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Key Concept Explanation

Operations, or operations management, is the process by which an organization adds value to inputs to create marketable outputs. Operations can also be defined as a multidisciplinary approach to ensuring the efficient production of goods or services (“Operations Management”, 2017). Managers who oversee operations are responsible for transformation processes like altering, which change an object or condition in a way that adds value. The topic of transformation processes is interesting because it represents the simplest function of operations management. In addition, studying transformation processes enabled me to view my job in the healthcare field with a new and different perspective.

Comparison

The materials provided through the textbook readings as well as the items researched for this assignment provided a well-rounded understanding of the topic of operations and the transformation process. The textbook delivered a baseline explanation of the topics by defining inputs, outputs, and the transformational processes that can take place including alteration, transport, storage, and inspection (Meredith & Shafer, 2016). However, the additional research focused specifically on operations and transformational processes in the healthcare and service field.

Key topics including revenue cycle management, cultural transformation, and approaches to socially responsible operations management were discussed in the supplementary research. Lee et al. (2016) said that one of the greatest challenges in the healthcare field is the transformational process related to coding, billing, and payment for medical services. Marshall et al. (2016) highlighted the importance of organizational culture and argued that the transformational processes related to an organization’s goods or services is not possible without the organization’s culture transforming first. While Meredith & Shafer (2016) briefly discussed the alteration process as it relates to services, Jung et al. (2015) offered an in-depth perspective on socially responsible service operations. The course text explained that both for-profit and non-profit organizations exist to add value, but Jung et al. (2015) and Marshall et al. (2016) highlighted the capacity for organizations to transform more than just their products or services and actually transform internal culture and influence their communities.

Article Summary

When healthcare organizations look at operations, they are considering inputs, outputs, and transformation processes that could have serious implications for human life. For this reason, operations management in the healthcare field is concerned with patient safety and improving care. In Healthcare Operations Management: a structured literature review by Jha et al. (2016), the authors discuss elements of operations management relevant to healthcare.

Some of the elements included in the article are service quality, drivers of quality in healthcare, patient safety, service operations strategy, cost management, and human resource management. The authors highlighted the recent trend towards process improvement over investments in individual enrichment as a means for improving service quality. They discussed how high patient volumes, involvement in teaching, and higher quality resources during overnight shifts are drivers in quality healthcare. The operationalization of safety protocols was included as a factor for patient safety. In addition, patient scheduling and strategies for reducing overtime and idle time were included as examples of service operations strategy. Mass customization was mentioned as a strategy for cost management. Finally, human resource management was included as a way to increase employee commitment. This article was useful for explaining key factors related to operations management within the healthcare field and provided insight into the transformational processes that decrease the likelihood of harmful mistakes while increasing overall patient safety and satisfaction.

Biblical Integration

One could say that God is in the business of transformational processes. In the beginning, God changed the formless, empty earth (the input) through the transformational process of alteration, into his good creation (the output). This story, found in Genesis 1, introduces us to God as the ultimate operations manager. The narrative of the Bible is the transformational power of God’s love through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (English Standard Version). Christians are also called to “be transformed by the renewing of [our] minds” (Romans 12:2, English Standard Version). These processes produce added value through the gift of eternal life and have the power to transform the world and usher in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Application

The transformation processes involved in operations management occur within every organization. At Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility, two main types of alterations occur when patients successfully complete their programs. First, individual’s bodies are physically altered through the withdrawal management process. During this transformation, people who are experiencing withdraw from drugs or alcohol are able to detoxify their bodies with the help of medications provided by staff. Secondly, patients benefit from psychological alterations through counseling and other therapies designed to educate and restore individuals who struggle with substance use disorders. Understanding various approaches to operations management is useful for creating effective transformational processes within healthcare and other service-oriented fields.

Annotated Bibliography