The video under analysis is entitled “Layout at Arnold Palmer Hospital’s New Facility” and devoted to the description of the layout at Arnold Palmer Hospital’s new facility. In 2001, the hospital began to face major problems with staff efficiency and the lack of space. Therefore, the hospital administration designed a new kind of layout for the building which could serve as a solution to all the problems the hospital had (Amer).
In general, the main goal of layout strategy is to create a cost-effective layout which will satisfy the competitive needs of an organization. According to the description of the layout design mentioned in Chapter 9, the main principles at which it is aimed are higher utilization of people, equipment, and space, improved communication with a client, and safe working conditions (Heizer et al. 394). In the new facility of Arnold Palmer’s Hospital, the administration tried to address all the principles stated above, and, according to the video, they succeeded in doing this.
The principal reason why the executives of the hospital decided to build a new facility with a completely different layout was that they had been receiving many complaints from patients regarding long wait times several years before the implementation of their expansion plan. In order to address capacity issues in the new facility, the administration came to the idea that changing the form of the layout from the rectangular to the circular type would significantly increase the overall efficiency of the hospital (Amer). As a result, this unique circular pod design proved to be effective in the delivery of quality healthcare by means of reducing the distances between key places in the facility to a minimum.
One of the main priorities for the new design was the distance that healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, had to cover to reach their patients. In this new structure of the facility, the distance between the nurse’s station and the patient rooms is considerably reduced, with 118 feet being the maximum distance between the remotest ward to the nursing station (Amer). The average time spent by a nurse to reach their patients decreased by 20%, thereby significantly increasing the efficiency of the nursing staff.
First of all, this innovative design has many features of a work cell (one of the main concepts of operations management described in Chapter 9), the main goal of which is reorganizing people into small groups that focus on the quality provision of the same service. Particularly, this approach allows quicker access of employees to patients and medical equipment. Secondly, such design incorporates the so-called patient-centered servicescape, which is also described in Chapter 9 and focused on creating a tranquil environment including warm colors, private rooms with additional beds for family members, and large windows that let more natural light into the rooms (Heizer et al. 396).
Before implementing their plan, the hospital administration conducted a detailed survey in which they asked the healthcare professionals and the patients about their opinion regarding major problems with which they had to deal and how they could be resolved (Amer). According to the results of the survey, the executives identified two strategies that they had to implement in order to maximize the efficiency of the facility, namely, improving operations, placing a large focus on design, and making sure that a healing environment is created.
As a result, they managed to build a facility in the form of a cloverleaf. Thus, the hospital consists of three pod-like sections with an elevator at the center of each of them and the main section in the form of a triangle that connects the pods. In the pods, there are wards for patients, local supply of linen, and a local nursing station. In the triangle, there are break and central medical supply rooms, wards, and a central nursing station. The main peculiarity of such a structure is that it increases the proximity of medical staff to patients.
Certainly, some people opposed the creation of such a structure, as they considered it radical. However, in fact, those people simply got used to the traditional layout and did not want any changes. Despite the opposition, one million dollars was invested in this plan which turned out to be successful. Moreover, before making any changes, many studies concerning the end product were conducted. Live experiments involving medical staff and patients analyzing their movements inside the facility were performed. In addition, many computer simulations were made focusing on the workflow and the time required for performing various actions inside the facility (Amer). Thus, all these experiments and computer simulations provided a good understanding of the potential challenges and benefits this layout would bring.
At the end of the video, the changes implemented in the neonatal extensive care unit are described. The two principal changes included the reduction of noise and light in the room, thereby creating a favorable environment for newborn children. In fact, the idea was to reduce the sunlight coming from windows and to hang privacy curtains between beds (Amer). According to the interviews conducted after the implementation of these changes, this family-focused approach was successful.
In my opinion, the executives of the hospital applied the most appropriate concepts of operations management. I agree with their decision to implement those concepts and strategies that are the most necessary for the clinic and address all of its needs. Regarding other operations management techniques, they are not necessary in this case. In addition, I think that the applied techniques can be used uniformly all over the world, as, for example, the decreased distance between nursing stations and patient rooms and the psychological methods of selecting favorable for healing colors are universal.
Works Cited
Amer, Beverly. “Capítulo 9 Layout at Arnold Palmer Hospital’s New Facility.”YouTube. 2012. Web.
Heizer, Jay, et al. Principles of Operations Management: Sustainability and Supply Chain Management, Student Value Edition.10th ed., Pearson, 2016.