Operations Management

Operations Management

Brad Baker

University of Phoenix

OPS/HC 571

May 16, 2011

Selena Townsend

Operations Management

“Healthcare operations management is a discipline that integrates scientific principles of management to determine the most efficient and optimal methods to support patient care delivery” (Langabeer, 2008, p. 3). Healthcare operations management encompasses all aspects of the business and management processes within the organization. This includes: staffing levels, workflow, productivity, quality, and logistics, just to name a few. Operations management also provides job opportunities for many management and analyst positions. As increased cost efficiency and accountability arise, more operations management positions will need to be filled.

Goals of Healthcare Operations Manager

The operations manager has many functions and goals inside the organization. These consist of: reducing costs, reduce variability and improve logistics flow, improve productivity, improve quality of customer service, and continuously improving business processes.

Reduce Costs

“Operations managers’ primary role is to take costs out of the healthcare system” (Langabeer, 2008, p. 9). Managers must identify and eliminate unnecessary costs and find ways to improve the delivery of the organizations services.

Reduce Variability and Improve Logistics Flow

Operations managers are always looking for the most effective and efficient way to provide their goods and services. They are looking for ways to eliminate inconsistent results and improving the flow of the workplace while increasing capacity of the facility.

Improve Productivity

Improving the productivity of the organization is one of the most vital roles of an operations manager. Managers look for ways to increase the output from all employees and other assets while decreasing the inputs.

Improve Quality of Customer Service

Although the operations manager is trying to find ways to cut costs, he/she must be...