Identifying and Mitigating Workflow Issues in a Complex Organizational Environment: Dealing with Bottlenecks in Healthcare Systems
By
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to take this chance for thanking my research facilitator, friends and family for support they provide, their belief in me as well as the guidance they provided me, without that I would have never been able to do this research.
DECLARATION
I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, & this dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level previously. It also represents my own views & not essentially the ones associated with university.
Signed __________________ Date _________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSII
DECLARATIONIII
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION1
Background and Policy Description of NHS2
Rationale3
Research Methodology4
Research Approach5
Data Collection Methods5
Research Aims6
Research Objectives7
Statement of Hypothesis7
Research Questions7
Structure of the Dissertation8
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW9
Theoretical Framework9
Identifying Workflow issues in Healthcare9
Efficiency and Effectiveness of the Healthcare Industry10
Cost Containment in Healthcare Industry10
Capacity Management of Outpatient Clinics11
Empirical Studies on NHS13
Health Equity13
Equality in Utilization of Health Service14
Predictions of Future Outcomes15
Measuring Equality of Health Outcomes16
Different Types of Bottlenecks18
Assessment of Current Treatment Options19
Creation and Evolution of the National Health Service19
Reforms to the NHS over time20
Methods needed for the reduction of bottlenecks21
Scope of the data for future22
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY22
Introduction22
Methodological Context23
Methods26
Sample26
Instruments26
Data Collection27
Importance and Limitations28
Proposed analysis of the data29
CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION31
Major Bottlenecks in NHS31
Poor Communication in Healthcare Institutions31
Lack of Capacity34
Variation in Demand and Capacity39
Measures of Performance40
Distinct trends of NHS within the UK41
Partisan Consensus on Public Health Care41
Technological advancements in Healthcare Sector42
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION45
Summary45
Measures for Reducing Delays48
Identification of Bottlenecks52
Discussion53
Brief History of Healthcare Industry54
Patient and Staff Satisfaction55
Quality care in Healthcare Industry56
Adequate Procedures and Policies57
Efficient Use of Resources58
Reasons for No Show up Appointments59
Lead Time Appointments60
Previous Attendance Patterns61
Patient Demographic and No Show Behaviour62
Age of Patient for Lower Attendance62
Gender Factor for Attendance Rates63
Patient Attendance64
Cost Benefit in Healthcare Industry64
Broken Appointments65
Recommendations66
REFERENCES69
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Identifying and mitigating the workflow issues is an important process that can bring various changes within the organizational system. The current study is based on the identification and mitigation of the workflow issues and dealing with the bottlenecks in the healthcare system. The study aims to identify various issues and bottlenecks in the workflow of the healthcare system and give suggestions for mitigating these bottlenecks in the healthcare system. The healthcare system that has been selected for identifying and mitigating workflow issues and bottlenecks is the National Health Service (NHS).
The research is based on analysis of the bottlenecks of the healthcare system in the United Kingdom. The healthcare system is an important infrastructural element in any advanced economy. It has effects on the health of the population and thereby affects labour reproduction costs and as such it has an effect on the performance of the economy as a whole. In the United Kingdom, some 1.18 million whole time equivalent staff works directly for the NHS and it consumes £160 Billion pounds per year in cost.
The study is mainly based on the analysis of the constraints or the restrictions in one form or the other that ...