Pascale A.M. Simons, Jos Benders, Wim Marneffe, Madelon Pijls-Johannesma and Dominique Vandijck
For change programs to succeed, it is vital to have a detailed understanding of employees’ views regarding the program, especially when the proposed changes are potentially…
Abstract
Purpose
For change programs to succeed, it is vital to have a detailed understanding of employees’ views regarding the program, especially when the proposed changes are potentially contested. Gaining insight into employee perceptions helps managers to decide how to proceed. The authors conducted two workshops in a radiotherapy institute to assess the benefits and drawbacks, as well as their underlying causes, of a proposed Lean change program. Managers’ views on the workshops’ usefulness were charted. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
Two workshops were organized in which employees predicted positive and negative effects of a Lean program. The workshops combined a structured brainstorm (KJ-technique) and an evaluation of the expected effects. Eight top managers judged the workshops’ value on supporting decision making.
Findings
In total, 15 employees participated in the workshops. Participants from workshop 2 reported more expected effects (27 effects; 18 positive) than from workshop 1 (14 effects; six positive). However, when effects were categorized, similar results were shown. Three from eight managers scored the results relevant for decision making and four neutral. Seven managers recommended future use of the instrument. Increased employee involvement and bottom-up thinking combined with relatively low costs were appreciated most.
Practical implications
The workshop could serve as a simple instrument to improve decision making and enhance successful implementation of change programs, as it was expected to enhance employees’ involvement and was relatively easy to conduct and cheap.
Originality/value
The workshop increased insight into employee views, facilitating adaptive actions by healthcare organization managers.
Details
Keywords
Pascale Simons, Huub Backes, Jochen Bergs, Davy Emans, Madelon Johannesma, Maria Jacobs, Wim Marneffe and Dominique Vandijck
Treatment delays must be avoided, especially in oncology, to assure sustainable high-quality health care and increase the odds of survival. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Treatment delays must be avoided, especially in oncology, to assure sustainable high-quality health care and increase the odds of survival. The purpose of this paper is to hypothesize that waiting times would decrease and patients and employees would benefit, when specific lean interventions are incorporated in an organizational improvement approach.
Design/methodology/approach
In 2013, 15 lean interventions were initiated to improve flow in a single radiotherapy institute. Process/waiting times, patient satisfaction, safety, employee satisfaction, and absenteeism were evaluated using a mixed methods methodology (2010-2014). Data from databases, surveys, and interviews were analyzed by time series analysis, χ2, multi-level regression, and t-tests.
Findings
Median waiting/process times improved from 20.2 days in 2012 to 16.3 days in 2014 (p<0.001). The percentage of palliative patients for which waiting times had exceeded Dutch national norms (ten days) improved from 35 (six months in 2012: pre-intervention) to 16 percent (six months in 2013-2014: post-intervention; p<0.01), and the percentage exceeding national objectives (seven days) from 22 to 17 percent (p=0.44). For curative patients, exceeding of norms (28 days) improved from 17 (2012) to 8 percent (2013-2014: p=0.05), and for the objectives (21 days) from 18 to 10 percent (p<0.01). Reported safety incidents decreased 47 percent from 2009 to 2014, whereas safety culture, awareness, and intention to solve problems improved. Employee satisfaction improved slightly, and absenteeism decreased from 4.6 (2010) to 2.7 percent (2014; p<0.001).
Originality/value
Combining specific lean interventions with an organizational improvement approach improved waiting times, patient safety, employee satisfaction, and absenteeism on the short term. Continuing evaluation of effects should study the improvements sustainability.