Operations Management Roles and Goals

Running Head: Operations Management Roles and Goals

Operations Management Roles and Goals

Healthcare operations management is defined “as the quantitative management of the supporting business systems and processes that transform resources (or inputs) into healthcare services (outputs) (Langabeer, 2008, p.6).” Inputs are the resources and assets such as technology, personnel, space, equipment, information and labor and capital including cash. Outputs are the actual production and delivery of the healthcare services. According to Langabeer quantitative management implies a heavy use of analytical and optimization tools and the use of process and quality improvement techniques to compel improved results. Some of the key functions of healthcare operations management include staffing, workflow, productivity management, supply chain and logistics management, and capacity design (Langabeer, 2008). There are many roles and goals of healthcare operations management.

Operations managers have a plethora of goals and functions within the hospital such as, reducing costs, reducing variability and improve logistics flow, improve productivity, improve the quality of customer service, and to continuously improve on its business processes (Langabeer, 2008).

One of the primary roles of the operations manager is to take costs out of the healthcare system. This can be achieved in many ways such as finding waste, improving utilization and reducing the overall costs of delivery services. “Identifying costs and eliminating unnecessary waste and effort is at the forefront of an operations manager’s priority lists (Langabeer, 2008, p. 9).”

Logistics is another important role for the operations manager and is the planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of operations which includes patients, personnel, and all other resources. According to Langabeer operation managers can improve logistics by using a streamlined process and facility design to boost...