and quantitative approach, carried out a documentary analysis and interviews that originated the framework. The framework was converted into a survey with 95 credit cooperatives of the System. As a result, new sub-constructs related to cooperativism have emerged as "democratic management", "local development", "members training" and "regional articulation/intercooperation". The quantitative results showed that cooperatives have sporadic sustainability actions and that formal indicators and management processes are needed. Moreover, if the values of the cooperative identity are not practiced, there will be no materialization of this potential of differentiation in sustainabilityMuitas organizações ainda têm dificuldade em aplicar os conceitos de sustentabilidade no coração do seu negócio para criar valor compartilhado. As cooperativas têm um grande potencial de diferenciação dentro do tema, mas não tem se destacado em desempenho sustentável. Diante disto, o objetivo deste trabalho é propor um framework de gestão de sustentabilidade que considere as especificidades de uma cooperativa de crédito e aplicá-lo para diagnosticar o desempenho em sustentabilidade das cooperativas de crédito de um sistema cooperativo de crédito brasileiro. O estudo de nível exploratório adotou uma abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa. Primeiramente, foi feita uma análise documental de diretrizes de sustentabilidade e referencial em cooperativismo e realizadas entrevistas com líderes de cooperativas do Sistema. Originou-se o framework que foi convertido em uma survey aplicada às 95 cooperativas de crédito do Sistema estudado. Como resultados, foram propostos novos subconstructos especificamente ligados ao cooperativismo como: “gestão democrática”, “desenvolvimento local”, “capacitação de associados” e “articulação regional/intercooperação”. Nos resultados quantitativos o desempenho médio das 34 cooperativas de crédito mostrou que elas têm ações esporádicas de sustentabilidade e que é necessária a adoção de indicadores e processos de gerenciamento formais. Assim, viu-se que há uma forte aderência das cooperativas de crédito aos princípios das instituições financeiras sustentáveis, mas é necessário que o portfólio de crédito estimule o financiamento de atividades com impacto socioambiental positivo para que as cooperativas se destaquem como negócios inclusivos e responsáveis. Além disso, se os valores da identidade cooperativista não forem praticados e se não houver uma estratégia de gestão da sustentabilidade que inclua definição de indicadores e mensuração também de pilares sociais e ambientais, não haverá uma materialização deste potencial de diferenciação em sustentabilidade