Hardy Hospital: a SWOT analysis
Strengths
One of the strengths of the organization under the study is that Hardy Hospital has a functional computerized materials management system. Additionally, the regular stock items are frequently used and have a very low risk of obsolescence. The hospital has a very efficient requisition process that reaches various departments on time. The hospital has also allowed making special orders for those items that are not used regularly.
At the same time, the hospital has a team of qualified personnel that can deliver quality services to patients. The procurement process at the hospital ensures that everything is done transparently. Moreover, the hospital has a spacious warehouse that takes care of the storage needs of the hospital. Besides, the hospital is also able to access additional financing using a bond issue. It implies that the hospital is not constrained in terms of resources needed to enhance the quality of services it provides to the patients.
Weaknesses
One of the weaknesses of the hospital is that it has encountered high costs in terms of operating expenses. Additionally, the ordering process at the hospital does not reflect the needs of the hospital, resulting in both overstocks and insufficient stocks. The integrity of the information in the materials management system is questionable, given that some employees are not keen while updating the right information.
The special orders require a lot of commitment from the hospital department coordinators and head nurses to prevent them from inefficient executing of their duties. The purchasing process at the hospital is very long and may result in a stockout of the key items. Additionally, the lead time for the ordered items is unnecessarily long. It can result in a situation where service delivery is severely hampered. The hospital is also required to comply with a very strict procurement and tendering process as it is a state institution.
Opportunities
There has been advancement in technology that can be used to ease the ordering process and make it more efficient. It would ensure that the hospital would be able to avoid either excessive or insufficient stocks and enhance the quality of services offered at the hospital. Furthermore, this would simplify the ordering process and make it even more efficient and responsive to the needs of the hospital. The hospital can hire other employees who can specifically be in charge of special cases. It ensures that the department coordinators and the head nurses are not overburdened and can fully concentrate on their core duties.
Threats
Other hospitals, especially the private ones, do not have to follow a very strict ordering process, which puts them at an advantage over Hardy Hospital. It ensures that they have sufficient stocks that enhance their level of service delivery as compared to that of Hardy Hospital. Some other hospitals might be in a position to attract the employees from Hardy Hospital and also take advantage of its vulnerability to win over its clients.
The hospital should enhance their level of service delivery. Since the hospital is a state institution, it is constrained in terms of the funding that it is extended by the government. Additionally, since the government funds the hospital, it also determines the cost of the services that the hospital should charge its patients with.