Introduction

The introductory chapter of the book is about defining Health Services Operations Management. Health Services Operations Management is a fairly recent area of research that has developed rapidly due to the importance of delivering value-added services for affordable costs in healthcare. Having its roots in Industrial Operations Management and in Services Management, Health Services Operations Management can be defined as the analysis, design, planning and control of all the steps necessary to provide services for patients in such a way that their needs are met, that service standards are met and resources are used efficiently. The focus on transformation of inputs (i.e., patient demands) into outputs (improved health, satisfaction with service delivery, costs) is characteristic for an operations management approach. Operations as value-adding transformations are at the heart of an organisation. In this chapter we also explore the context of Health Services Operations Management, the external context (the healthcare system setting, the contracting between healthcare providers and purchasers of care, such as government-related bodies and insurance organisations) and the complex internal environment of healthcare provider organisations in which decisions have to be made.

The chapter ends by explaining two important features of the approach followed in this textbook. Studies in Health Services Operations Management often make use of a quantitative model of health services and follow a design approach. The model allows experimentation with solutions and provides evidence for performance improvement before implementing solutions. The design approach offers a framework for analysis of a problem and designing a solution for a problem, making use of an evidence-based methodology.