Improving access to health services – Challenges in Lean application

Purpose: Healthcare organisations face significant productivity pressures and are undergoing major service transformation. This paper serves to disseminate findings from a Lean healthcare project using a NHS Single Point of Access environment as the case study. It demonstrates the relevance and extent that Lean can be applied to this type of healthcare service setting. Design/methodology/approach: Action research was applied and Lean tools used to establish current state processes, identify wastes and develop service improvement opportunities based upon defined customer values. Findings: The quality of referral information was found to be the root cause of a number of process wastes and causes of failure for the service. Understanding the relationship and the nature of interaction between the service‟s customer/supplier led to more effective and sustainable service improvement opportunities and the co-creation of value. It was also recognised that not all the Lean principles could be applied to this type of healthcare setting. Practical implications: The study is useful to organisations using Lean to undertake service improvement activities. The paper outlines how extending the value stream beyond the organisation to include suppliers can lead to improved co-production and generation of service value. Originality/value: The study contributes to service productivity research by demonstrating the relevance and limitations of Lean application in a new healthcare service setting. The case study demonstrates the practical challenges of implementing Lean in reciprocal service design models and adds validity to existing contextual models

Applying Quality Function Deployment to Social Housing?

Purpose of this paper This paper focuses on the application of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) in a Housing Association located in the UK. Facing the problem of improving a company‟s performance, practitioners and academics have fashioned and applied a variety of models, theories and techniques. Design / methodology / approach The research questions were developed from a review of the quality and process improvement literature and tested using evidence from field- based, action research within a UK Housing Association company. The case study provides insight to the benefits and challenges arising from the application of QFD. Findings The results provided insight to the benefits and challenges arising from the application of a specific tool, QFD. The primary findings were: i) QFD can be successfully adapted, applied and utilised within the challenging environment of social housing and other sectors, such as professional services; ii) the model can be modified to use most processes/sub-processes; it must include both external and internal requirements and, to be useful, use more detailed process parameters appropriately. Practical implications The conclusions drawn add to on-going commentaries on aspects of quality improvement, especially the application of QFD within the service sector. The authors develop questions for future research regarding improvement projects. Originality/ Value The conclusion proposes that the implementation of QFD should have a positive impact upon a company; if approached in the right manner. It provides a useful mechanism for developing evidence based strategy of operational change, control and improvement. The research proposes questions for future research into aspects of operational quality and efficiency

A preliminary examination of the deployment of lean and reverse logistics within the pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC) UK

Drug treatment is the most common form of healthcare intervention and represents the highest non-staff revenue cost in the UK National Health Service (NHS).The annual drugs bill in the UK equates to just about 10% of NHS expenditure (McKee, 2012). Demand for NHS healthcare is effectively infinite (Lodge and Bamford, 2008); there are constant efforts to increase capacity and operational budgets are constrained. One area where hospital pharmacies are looking for cost saving and better services is through improving their Supply Chain Management (SCM) (AT Kearney, 2009). However, they have not only to manage the forward components of the logistics process to minimise waste and maximise patient wellbeing, but to manage the reverse components as well (Jamali et al., 2010). Success in this area can be realised through the application of a Lean Philosophy which focuses on eliminating waste by defining value (Brandao, 2009)

Lean Thinking: Theory, Application and Dissemination

This book was written and compiled by the University of Huddersfield to share the learnings and experiences of seven years of Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded projects with the National Health Service (NHS). The focus of these projects was the implementation of Lean thinking and optimising strategic decision making processes. Each of these projects led to major local improvements and this book explains how they were achieved and compiles the lessons learnt. The book is split into three chapters; Lean Thinking Theory, Lean Thinking Applied and Lean Thinking Dissemination

An investigation into the aspects of innovation within the downstream domain of the pharmaceutical supply chain

An investigation into the aspects of innovation within the downstream domain of the pharmaceutical supply chain This research evaluates the implementation of innovative programmes within the downstream domain of the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain (PSC). Pharmacies are considered as key links between healthcare services and patients because they are responsible for dispensing and managing pharmaceuticals in order to prolong life. Considering the healthcare organisations‘ crucial role and that they face the challenge of minimising the cost of healthcare services while enhancing service quality, healthcare organisations tend to try improvement approaches and innovative interventions to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness. Specifically, they tend to focus on improving their Supply Chain Management (SCM) in order to reduce waste, in particular with regards to their medicine expenditure, and to provide improved services. However, implementing innovation within the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain (PSC) is not yet adequate; at present there appears to be a lack of experience and knowledge of how such initiatives should be undertaken. Research that examines potential innovative contributions might therefore make a defined contribution to the sector. This research, therefore, aims to assess the current medicine delivery process and identify the issues responsible for weak process performances and the factors that influence pharmacies‘ innovativeness within two diverse European contexts, the UK and Greece. An exploratory research design, embracing a mixed-methods approach, was used to analyse the issues associated with PSC inefficiency and assess to what extent innovation could be adopted by hospital and community pharmacies to improve the delivery process of pharmaceutical products. The qualitative data was gathered through 30 interviews with key professionals working within the downstream domain of the PSC in the two selected geographical areas. A total of 21 in-depth interviews in the UK and 9 in Greece were conducted to examine the elements preventing the effective and efficient delivery of medicines. Simultaneously, an online survey was developed to collect the quantitative data. The final sample (N=130) consisted of specialists working within the down stream domain of the PSC in Greece and the UK. The quantitative data analysis aimed to identify the factors that support or prevent innovation within this specific and complex environment. The analysis and combination of these two sets of data enabled the researcher to gain a comprehensive understanding and recommend innovative solutions that are suitable to the system under investigation, leading to continuous improvement. This research contriputes to academic literature as it adds more theoritical insights to innovative delively processes, especially those that have been characterised as highly complex. The results led to the generation of the Innovative Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Framework (IPSCF) that provides guidelines to healthcare organisations about how the identified problems can be overcome by implementing suitable innovative techniques. The implementation of Lean and Reverse Logistics practices, which are supported by integrated Information Technology (IT) systems, are suggested as a means for healthcare organisations to enhance their delivery system in terms of quality (products and service quality), visibility (knowledge and information sharing), speed (respond to customers and suppliers needs) and cost (minimisation of cost and waste) and therefore generate a competitive edge. The study‘s recommendations have important implications for pharmacies, as they provide guidance regards suitable innovative programmes that can be adopted. The outputs of this research are specifically relevant to the pharmacy sectors of the UK and Greece, but may have also relevance for European healthcare organisations

Orientation to work: comparison between the British workforce and Polish migrant workers

The aim of this study is to investigate the differences between Polish migrant workers and British labour in relation to their orientation to work. Using a sample of 128 employees in the industrial sector in the UK, we examined the orientation to work among the workforce. The results show a difference in orientation towards employment between the employees in the industrial sector, in the UK. Polish workers reveal characteristics of intrinsic orientation to work, while British employees reveal characteristics of instrumental orientation to work. Unexpectedly, the results suggest that individuals with intrinsic orientation to work expose higher need for recuperation

Where is the competitive edge in Knowledge Transfer?: the impact of KTPs

The need for technology transfer from universities to industry is a theme that resonates throughout many advanced countries of the world. This paper explores the effectiveness and efficiency of Business and Management schools in transferring technology through formal Knowledge Transfer schemes; it examines the value and impact of these activities by reporting on the outputs from thirteen major case studies across two sectors, manufacturing and healthcare. The paper assesses the impact of knowledge transfer, in relation to the development of a competitive edge and proposes some initial frameworks for potential application and use

Research opportunities through the use of social media?

The rapid grow of technology, its perceived ease of use and a demanding working environment, has led to the increasing use of social software by businesses. Reported evidence reveals that companies have enhanced their performance through developing social networks; being transparent by sharing information through collaborative communities appears to improve organisational productivity. Limited emphasis has been placed on the use of social media in Operations Management (OM) research and its impact on generating research outcomes. This paper, therefore, aims to explore the factors that inspire or prevent scholars from using social media as a key element within their research projects

The Impact of Supply Chain Characteristics on the Adoption of Innovation

Healthcare organisations have important roles in society in terms of safeguarding and promoting public health. Considering the healthcare organisations’ crucial role and the fact that they face the challenge of minimising the cost of healthcare services while enhancing service quality, healthcare organisations tend to adopt various improvement approaches and innovative interventions to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness. This research evaluates the implementation of innovative programmes within Pharmaceutical Supply Chains (PSC). It aims to assess the current medicine delivery process and identify the factors that affect the perceived innovation level within the PSC in two diverse European contexts