This book offers a new perspective on improving healthcare that draws inspiration from sources as diverse as American healthcare history, Lean Six Sigma, patient experience, employee engagement, clinical microsystems, physician burnout, and industrial design thinking. This work focuses on the three value streams that form the foundation of all healthcare service processes: healthcare-worker value stream, patient value stream, and organizational process. The interaction of patients and healthcare workers in the context of these three value streams creates the meaningful experience that is essential to healing and to the success of healthcare organizations. Meaningful healthcare experience design guides the work of designing these value streams and improving them to promote experiences that are meaningful and healing for both patients and healthcare workers.

This book uses the case of the National Health Service to examine the management of ambiguity and change. Studies of the implementation of the Griffiths Report have identified a number of unintended consequences, but it is argued that they have not adequately theorised these outcomes in the policy implementation process. It is suggested that the process-sociological approach of Elias, and in particular his game models, enable us to better understand the complex interweaving of planned and unplanned processes which is involved in the management of change.

This case studies book is a unique, practical, cutting-edge, and indispensable go-to resource for front-line practitioners and educators in medicine. Each case study (chapter) is framed by a set of introductory learning objectives, an evaluation section, thought-provoking discussion questions, and references to further readings. Furthermore, the book is conveniently organized along the continuum of medical care delivery, providing quick access to ad-hoc solutions in safety- and quality-compromised situations, illustrating how skillful communication can be the key to a more effective prevention, intervention, and response to "close calls" and adverse events. The case studies book is unique and innovative in its interdisciplinary integration of the contemporary literature in communication science with current "hot buttons" of patient safety. It manifests a valuable interdisciplinary collaboration by translating the basic tenets of human communication science for practitioners of medicine, providing a conceptual, evidence-based foundation for formulating communication-based practice guidelines to advance patient safety and quality of care. The case studies put communication theory into practice to facilitate experiential learning, granting insights into the breadth and diverse aspects of safe and high quality healthcare delivery. Thought-provoking discussion questions and references for further reading make this book a valuable reference for medical practitioners across the world.

Most Americans-even those with significant disability-want to live in their homes and communities. Unpaid family members or friends often work as "informal" caregivers, helping those who need assistance- and many feel they have no option but to serve. In contrast, paid personal assistance services workers (PAS) provide a lifeline to those consumers with complex needs and limited social networks. However, there is a crisis looming in the increasing needs for paid PAS and the limited available PAS workforce. Making Their Days Happen explores disability, health, and civil rights, along with relevant federal and state labor policies related to personal assistance services. Lisa Iezzoni addresses the legal context of paid PAS as well as financing mechanisms for obtaining home-based personal assistance. She also draws upon interviews she conducted with paid PAS consumers and PAS workers to explore PAS experiences and their perspectives about their work. Offering recommendations for improving future experiences of PAS consumers and providers, Iezzoni emphasizes that people with disabilities want to be a part of society, and PAS workers who do this low-wage work find satisfaction in helping them achieve their goals.

This succinct, engaging text for graduate and undergraduate nursing programs distills the complexities of health care finance, economics, and policy into a highly accessible resource that can be applied to any practice setting. It presents economic and financial dynamics in healthcare as a precursor to policy and advocacy in nurses. The second edition adds graduate-level considerations and is updated to reflect our current political and legislative landscape. Real-life illustrations support foundational concepts and interactive quizzes reinforce information. Faculty resources include PowerPoint slides, a test bank, comprehensive review questions, and a sample syllabus. New to the Second Edition: New chapter on early lessons from COVID-19 Adds graduate-level considerations to content Updated to reflect current political and legislative landscape Expands payment section to include advanced practice roles Includes updated information on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and Supreme Court deliberations Key Features: Presents complex concepts in easy-to-understand language Addresses policy and payment competencies that align with nursing program accreditation criteria Breaks down complex financial principles to educate nurses with no prior understanding of health care finance Includes practical, accessible real-life examples to help make sense of complex health care systems Provides interactive quizzes so readers can test knowledge Includes a step-by-step, skill-building guide to enhancing professional influence through participation on governing boards Compatible with online teaching and coursework

The healthcare industry is on the cutting edge of voice-user interface (VUI) design and making great progress to improve patient care through developing technologies, literally transforming the voice of the industry. The advantages of VUI extend far beyond simple conveniences for patients or a healthcare employee's saved phone call. VUI has a profound impact on care improvement. Just like a person, a well-designed VUI can use tone of voice, inflection and other elements in conversation to shape behaviors or calm nerves. With VUI, physicians and patients become empowered to make informed decisions about healthcare. The use of voice technology across smart speakers, IoT, clinical and home devices, and wearables for improving the patient experience and clinical outcomes was recently identified as one of most significant emerging technologies in healthcare. Smart speakers are the #1 selling consumer item in the world and major competition is heating up between Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana, Google Voice Assistant, and a host of other specialty platforms specific to healthcare. From Orbita and Macadamia to voice-enabled robotics from Pillo, Intuitive, Vivify, and RealView Imaging, voice technology is pervasive across the gamut of levels of devices. Voice technology is not just pervasive in smart speakers and smart phones - it is finding its way into wearables, vehicles, homes, and even consumer and clinical medical devices. We even have smart jewelry emerging with health, wellness, and safety features built in. Best of all, this trend spans intergenerational health and wellness that goes beyond clinical care into long term health and wellbeing and the potential for increased patient engagement. In this book, the editors review information from the top thought-leaders in this space and examine real-world case studies of the outcomes and potential of voice technology in healthcare. Topics include a market survey, clinical use cases, home health use cases, health and wellness topics - fitness, nutrition, and wellbeing; next generation fitness facilities; voice and wearables in smart, connected communities; voice technology in social companions/robots; voice technology in the future surgical suites; a roadmap for the future from top technology; standards in voice technology; and the future of voice technology and artificial intelligence.

Cultivating a Digital Culture for Effective Patient Engagement offers a strategic framework for healthcare provider websites in order to support patient engagement and connected health initiatives. Referred to as the Health Empowerment Web Strategy Index (HEWSi), the proposed framework is complemented by a detailed "check list" of health empowerment items organizations should incorporate into their website design. A healthcare provider's website should be an effective resource for empowering the health of patients no matter where patients are in their digital culture evolution. The challenge for many organizations is that patient engagement/connected health initiatives are frequently developed and managed separately from the organization's digital marketing efforts. This book recognizes this disconnect and advocates for a reimaging of healthcare provider websites based on the four domains of the HEWSi strategic framework: (1) orienting; (2) enlightening; (3) aligning; and (4) personalizing. As a framework and toolkit, HEWSi helps breakdown patient engagement silos within healthcare organizations by allowing varied functional teams (marketing; web developers; patient experience staff; clinical leaders; HIM/HIS personnel; etc.) to congregate around a shared pathway for conversing, strategizing, planning, and developing an effective patient empowerment website.

This book discusses dental healthcare professionals in the European Union and EU policy output and activities in the context of Europeanization and its impact on oral health care. Adopting a framework focused on an institution and its policies allows for discussion from the perspective of multiple actors, both national and international. The research is timely and significant because of the momentous changes that have taken and are taking place in healthcare delivery systems and professions in the Member States of the European Union. In the book, the author constructs a profile of the oral healthcare professions in the Member States; creates an inventory of challenges faced by these professions; illustrates the impact Europeanization and one of its organs, the European Union, have had on oral health care; demonstrates the way in which national traits and institutions exercise a role in the transposition of EU outputs; and catalogues the stages and views of some representatives of the dental team. Topics explored include: The First Stage of Professionalization: Education Dental Care Professionals: Regulation Member States: Healthcare Provision The Workplace The European Union and the Dental Team Readers not only learn the fundamentals of oral health professions, their realities, and healthcare delivery, but also become familiar with the political concepts, institutions, and practice related to the field. The Dental Team in the European Union, having academic and general interest as well as practical value, appeals to diverse audiences. The book is an invaluable resource for researchers and practitioners in the social sciences and the healthcare and dental worlds. It also can be used as required or supplemental reading for students in the healthcare professions, public policy, and political science. Decision-makers at various levels of government and persons affiliated with funding agencies as well as scholarly and professional associations in the United States and abroad also would find this a useful text.

This book examines the nature of service design and service thinking in healthcare and hospital management. By adopting both a service-based provider perspective and a consumer-oriented perspective, the book highlights various healthcare services, methods and tools that are desirable for customers and effective for healthcare providers. In addition, readers will learn about new research directions, as well as strategies and innovations to develop service solutions that are affordable, sustainable, and consumer-oriented. Lastly, the book discusses policy options to improve the service delivery process and customer satisfaction in the healthcare and hospital sector. The contributors cover various aspects and fields of application of service design and service thinking, including service design processes, tools and methods; service blueprints and service delivery; creation and implementation of services; interaction design and user experience; design of service touchpoints and service interfaces; service excellence and service innovation. The book will appeal to all scholars and practitioners in the hospital and healthcare sector who are interested in organizational development, service business model innovation, customer involvement and perceptions, and service experience.

Most Americans-even those with significant disability-want to live in their homes and communities. Unpaid family members or friends often work as "informal" caregivers, helping those who need assistance- and many feel they have no option but to serve. In contrast, paid personal assistance services workers (PAS) provide a lifeline to those consumers with complex needs and limited social networks. However, there is a crisis looming in the increasing needs for paid PAS and the limited available PAS workforce. Making Their Days Happen explores disability, health, and civil rights, along with relevant federal and state labor policies related to personal assistance services. Lisa Iezzoni addresses the legal context of paid PAS as well as financing mechanisms for obtaining home-based personal assistance. She also draws upon interviews she conducted with paid PAS consumers and PAS workers to explore PAS experiences and their perspectives about their work. Offering recommendations for improving future experiences of PAS consumers and providers, Iezzoni emphasizes that people with disabilities want to be a part of society, and PAS workers who do this low-wage work find satisfaction in helping them achieve their goals.

Clinical nurse managers face myriad challenges, including administrative, clinical, and interpersonal issues. This concise, practical resource offers wise guidance for nurses working in this complex, fast-paced role. Addressing common complaints and anxieties, it offers quick access to insights, proven strategies, and tools for effectively coping with such situations as institutional change, a multigenerational and multicultural workforce, resistance to change, and toxic behaviors. Fully updated and revised, the second edition provides sound advice addressing the changing dynamics in health care that have amplified the challenges of clinical nurse management. It offers strategies for boosting staff morale during times of fear and anxiety, explains how to reclaim professional practice and focus on quality of care, advocates for nurses at senior levels, and discusses how to maintain one's identity in an interdisciplinary setting. Designed to assist clinical nurse managers at all levels in developing new and effective ways of leading in a rapidly changing health care environment, this resource helps foster a better quality of work life and professional practice. It features concise chapters and bulleted information for quick access and at-a-glance "Fast Facts in a Nutshell" boxes. Also included are helpful tools and worksheets for managing a variety of challenges, along with the "Top 10 Fast Facts for Thriving in a Changing Workplace." New to the Second Edition: Completely updated and revised New chapter, "Who Stole the Art of Nursing?" New content on fostering and nurturing therapeutic relationships More information on rewards and recognition to keep staff motivated Key Features: Presents timely content ready to be applied in a professional setting Presents information in an easy-to-access format with concise chapters, bulleted lists, and Fast Facts in a Nutshell boxes Advocates a back-to-basics approach to clinical care Packed with current, useful, and accessible information that fits in a pocket Written by a noted author, keynote speaker, and facilitator highly experienced in helping nurses in leadership roles

During this era of continuous improvement, healthcare organizations need to be staffed by engaged, motivated, and hard-working frontline employees. As these clinical and non-clinical personnel handle most of the important tasks in any organization and are often the people who directly interact with patients and customers, it's the job of managers to oversee and motivate their staff members. Using Lean management strategies, this easy-to-read book for leaders and managers provides useful, insightful, and innovative information to help managers engage, motivate, and retain their employees during any Lean or other continuous improvement initiative.

Leadership Development for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice provides historical and current perspectives on leadership in healthcare. Through international examples of how leadership of interprofessional education and practice has developed in various countries, the book builds on the research conducted by the World Health Organisation (2010) and examines how it can make a difference to the care of the patient, client and community. The editors showcase a variety of contexts in which interprofessional education and practice is now taking place and provide guidance for leaders to establish and maintain an environment where everyone involved in the team can 'learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care'.

Transformation and Your New EHR offers a robust communication and change leadership approach to support electronic health record (EHR) implementations and transformation journeys. This book highlights the approach and philosophy of communication, change leadership, and systems and process design, giving readers a practical view into the successes and failures that can be experienced throughout the evolution of an EHR implementation.

Advances in health information technology (health IT) have the potential to improve the quality of healthcare, to increase the availability of health information for treatment, and to implement safeguards that cannot be applied easily or cost-effectively to paper-based health records. However, the digitization of health information is also raising new privacy risks and concerns. Sensitive health information in digital form is more easily aggregated, used, and shared. In addition, the rising cost of healthcare and the search for efficiency may create incentives to use the information in new ways. Research has consistently shown that while the public sees the potential value of health information exchange and technological advancements, it remains gravely concerned about the privacy of their sensitive health information. As a result, it is becoming increasingly clear that ensuring public trust will be critical to the successful implementation of nationwide health information exchange. The purpose of this second edition is two-fold: 1) to educate readers about privacy concepts and 2) highlight key privacy issues facing the nation and the healthcare community as it moves towards electronic health records and health information exchange. The first three chapters are descriptive in nature, defining privacy and distinguishing it from security, defining the complex legal landscape for health information privacy, and setting the stage for the following chapters by describing the current landscape of the evolving healthcare environment. The following chapters discuss specific privacy issues and challenges in detail. The book concludes with a chapter providing a view to the future of healthcare and the association privacy implications. This is an updated version of one of HIMSS' best-selling books on information privacy.

The evidence is undeniable. By any measure, the US spends more on healthcare than any other country in the world, yet its health outcomes as measure by longevity are in the bottom half among developed countries, and its health-related quality of life has remained constant or declined since 1998. In addition to high costs and lower than expected outcomes, the healthcare delivery system is plagues by treatment delays as it can take weeks to see a specialist, and many people have limited or no access to care. Part of the challenge is that the healthcare delivery system is a large, complex, and sophisticated value creation chain. Successfully changing this highly interconnected system is difficult and time consuming because the underlying problems are hard to comprehend, the root causes are many, the solution is unclear, and the relationships among problems, causes, and solution are multifaceted. To address these issues, the book carefully explains the underlying problems, examines their root causes using information, data, and logic, and presents a comprehensive and integrated solution that addresses these causes. These three steps are the methodological backbone of this book. A solution depends on understanding and applying the principles of patient-centered care (PCC) and resource management. PCC puts patients, supported by their primary care physicians, back in the role as decision makers and depends on patients being responsible for their health including making good life-style choices. After all, the best way to reduce healthcare costs and increase quality of life is to improve our health and wellness and as a result need less care. In addition, health insurance must be rethought and redesigned so it is less likely to lead to overuse. For many people with health insurance, the out-of-pocket cost of healthcare are small, so healthcare decision making is often biased toward consumption. Effective resource management means that healthcare providers must do a better job of acquiring and using resources in order to provide care quickly, productively, and correctly. This means improving healthcare strategy and management, accelerating the use of information technology, making drug costs affordable and fair, reducing the incidence of malpractice, and rebuilding the provider network. In addition, implementation is difficult because there are many participants in the healthcare delivery value chain, such as physicians, nurses, and medical technicians, as well as many provider organizations, such as hospitals, clinics, physician offices, and labs. Further up the value chain there are pharmaceutical companies, equipment providers, and other suppliers. These participants have diverse and sometimes conflicting goals, but each must be willing to accept change and work in a coordinated manner to improve healthcare. To overcome these problems, strong national leadership is needed to get the attention and support from the people and organizations involved in healthcare and to make the comprehensive changes that will lower healthcare costs, improve healthcare quality, eliminate delays, increase access, and enhance patient satisfaction.

Leading Reliable Healthcare describes 'state of the art' healthcare management systems. The key focus of the publication is 'reliable'; describing how leadership can ensure never less than reliable standards of care for patients and how excellence can be achieved. The focus throughout is on ensuring that patients and their families can depend on a reliable healthcare system for their needs, fulfilling their expectations that hospitals are trustworthy, stable and capable of dealing with their health, from the simplest to the most complex illnesses. Each of the chapters focuses on a different aspect of building a reliable healthcare system, concentrating on the leadership necessary to deliver and manage the different component elements of the healthcare system. The nominated contributors for this book are recognized leaders from various healthcare systems around the globe, including the UK, USA, Canada and South Korea/Singapore. The contributors have been selected to ensure a wide perspective of healthcare management, building on diverse approaches, practices and experiences, and are currently practicing healthcare management in their respective systems. The book aims to focus on the pragmatic rather than theoretical and will provide a series of practical methodologies and case studies to help improve decision making in healthcare management. With contributions by: Sallie J. Weaver, PhD, MHS, Associate Professor, Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality and Dept. of Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, John Hopkins University School of Medicine Susan Mascitelli, Senior Vice President, Patient Services & Liaison to the Board of Trustees, New York-Presbyterian Hospital Dr. Sandra Fenwick, Chief Executive Officer, Boston Children's Hospital Martin A. Makary, MD, MPH, Professor of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Professor of Health Policy and Management, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Frank Federico, RPh, Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement Dr. Hanan Edrees, Manager, Quality Management, KAMC-Riyadh Dr. Hee Hwang, CIO and Associate Professor; Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of pediatric Neurology, Center of Medical Informatics Dr. M. Andrew Padmos, Chief Executive Officer, The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Professor Richard Hobbs, Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences, Director, NIHR English School for Primary Care Research, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford Ms. Jules Martin, Managing Director, Central London Clinical Commissioning Group Dr. Bruno Holthof, Chief Executive Officer, Oxford University Hospitals Tara Donnelly, Chief Executive, Health Innovation Network, South London Goeran Henriks, Chief Executive of Learning and Innovation, Qulturum, County Council of Joenkoeping, Sweden

This new edition continues to emphasize the use of data envelopment analysis (DEA) to create optimization-based benchmarks within hospitals, physician group practices, health maintenance organizations, nursing homes and other health care delivery organizations. Suitable for graduate students learning DEA applications in health care as well as for practicing administrators, it is divided into two sections covering methods and applications. Section I considers efficiency evaluations using DEA; returns to scale; weight restricted (multiplier) models; non-oriented or slack-based models, including in this edition two versions of non-controllable variable models and categorical variable models; longitudinal (panel) evaluations and the effectiveness dimension of performance evaluation. A new chapter then looks at new and advanced models of DEA, including super-efficiency, congestion DEA, network DEA, and dynamic network models. Mathematical formulations of various DEA models are placed in end-of-chapter appendices. Section II then looks at health care applications within particular settings, chapter-by-chapter, including hospitals, physician practices, nursing homes and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Other chapters then explore home health care and home health agencies; dialysis centers, community mental health centers, community-based your services, organ procurement organizations, aging agencies and dental providers; DEA models to evaluate provider performance for specific treatments, including stroke, mechanical ventilation and perioperative services. A new chapter then examines international-country-based applications of DEA in health care in 16 different countries, along with OECD and multi-country studies. Most of the existing chapters in this section were expanded with recent applications. Included with the book is online access to a learning version of DEA Solver software, written by Professor Kaoru Tone, which can solve up to 50 DMUs for various DEA models listed in the User's Guide at the end of the book.

The vast majority of healthcare is provided safely and effectively. However, just like any high-risk industry, things can and do go wrong. There is a world of advice about how to keep people safe but this delivers little in terms of changed practice. Written by a leading expert in the field with over two decades of experience, Rethinking Patient Safety provides readers with a critical reflection upon what it might take to narrow the implementation gap between the evidence base about patient safety and actual practice. This book provides important examples for the many professionals who work in patient safety but are struggling to narrow the gap and make a difference in their current situation. It provides insights on practical actions that can be immediately implemented to improve the safety of patient care in healthcare and provides readers with a different way of thinking in terms of changing behavior and practices as well as processes and systems. Suzette Woodward shares lessons from the science of implementation, campaigning and social movement methods and offers the reader the story of a discovery. Her team has explored an approach which could profoundly affect the safety culture in healthcare; a methodology to help people talk to each other and their patients and to listen through facilitated safety conversations. This is their story.

Authentic leadership is an approach to leadership that emphasizes building the leader's legitimacy through honest relationships with followers which value their input and are built on an ethical foundation. By building trust and generating enthusiastic support from their subordinates, authentic leaders are able to improve individual and team performance. Many scholars and practitioners of authentic leadership say that the number one quality of an authentic leader is self-awareness. Self-aware leaders are transformational. Armed with self-awareness they build engaging, cooperative teams. How to gain and sustain self-awareness is the focus of the book. This book addresses current leadership challenges in health care and gives leaders guidelines for finding, living and sharing their authentic voice at home and at work. It is a much needed handbook to give current leaders perspective and practical tips to being more authentic, communicating more effectively while building engaging rapport across the organization. Additionally, a focus of the book is patient satisfaction. With a focus on nurse and physician leadership, this book provides new perspectives and action plans to increase patient satisfaction through communication that speaks to the needs of the patient in authentic and engaging ways.

Chart a Course to Excellence

Sponsored by The American College of Physician Executives

A much-needed, practical guide to giving and receiving feedback . . . a guide that is essential to the successful conduct of one of humanity's most important activities?productive conversation.
--Edgar H. Schein, Sloan Fellows professor of management emeritus, MIT Sloan School of Management

Managing relationships, building trust, and communicating effectively are all essential skills to improving performance and ensuring the quality of patient care. This timely book offers the tools and techniques necessary to face the challenges of being a leader and resolving conflicts to produce win-win outcomes.

Irwin M. Rubin and Thomas Campbell show how to eliminate the pitfalls of traditional feedback approaches and enhance the win-win quality of all communication. With vignettes, a case study, and pithy cartoons, the authors detail two dynamic tools to help chart a course to excellence in giving and receiving championship-level feedback. Their integrated four-phase feedback model and practical behavioral tools provide the ingredients essential to plan for and learn from our daily experiences.

In this book, a world-class editorial advisory board and an independent team of contributors draw on their experience in operations, leadership, and Lean managerial decision making to share helpful insights on the valuation of hospitals in today's changing reimbursement and regulatory environments. Using language that is easy to understand, Financial Management Strategies for Hospitals and Healthcare Organizations: Tools, Techniques, Checklists and Case Studies integrates prose, managerial applications, and regulatory policies with real-world case studies, models, checklists, reports, charts, tables, and diagrams. It has a natural flow, starting with costs and revenues, progressing to clinic and technology, and finishing with institutional and professional benchmarking. The book is organized into three sections: Costs and Revenues: Fundamental Principles Clinic and Technology: Contemporary Issues Institutional and Professional Benchmarking: Advanced Applications The text uses healthcare financial management case studies to illustrate Lean management and operation strategies that are essential for healthcare facility administrators, comptrollers, physician-executives, and consulting business advisors. Discussing the advancement of financial management and health economic principles in healthcare, the book includes coverage of the financial features of electronic medical records, financial and clinical features of hospital information systems, entity cost reduction models, the financial future of mental health programs, and hospital revenue enhancements.

For all introductory courses in health care administration. This foundational text introduces future health care administrators to the full scope of responsibilities associated with these crucial positions. Foundations of Health Care Administration prepares students for comprehensive education on the health care industry, and helps them build the strong critical thinking and analysis skills they will need as administrators. Its broad coverage includes finance, human resources, risk assessment, crisis management, compliance, internal and external audits, quality assessment/control, performance improvement, legal and ethical concerns, and more. The first chapter includes a bulleted list of required knowledge and skills from an actual health care administrator's job description. The remaining chapters tie directly to that job description. Each chapter illustrates key concepts with relevant examples, including short selections from authoritative government documents. Complex concepts are organized into bulleted lists or steps, making them easier to understand and use. Extensive chapter review includes multiple choice, matching, short answer, and true/false questions.

Medical care is an industry and private providers and hospitals are the major service providers. They operate on business principles. Hospitals are getting highly specialized and complex. The diagnostics and therapeutics are technology intensive. Private establishments have to compete with one another to remain in business. They strive to induct the best talent and latest technical know-how, resulting in ever-increasing costs to patients. Patients, who pay high charges, demand quality as a matter of right. To meet the challenge, hospitals are constrained to bring in professionalism in their systems and services. They appoint qualified professional managers to manage their clinics and hospitals with a view to sparing health professionals to focus on clinical care. Whether right or wrong, 'management' is often associated with authority and power. As a result, the medical professionals are reduced to secondary level in some organizations. To retain commanding positions in medical organizations, it has become necessary for the healthcare professionals to learn 'management', at least its basics. On the other hand, non-medical managers while managing healthcare services do not get the required cooperation from the medical professionals, as the latter are often secretive and not willing to share medical knowledge. If medical knowledge is demystified, non-medical managers can perform many functions in healthcare organizations proficiently. Both medical and non-medical managers can complement each other in providing quality healthcare services. The book aims to orient clinicians (including physicians and nurses) and other healthcare professionals on the essentials of business management and to familiarize them with management terms and jargon. They can learn to be effective managers besides being health professionals. Similarly, non- medical managers can get familiarized to nuances of clinical care and special managerial requirements of healthcare facilities. They all will be able to relate processes in healthcare settings with the concepts of business management. They can develop expertise on patient relationship management

Hospital Capacity Management: Insights and Strategies details many of the key processes, procedures, and administrative realities that make up the healthcare system we all encounter when we visit the ED or the hospital. It walks through, in detail, how these systems work, how they came to be this way, why they are set up as they are, and then, in many cases, why and how they should be improved right now. Many examples pulled from the lifelong experiences of the authors, published studies, and well-documented case studies are provided, both to illustrate and support arguments for change. First and foremost, it is necessary to remember that the mission of our healthcare system is to take care of patients. This has been forgotten at times, causing many of the issues the authors discuss in the book including hospital capacity management. This facet of healthcare management is absolutely central to the success or failure of a hospital, both in terms of its delivery of care and its ability to survive as an institution. Poor hospital capacity management is a root cause of long wait times, overcrowding, higher error rates, poor communication, low satisfaction, and a host of other commonly experienced problems. It is important enough that when it is done well, it can completely transform an entire hospital system. Hospital capacity management can be described as optimizing a hospital's bed availability to provide enough capacity for efficient, error-free patient evaluation, treatment, and transfer to meet daily demand. A hospital that excels at capacity management is easy to spot: no lines of people waiting and no patients in hallways or sitting around in chairs. These hospitals don't divert incoming ambulances to other hospitals; they have excellent patient safety records and efficiently move patients through their organization. They exist but are sadly in the minority of American hospitals. The vast majority are instead forced to constantly react to their own poor performance. This often results in the building of bigger and bigger institutions, which, instead of managing capacity, simply create more space in which to mismanage it. These institutions are failing to resolve the true stumbling blocks to excellent patient care, many of which you may have experienced firsthand in your own visit to your hospital. It is the hope of the authors that this book will provide a better understanding of the healthcare delivery system.