Simulation of home-hospital impacts on crowding – FM implications

Facilities ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (13/14) ◽  
pp. 748-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Fard ◽  
Kathy O. Roper ◽  
Jeremy Hess

Purpose This study aims to evaluate home-hospital implications for facility management (FM) and, in particular, ED crowding. Home-hospital programs, in which select patients receive hospital-level care at home, can extend hospital facility capacity. Emergency department (ED) crowding, a sensitive hospital capacity indicator, is associated with unsafe operations and reduced quality of care. Design/methodology/approach The impact of a home-hospital program on crowding was analyzed with a discrete-event simulation model using one month of historical data from a case hospital. Time ED patients waited for inpatient beds was the primary endpoint. Five scenarios with different levels of patient suitability for home-hospital were each run 30 times. Differences were evaluated using paired t-tests. Findings Implementing home-hospital reduced ED crowding by up to 3 per cent. Additionally, the simulation yielded insights regarding advantages and limitations of various home-hospital arrangements, suggested which hospital types may be the best candidates for home-hospital and highlighted the role of bed-cleaning turnaround times and environmental services staffing schedules in operations. Research limitations/implications This research examined home-hospital and crowding at one hospital. Developing a model that accounts for all hospital types requires significant data and many hospital partnerships but could allow for more informed decisions regarding implementation of such programs. Social implications This research has implications for ensuring access to ED care, an important source of acute care generally and particularly for the underserved. Originality/value This research systematically evaluates home-hospital’s impact on ED crowding. Simulation modeling resulted in analytical results and allowed for evaluation of what-if scenarios providing recommendations for hospital FMs on their role in decreasing ED boarding.

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 632-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah A Alabdulkarim ◽  
Peter Ball ◽  
Ashutosh Tiwari

Purpose – Asset management has recently gained significance due to emerging business models such as Product Service Systems where the sale of asset use, rather than the sale of the asset itself, is applied. This leaves the responsibility of the maintenance tasks to fall on the shoulders of the manufacturer/supplier to provide high asset availability. The use of asset monitoring assists in providing high availability but the level of monitoring and maintenance needs to be assessed for cost effectiveness. There is a lack of available tools and understanding of their value in assessing monitoring levels. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This research aims to develop a dynamic modelling approach using Discrete Event Simulation (DES) to assess such maintenance systems in order to provide a better understanding of the behaviour of complex maintenance operations. Interviews were conducted and literature was analysed to gather modelling requirements. Generic models were created, followed by simulation models, to examine how maintenance operation systems behave regarding different levels of asset monitoring. Findings – This research indicates that DES discerns varying levels of complexity of maintenance operations but that more sophisticated asset monitoring levels will not necessarily result in a higher asset performance. The paper shows that it is possible to assess the impact of monitoring levels as well as make other changes to system operation that may be more or less effective. Practical implications – The proposed tool supports the maintenance operations decision makers to select the appropriate asset monitoring level that suits their operational needs. Originality/value – A novel DES approach was developed to assess asset monitoring levels for maintenance operations. In applying this quantitative approach, it was demonstrated that higher asset monitoring levels do not necessarily result in higher asset availability. The work provides a means of evaluating the constraints in the system that an asset is part of rather than focusing on the asset in isolation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Guthrie ◽  
Lee D. Parker ◽  
John Dumay ◽  
Markus J. Milne

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the focus and changing nature of measuring academic accounting research quality. The paper addresses contemporary changes in academic publishing, metrics for determining research quality and the possible impacts on accounting scholars. These are considered in relation to the core values of interdisciplinary accounting research ‒ that is, the pursuit of novel, rigorous, significant and authentic research motivated by a passion for scholarship, curiosity and solving wicked problems. The impact of changing journal rankings and research citation metrics on the traditional and highly valued role of the accounting academic is further considered. In this setting, the paper also provides a summary of the journal’s activities for 2018, and in the future. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on contemporary data sets, the paper illustrates the increasingly diverse and confusing array of “evidence” brought to bear on the question of the relative quality of accounting research. Commercial products used to rate and rank journals, and judge the academic impact of individual scholars and their papers not only offer insight and visibility, but also have the potential to misinform scholars and their assessors. Findings In the move from simple journal ranking lists to big data and citations, and increasingly to concerns with impact and engagement, the authors identify several challenges facing academics and administrators alike. The individual academic and his or her contribution to scholarship are increasingly marginalised in the name of discipline, faculty and institutional performance. A growing university performance management culture within, for example, the UK and Australasia, has reached a stage in the past decade where publication and citation metrics are driving allocations of travel grants, research grants, promotions and appointments. With an expanded range of available metrics and products to judge their worth, or have it judged for them, scholars need to be increasingly informed of the nuanced or not-so-nuanced uses to which these measurement systems will be put. Narrow, restricted and opaque peer-based sources such as journal ranking lists are now being challenged by more transparent citation-based sources. Practical implications The issues addressed in this commentary offer a critical understanding of contemporary metrics and measurement in determining the quality of interdisciplinary accounting research. Scholars are urged to reflect upon the challenges they face in a rapidly moving context. Individuals are increasingly under pressure to seek out preferred publication outlets, developing and curating a personal citation profile. Yet such extrinsic outcomes may come at the cost of the core values that motivate the interdisciplinary scholar and research. Originality/value This paper provides a forward-looking focus on the critical role of academics in interdisciplinary accounting research.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Przemysław Drożyner

PurposeThe first goal of the article was to examine how the perception of the role and scope of operation of maintenance services in the enterprise changes, depending on whether the company has an integrated management system (IMS), only a quality management system implemented in accordance with ISO 9001 and in the absence of a formal, certified management system. The second goal was to propose a model for assessing the quality of maintenance service functioning in enterprise with IMS implemented.Design/methodology/approachThe author's experience of over 1,000 audits in enterprises in various industries: food, automotive, construction, petrochemical, electronic and so on was used in the work. The audits were carried out in three types of companies: which had IMSs (800 audits), which only had a system implementation certificate ISO 9001 (140 audits) and without any standardized management system implemented (so-called second-party audits, commissioned by the client of the audited company.FindingsThe most important conclusion is – the role of UR services in enterprises with the implemented IMS is much broader and goes beyond the classic framework for planning, implementation and settlement of maintenance and repair work. Maintenance is understood more broadly and includes in its scope also the safety of people and the environment, the efficiency of production and consumption of utilities as well as the quality of products and services. Maintenance issues include not only strictly technical aspects but also economic, logistic, legal and organizational and management aspects.Practical implicationsResearch shows that enterprises, especially those with high technical and organizational culture, should not treat management systems as costs, but as a driving force for the implementation of new technologies, new organizational solutions and the development of employees' competences.Social implicationsBroad views on stakeholders of maintenance services (including employees, their families, control institutions) and their requirements make enterprises begin to see the need to maintain the so-called lifetime balance, as well as the safety and comfort of work of employees of these services.Originality/valueThe author did not find in literature any reports on studies of the impact of formal, certified management systems on the quality of maintenance services; this article shows that this impact is large and, above all, positive; with such a broad understanding of the role of maintenance, there is a need to develop a common platform for such seemingly distant concepts as machine technical condition or fatigue life versus cost accounting and quality management.


2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 396-408
Author(s):  
Mohit Yadav ◽  
Santosh Rangnekar ◽  
Anugamini Priya Srivastava

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of quality of work life (QWL) on organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) of employees. Also, the paper examines the role of demographic variables, i.e. gender, position and type of organization as moderators of relationship between QWL and OCB. Design/methodology/approach A survey with sample of 375 was used in this study. PROCESS tool by Hayes (2013) was used to analyze the relation between QWL, OCB and demographic variables. Findings QWL was found to positively influence OCB. Gender and type of organization were found to moderate the relationship, whereas position failed to moderate the relation significantly. Practical implications The study reinforced the significance of QWL practices by organizations to improve extra-role behaviours of employees. Also, importance of considering gender and the industry you are in is emphasized in using and designing the QWL programme for employees. Originality/value While many antecedents have been studied in relation to OCB, QWL is rarely discussed. The paper attempts to reemphasize QWL’s importance in doing so in light of demographic variables as moderators.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahab Udin ◽  
Muhammad Arshad Khan ◽  
Attiya Yasmin Javid

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of corporate governance proxies by ownership structure on the likelihood of firms’ financial distress for a sample of 146 Pakistani public-limited companies listed at the Karachi Stock Exchange over the period of 2003-2012. Design/methodology/approach The dynamic generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator and panel logistic regression (PLR) are used to determine the impact of corporate governance on the financial distress. The ownership structure is used as a determinant of corporate governance, while the Altman Z-score is utilized as an indicator of financial distress, as it measures financial distress inversely. The smaller the values of the Z-score, the higher will be the risk of financial distress. Findings The authors find insignificant impact of ownership structure on firms’ likelihood of financial distress based on the dynamic GMM method. However, the PLR results indicate that foreign shareholdings have a significant negative association with firms’ likelihood of financial distress, in the case of Pakistan. An evidence of a negative and insignificant relationship between institutional ownership and financial distress was observed, which indicates the passive role of institutional investors in Pakistan. The results also reveal a positive and significant relationship between insider’s ownership and likelihood of financial distress. This finding is consistent with the entrenchment hypothesis which predicts that insiders are more aligned with their self-interest than outside shareholders’ interest when their shareholding increases in the business. Furthermore, the results also reveal insignificant association between government shareholdings and the probability of financial distress. The reason could be the social welfare objective of the government entities rather than profit maximization. Practical implications The findings of this study provide more insight to corporate managers and investors about the association between the quality of corporate governance and the degree of financial distress, with respect to Pakistani firms. Furthermore, this study contributes to the existing literature by adding new evidence from developing countries like Pakistan which are helpful for regulatory bodies and policymakers in the formulation of long-term corporate governance strategies to manage the financial distress. It is well established that strengthening the quality of corporate governance practices enhances the efficiency of capital markets and reduces the probability of financial distress. Originality/value The study extends the body of existing literature on corporate governance and the likelihood of financial distress with reference to Pakistan. The results suggest that policymakers may pay special attention to the quality of corporate governance, specifically ownership structure, while predicting corporate financial distress.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chien-Chih Kuo ◽  
Chih-Ying Wu ◽  
Chia-Wu Lin

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of supervisor gossip in the workplace. This paper proposes a hypothetical model in which supervisor gossip has an effect on leader-member exchange (LMX), in turn resulting in perceived supervisor ostracism among subordinates. Design/methodology/approach A dyadic research design was applied to collect data from Taiwanese employees. Supervisors participated in a survey containing measures of supervisor gossip and control variables, whereas subordinates responded to a questionnaire on LMX, perceived supervisor ostracism, and control variables. Findings The results indicated that positive supervisor gossip significantly affected LMX. Furthermore, healthy LMX reduced subordinates’ perceptions of supervisor ostracism. Research limitations/implications All participants were recruited in Taiwan, which is a limitation for generalising the research findings. Future studies should investigate multiple societies of various cultural profiles. Practical implications To improve the quality of the supervisor-subordinate relationship, supervisors should adopt a positive informal communication style, and organisations should provide supervisors with information regarding the implications of workplace gossip, illustrating the substantial benefits of positive gossip and the potential drawbacks of negative gossip. Originality/value The present study highlighted the role of supervisor workplace gossip in the field of leadership and empirically investigated the impact of supervisor gossip on subordinates’ reactions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (9) ◽  
pp. 1917-1935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weizhang Sun ◽  
Chunguang Zhao ◽  
Yaping Wang ◽  
Charles H. Cho

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of investor sentiment on managers’ decisions to provide CSR disclosures. The core issue focuses on whether, why and how managers adjust their approach to CSR disclosure to cater to the investor sentiment. Design/methodology/approach On the basis of 13,488 observations of A-share listed companies, the authors examine the impacts of investor sentiment on CSR disclosure, which is measured separately by the propensity to issue a standalone CSR report and the quality of CSR reports. Furthermore, the authors examine the moderating role of institutional factors in China. Findings The authors find that during low-sentiment periods, managers are more likely to issue a standalone CSR report and the quality of CSR reports is higher, and vice versa. Additionally, the authors find that the negative correlations between CSR disclosure and investor sentiment are stronger in state-owned enterprises. Research limitations/implications First, the measurement of investor sentiment reflects only a part of characteristics of investor sentiment. Second, the authors pay less attention to the specific items of a CSR report. Originality/value The study contributes to the literature on CSR disclosure and investor sentiment by combining the two fields together. Furthermore, the study deepens the understanding of the institutional context in China and contributes to research on the predictors of CSR disclosure.


Facilities ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 241-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulio Mangano ◽  
Alberto De Marco

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a literature review on the different ways of carrying out facility management and related topics in order to uncover that there is limited research regarding the impact of facility management on the logistics and operational performance of warehouses. Design/methodology/approach – Four different focus areas have been identified and for each one different methodologies and streams of research have been studied. Findings – The study underlines the importance of facility management for the logistics operations; therefore it supports the notion that investments aiming at preserving the status of the building and service components of warehouses are crucial. Originality/value – This paper aims to suggest to facilities management managers that they can contribute to enhance business performance by designing effective facility management strategies.


Author(s):  
Israa Mohamed ◽  
Ibrahim El-Henawy ◽  
Ramadan Zean El-Din

The Kidney and Oncology Departments at Zagazig University Hospital are suffering from increased demand and limited capacity. Arrival patients who find all beds occupied are simply turned away, i.e., no waiting is allowed. This paper investigates the impact of an early discharge approach that can be applied to patients that have been scheduled to discharge within 5 h. A discrete event simulation (DES) model is built using empirical distributions based on real data. The model has been validated against real data and the results have shown that the proposed early discharge approach can reduce the number of turned away patients by 10% in the Kidney Department, equivalent to 182 patients annually and by 11% in the Oncology Department, equivalent to 150 patients annually.


2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 471-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Przemyslaw Misiurski

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the condition of the bus fleet operated by the bus companies and its impact on the passengers’ decision about the choice of means of transport in the light of the strategy of sustainable development of a region and the European Union (EU) transport policy. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the legal documents of the EU relating to the implementation of the strategy of sustainable development of a region in a public transport. It shows the current condition of research on the shape of the bus fleet in bus companies in Poland, and on the basis of the analysis performed, it indicates the status of its operation and use. It also shows the results of a survey on factors which direct passengers when choosing a means of transport. Findings – The paper shows that the condition of the bus fleet is of great importance to the quality of transport services provided by the bus company and, as a result, to the implementation of sustainable development policy in a region. Practical implications – By pointing to the fact that the aim of the EU transport policy is to increase the role of public transport, strategic action should be taken to renew the bus fleet in the bus companies. Originality/value – The paper presents the need to adapt the condition of the bus fleet to the requirements of its passengers, which in turn will improve the attractiveness of bus transport and will increase the role of public transport in passenger transportation.


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