How can you improve healthcare delivery systems with industrial engineering?

1 What are healthcare delivery systems?

Healthcare delivery systems are the networks of organizations, facilities, professionals, and technologies that provide health services to patients and populations. They include primary care, specialty care, hospital care, emergency care, home care, long-term care, and public health. Healthcare delivery systems aim to achieve the triple aim of improving health outcomes, enhancing patient experience, and reducing costs.

2 Why do healthcare delivery systems need industrial engineering?

Healthcare delivery systems face many challenges, such as increasing demand, limited resources, complex regulations, diverse stakeholders, and dynamic environments. These challenges affect the performance, quality, and safety of healthcare services, as well as the satisfaction and well-being of patients and providers. Industrial engineering can help healthcare delivery systems overcome these challenges by applying systems thinking, data analysis, process improvement, simulation modeling, human factors engineering, and project management to design and implement solutions that optimize the system as a whole.

3 How can industrial engineering improve healthcare processes?

One of the main ways industrial engineering can improve healthcare delivery systems is by streamlining and standardizing healthcare processes. Healthcare processes are the sequences of activities and tasks that deliver health services to patients, such as diagnosis, treatment, discharge, and follow-up. Industrial engineering can analyze and improve healthcare processes by using techniques such as value stream mapping, lean six sigma, and kaizen to identify and eliminate waste, variation, and errors, and to enhance value, quality, and efficiency.

4 How can industrial engineering improve healthcare operations?

Another way industrial engineering can improve healthcare delivery systems is by optimizing healthcare operations. Healthcare operations are the management and coordination of healthcare resources, such as staff, equipment, supplies, and facilities, to meet the demand and expectations of patients and providers. Industrial engineering can optimize healthcare operations by using techniques such as queuing theory, scheduling, inventory control, and capacity planning to balance demand and supply, reduce waiting times and costs, and increase utilization and throughput.

5 How can industrial engineering improve healthcare outcomes?

A third way industrial engineering can improve healthcare delivery systems is by enhancing healthcare outcomes. Healthcare outcomes are the results and impacts of healthcare services on the health status and quality of life of patients and populations. Industrial engineering can enhance healthcare outcomes by using techniques such as decision analysis, risk assessment, and quality improvement to support evidence-based practice, clinical decision making, patient safety, and performance measurement.

6 How can you get started with industrial engineering in healthcare?

If you are interested in applying industrial engineering to improve healthcare delivery systems, you can start by learning more about the concepts, methods, and tools of industrial engineering, as well as the challenges and opportunities of healthcare systems. You can also look for examples and case studies of industrial engineering projects and interventions in healthcare settings, such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and public health agencies. You can also join professional associations and networks of industrial engineers and healthcare professionals who share best practices and insights on how to improve healthcare delivery systems with industrial engineering.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?