Patient logistics in healthcare - Case01
Problem Statement - What is logistics in healthcare?
Brainstorm
Different types of logistics (in health care)
Patient flow
Waiting times
Fragmentation of care
Different care givers, types of care & care settings
Referral process / patient records
Allocation
Communication
Learning goals
1) What is logistics in healthcare?
Visser HM, van Goor AR. Logistics: principles and practice. Groningen: Stenfert Kroese;
2006.
Chapter 1:
1.1 introduction to logistics:
def. Logistics entails the organization, planning, control and execution of the flow of goods from
development and purchasing, through manufacturing and distribution to the consumer (end user), up
to and including the reverse flow. The aim is to meet market demand at lowest cost and best use of
capital, and build long-term relationships with customers.
History: Back in the early days, thinking in terms of efficiency used to be good enough for good
management. Keeping costs down was the main concern. You could do this best by making mass
products. But large series led to long delivery times, which was one the motivating forces behind
the demand for better logistics. Nowadays we live in an era where it has become vital to respond
promptly to what the customer wants. Creativity and speed of response play dominant roles in
bringing a product to market exactly on time.
Primary process is flow of goods. Primary because it eventually generates the flow of money to the
enterprise. The flow of data is linked directly to it. Which together will lead to flow of money. The
object is to have everything up to the final flow under control and all aspects contributing positively
to the enterprise's results. Successfully implementing logistics — in other words, integrating the
flow of goods, data and money —ultimately leads to the best financial improvements.
Logistic subsystems:
,Focus on adding value of all parts.
- Subsystems are parts of a system that can be considered separate in themselves without
losing sight of the whole.
- Business logistics is the generic term for all activities performed to control the incoming and
outgoing flow of goods.
- Material management comprises all activities undertaken to feed the efficient flow of raw
materials and semi-finished products, and the accompanying flow of data, to and through the
production process, as well as those activities performed to achieve the most efficient
possible use of production equipment.
- Physical distribution management is concerned with the flow of goods and accompanying
flow of data that starts at the end of the production process and finishes with the consumer.
Material management:
We can distinguish four subsystems within the material management system:
,Production planning: making OR ready
Purchasing: medicines
Material handling: how to transport
Inventory control: where to keep what
In hospitals: material management is blood samples taken and developing of results and going
back to the physician. When the results are given to the patient it’s distribution.
Physical distribution: The physical distribution function performs together with and for the benefit
of other functions (such as production and sales) in the organization.
Dividing material management into purchasing(supply) logistics and production logistics:
, Purchasing logistics includes the control of the flow of goods and the accompanying flow of data
from the suppliers of raw (source) materials and manufacturers of semi-finished products to the start
of the production process.
Logistics in other sectors: Logistics serves the primary process of hospitals: the provision of
medical and nursing services. Elements of logistics also form part of the primary process itself.
Think of the flow of patients, making a distinction between those headed for either clinical or
outpatient treatment. In our opinion, many of the principles of logistics used in industry can also be
applied to the planning of patient flows. In the case of outpatients, optimizing the appointments and
examinations schedule can lead to reduced waiting times and increased production for the
department. In a clinical situation logistics can contribute to improving admissions planning. Again,
this can lead to reduced waiting times and an optimal use of bed capacity, thus keeping the costs of
non-occupied beds low. Hospitals must also deal with the flow of data (information) and documents
(administration) which are prerequisites for controlling the flow of both patients and goods. Recent
research in hospitals has been concentrated more on the logistics of goods rather than the logistics
of patients.
Vissers JMH, Beech R. Health Operations Management. patient flow logistics in health care:
Chapter 1:
Ancillary processes: physical structure, beds available, how to drive the beds around.
Def. Health OM can be defined as the analysis, design, planning, and control of all of the steps
necessary to provide a service for a client. = logistics
Problem Statement - What is logistics in healthcare?
Brainstorm
Different types of logistics (in health care)
Patient flow
Waiting times
Fragmentation of care
Different care givers, types of care & care settings
Referral process / patient records
Allocation
Communication
Learning goals
1) What is logistics in healthcare?
Visser HM, van Goor AR. Logistics: principles and practice. Groningen: Stenfert Kroese;
2006.
Chapter 1:
1.1 introduction to logistics:
def. Logistics entails the organization, planning, control and execution of the flow of goods from
development and purchasing, through manufacturing and distribution to the consumer (end user), up
to and including the reverse flow. The aim is to meet market demand at lowest cost and best use of
capital, and build long-term relationships with customers.
History: Back in the early days, thinking in terms of efficiency used to be good enough for good
management. Keeping costs down was the main concern. You could do this best by making mass
products. But large series led to long delivery times, which was one the motivating forces behind
the demand for better logistics. Nowadays we live in an era where it has become vital to respond
promptly to what the customer wants. Creativity and speed of response play dominant roles in
bringing a product to market exactly on time.
Primary process is flow of goods. Primary because it eventually generates the flow of money to the
enterprise. The flow of data is linked directly to it. Which together will lead to flow of money. The
object is to have everything up to the final flow under control and all aspects contributing positively
to the enterprise's results. Successfully implementing logistics — in other words, integrating the
flow of goods, data and money —ultimately leads to the best financial improvements.
Logistic subsystems:
,Focus on adding value of all parts.
- Subsystems are parts of a system that can be considered separate in themselves without
losing sight of the whole.
- Business logistics is the generic term for all activities performed to control the incoming and
outgoing flow of goods.
- Material management comprises all activities undertaken to feed the efficient flow of raw
materials and semi-finished products, and the accompanying flow of data, to and through the
production process, as well as those activities performed to achieve the most efficient
possible use of production equipment.
- Physical distribution management is concerned with the flow of goods and accompanying
flow of data that starts at the end of the production process and finishes with the consumer.
Material management:
We can distinguish four subsystems within the material management system:
,Production planning: making OR ready
Purchasing: medicines
Material handling: how to transport
Inventory control: where to keep what
In hospitals: material management is blood samples taken and developing of results and going
back to the physician. When the results are given to the patient it’s distribution.
Physical distribution: The physical distribution function performs together with and for the benefit
of other functions (such as production and sales) in the organization.
Dividing material management into purchasing(supply) logistics and production logistics:
, Purchasing logistics includes the control of the flow of goods and the accompanying flow of data
from the suppliers of raw (source) materials and manufacturers of semi-finished products to the start
of the production process.
Logistics in other sectors: Logistics serves the primary process of hospitals: the provision of
medical and nursing services. Elements of logistics also form part of the primary process itself.
Think of the flow of patients, making a distinction between those headed for either clinical or
outpatient treatment. In our opinion, many of the principles of logistics used in industry can also be
applied to the planning of patient flows. In the case of outpatients, optimizing the appointments and
examinations schedule can lead to reduced waiting times and increased production for the
department. In a clinical situation logistics can contribute to improving admissions planning. Again,
this can lead to reduced waiting times and an optimal use of bed capacity, thus keeping the costs of
non-occupied beds low. Hospitals must also deal with the flow of data (information) and documents
(administration) which are prerequisites for controlling the flow of both patients and goods. Recent
research in hospitals has been concentrated more on the logistics of goods rather than the logistics
of patients.
Vissers JMH, Beech R. Health Operations Management. patient flow logistics in health care:
Chapter 1:
Ancillary processes: physical structure, beds available, how to drive the beds around.
Def. Health OM can be defined as the analysis, design, planning, and control of all of the steps
necessary to provide a service for a client. = logistics
