1 Copyright 2012 Health Administration Press

CHAPTER 2

BOOK COMPANION

Chapter 2 provides an extensive review of the background and historical context of performance

improvement. Performance improvement is not a new concept, and many of the tools,

techniques, and philosophies outlined in the text are based in the past. Although the terminology

has changed, many of the core concepts remain the same. The major topics in this chapter

include

• systems thinking and knowledge-based management;

• scientific management and project management;

• quality experts;

• service typologies; and

• philosophies of performance improvement, including Six Sigma, Lean, and supply chain

management.

The author invites readers’ comments, recommended readings, website suggestions, and any

other material that can be added to this page for this or any other chapter. Click here to send an

e-mail. Please include “Healthcare Operations Management, 2nd edition” in the subject line.

Resources

PowerPoint

To access a PowerPoint presentation covering the key points of Chapter 2, click on the icon

below to open/close the attachments panel:

HC Ops 2 slides - Chapter 2.ppt

2 Copyright 2012 Health Administration Press

Websites of Interest

Because many historians have studied the pioneers of operations science, many websites (some

with videos) are available.

Videos (available online)

Deming and Ackoff—This link takes you to video clips related to Deming (“The Prophet of

Quality,” “The 14 Points,” “Profound Knowledge,” and “The Red Bead Experiment”) and

Ackoff (“A New World View”). These clips are from full-length videos available for

purchase on the site. To view these clips, select FREE from the menu at the left of the page.

When you have accessed the FREE page, you will see a link at the top of the right column to

“Free DVD Clips.” Click on this link. To view the clips on this linked page, simply click on

your connection speed. Note that these clips open in RealPlayer. If you do not have this

software installed on your computer, you can download it for free by clicking on the

RealPlayer icon at the top of the DVD clips page.

W. Edwards Deming: Prophet Unheard—This link takes you to a clip from the full-length video

available for purchase on the site.

Audiocasts

MP3 Audiocasts: Quality Gurus—Paul Palmes, Quality Assurance Director of Northern Pipe

Products Inc., tells the story of the quality “gurus.”

Philosophies/Programs/People

Philosophies/Programs

Chapter 2 provides the historical context for many of the operations improvement tools in use

today. The following websites provide more detailed information about these programs:

Baldrige Award

3 Copyright 2012 Health Administration Press

ISO certification

Just in time

Lean

Six Sigma

Supply chain management

Toyota Production System

People

The following websites provide more information about many of the individuals mentioned in

Chapter 2:

Ackoff, Russell

Berwick, Donald

Chase, Richard B. (customer contact model)

Crosby, Philip B.

Deming, W. Edwards

Donabedian, Avedis

Feigenbaum, Armand V.; more on Feigenbaum

Ford, Henry

Gantt, Henry

Gilbreth, Frank and Lillian

Hayes, Robert H. (Product-Process Matrix)

Ishikawa, Kaoru; more on Ishikawa

Juran, Joseph; more on Juran

Kant, Immanuel

4 Copyright 2012 Health Administration Press

Nightingale, Florence

Ohno, Taiichi

Porter, Michael

Shewhart, Walter

Shingo, Shigeo

Smith, Adam

Taylor, Frederick

List of Organizations

The following organizations have made a long-term commitment to operations improvement,

quality, and the advancement of the science of operations management.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

American Society for Quality (ASQ)

Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG)

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)

Institute of Medicine (IOM)

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

The Joint Commission

Juran Institute

Lean Enterprise Institute

Leapfrog Group

Project Management Institute

W. Edwards Deming Institute

5 Copyright 2012 Health Administration Press

Additional Readings

“Baldrige, Six Sigma, & ISO: Understanding Your Options”

“The Evolution of Six Sigma”—Six Sigma methodology is an evolutionary development

combining the best elements from many earlier quality initiatives. You must register with the

linked site to download this content.

“Service Process Matrix”—from the Encyclopedia of Management

OPERATIONS HEALTHCARE

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