scholarly journals An Enhanced Kaizen Event in a Sterile Processing Department of a Rural Hospital: A Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (23) ◽  
pp. 8748
Author(s):  
Valentina Nino ◽  
David Claudio ◽  
Leonardo Valladares ◽  
Sean Harris
Keyword(s):  
Medical Literature ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Rural Hospital ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Surgical Instrument ◽  
Sterilization Process ◽  
Instrument Processing ◽  
Sterile Processing ◽  
Busy Schedule

Operating Rooms (ORs) generate the largest revenues and losses in a hospital. Without the prompt supply of sterile surgical trays from the Sterile Processing Department (SPD), the OR would not be able to perform surgeries to its busy schedule. Nevertheless, little emphasis has been brought in the medical literature to research on surgical instrument processing in the medical literature. The present study was done applies an Enhanced Kaizen Event (EKE) in the SPD of a rural hospital to identify sources of waste and minimize non-value-added steps in the SPD processes. The EKE consisted of three successive Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycles, which focused on improvements at the departmental level first, then at an area level, and finally at the station level. The EKE yielded an improved streamlined workflow and a new design for the SPD layout, one of its areas, and a workstation. This paper aims at building a methodology, including identified steps. Results exhibited a 35% reduction in travel distance by the staff, eliminating non-value-added processes, reducing errors in the sterilization process, and eliminating cross-contamination for sterilized materials.

Biorefinery implementation for recovery debottlenecking at existing pulp mills- Part II: Techno-economic evaluation

TAPPI Journal ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 17-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAKIM GHEZZAZ ◽  
LUC PELLETIER ◽  
PAUL R. STUART
Keyword(s):  
Cost Estimation ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Black Liquor ◽  
Pulp Mill ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Extraction Process ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Precipitation Process

The evaluation and process risk assessment of (a) lignin precipitation from black liquor, and (b) the near-neutral hemicellulose pre-extraction for recovery boiler debottlenecking in an existing pulp mill is presented in Part I of this paper, which was published in the July 2012 issue of TAPPI Journal. In Part II, the economic assessment of the two biorefinery process options is presented and interpreted. A mill process model was developed using WinGEMS software and used for calculating the mass and energy balances. Investment costs, operating costs, and profitability of the two biorefinery options have been calculated using standard cost estimation methods. The results show that the two biorefinery options are profitable for the case study mill and effective at process debottlenecking. The after-tax internal rate of return (IRR) of the lignin precipitation process option was estimated to be 95%, while that of the hemicellulose pre-extraction process option was 28%. Sensitivity analysis showed that the after tax-IRR of the lignin precipitation process remains higher than that of the hemicellulose pre-extraction process option, for all changes in the selected sensitivity parameters. If we consider the after-tax IRR, as well as capital cost, as selection criteria, the results show that for the case study mill, the lignin precipitation process is more promising than the near-neutral hemicellulose pre-extraction process. However, the comparison between the two biorefinery options should include long-term evaluation criteria. The potential of high value-added products that could be produced from lignin in the case of the lignin precipitation process, or from ethanol and acetic acid in the case of the hemicellulose pre-extraction process, should also be considered in the selection of the most promising process option.

scholarly journals The Social Balance Sheet as Part of the Annual Report in Financial Institutions. A Case Study: Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3075
Author(s):  
Miguel Ángel Martín Valmayor ◽  
Beatriz Duarte Monedero ◽  
Luis A. Gil-Alana
Keyword(s):  
Annual Report ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Balance Sheet ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Social Value ◽  
Economic Value Added ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Balance ◽  
Corporate Social

In this paper, we examine the concept of the social balance sheet (SBS) and its evolution in corporate social reports that large companies have to issue today in their yearly statements. The SBS allows companies to evaluate their compliance with corporate social responsibility during a specific period and quantify its level of accomplishment. From a methodological perspective, this research analyzed the information that should be contained in the SBS report comparing economic value added (EVA) with other social value added statements (SVA), analyzing also in detail the case of Spain’s Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) bank as one of the pioneers in offering social reports. Along with this study, their metrics following EVA were recalculated and a more academic SVA statement was proposed for this specific case.

Application of PCA with georeferenced data in the tourism industry: A case study in the province of Córdoba, Argentina

2021 ◽  
pp. 135481662098768
Author(s):  
Laura I Luna
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Principal Components ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Methodological Innovation ◽  
Spatial Principal Components ◽  
Components Analysis

The spatial analysis of tourism industries provides information about their structure, which is necessary for decision-making. In this work, tourism industries in the departments of Córdoba province, Argentina, for the 2001–2014 period were mapped. Multivariate methods with and without spatial restrictions (spatial principal components (sPCs) analysis, MULTISPATI-PCA, and principal components analysis (PCA), respectively) were applied and their performance was compared. MULTISPATI-PCA yielded a higher degree of spatial structuring of the components that summarize tourism activities than PCA. The methodological innovation lies in the generation of statistics for multidimensional spatial data. The departments were classified according to the participation of tourism activities in the value added of tourism using the sPCs obtained as input of the cluster fuzzy k-means analysis. This information provides elements necessary for appropriately defining local development strategies and, therefore, is useful to improve decision-making.

scholarly journals Advancing engagement and capacity for rural cancer control: a mixed-methods case study of a Community-Academic Advisory Board in the Appalachia region of Southwest Virginia

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie M. Zoellner ◽  
Kathleen J. Porter ◽  
Donna-Jean P. Brock ◽  
Emma Mc Kim Mitchell ◽  
Howard Chapman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Cancer Screening ◽  
Cancer Control ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Advisory Board ◽  
Comprehensive Cancer Control ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Human Papillomavirus Vaccination ◽  
Time Points

Abstract Background The objectives are to: 1) describe engagement processes used to prioritize and address regional comprehensive cancer control needs among a Community-Academic Advisory Board (CAB) in the medically-underserved, rural Appalachian region, and 2) detail longitudinal CAB evaluation findings. Methods This three-year case study (2017–2020) used a convergent parallel, mixed-methods design. The approach was guided by community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles, the Comprehensive Participatory Planning and Evaluation process, and Nine Habits of Successful Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalitions. Meeting artifacts were tracked and evaluated. CAB members completed quantitative surveys at three time points and semi-structured interviews at two time points. Quantitative data were analyzed using analysis of variance tests. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed via an inductive-deductive process. Results Through 13 meetings, Prevention and Early Detection Action Teams created causal models and prioritized four cancer control needs: human papillomavirus vaccination, tobacco control, colorectal cancer screening, and lung cancer screening. These sub-groups also began advancing into planning and intervention proposal development phases. As rated by 49 involved CAB members, all habits significantly improved from Time 1 to Time 2 (i.e., communication, priority work plans, roles/accountability, shared decision making, value-added collaboration, empowered leadership, diversified funding, trust, satisfaction; all p < .05), and most remained significantly higher at Time 3. CAB members also identified specific challenges (e.g., fully utilizing member expertise), strengths (e.g., diverse membership), and recommendations across habits. Conclusion This project’s equity-based CBPR approach used a CPPE process in conjunction with internal evaluation of cancer coalition best practices to advance CAB efforts to address cancer disparities in rural Appalachia. This approach encouraged CAB buy-in and identified key strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities that will lay the foundation for continued involvement in cancer control projects. These engagement processes may serve as a template for similar coalitions in rural, underserved areas.

scholarly journals The ABC Concept—Value Added to the Earth Heritage Interpretation?

Geoheritage ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Pásková ◽  
J. Zelenka ◽  
T. Ogasawara ◽  
B. Zavala ◽  
I. Astete
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Holistic Interpretation ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Internal And External Factors ◽  
The Given ◽  
Heritage Interpretation

AbstractHolistic interpretation of Earth heritage is one of the most important tasks of UNESCO Global geoparks. The ABC (abiotic, biotic, and cultural interconnections) concept is a potential interpretive approach used in Earth heritage popularization through geotourism. Apart of the deeper understanding of this concept, this study explores the application of this concept in selected geoparks. The Colca and Volcanoes Andagua UNESCO Global Geopark (Peru) and Muroto UNESCO Global Geopark (Japan) served as a case study in the frame of this qualitative research conducted during the summer 2019. Results show that the ABC approach is nearly perfectly understood by both geoparks, however there are both internal and external factors which influence the extent and form of how this concept is applied in practice. Except for specific geographical settings, different stages of geopark product development, and different managerial approaches, they mainly include the level of scientific knowledge and general education in the given geopark, as well as level of knowledge management and networking with another UNESCO global geoparks. The more experienced Muroto Geopark interpretation exhibits a comparatively higher level of visible ABC application, while the Colca and Volcanoes Andagua Geopark can benefit in the future from the natural inclination and ability of the local people to integrate the cultural aspects into their Earth heritage interpretation.

scholarly journals Performance Management for Growth: A Framework Based on EVA

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 102
Author(s):  
Mihaela Brindusa Tudose ◽  
Valentina Diana Rusu ◽  
Silvia Avasilcai
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Performance Appraisal ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Reference Model ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Research Perspectives

Some of the constructs in the field of performance management are intuitive or not empirically validated. This study provides a data-driven framework for measuring and improving the performance through synchronized strategies. The ultimate goal was to provide support for increasing business performance. Empirical research materializes in an exploratory case study and a statistical analysis with econometric models. The case study revealed that a company can improve its performance, even in periods of growth, being characterized by consistent investments. The statistical analysis, performed on a restricted sample of companies, confirmed the results that were provided by the case study. The measurement of performance was made by capitalizing on financial and non-financial data precisely to intensify the interest for corporate sustainability. The obtained results, contrary to previous research that showed that economic value added (EVA) is negatively influenced by the increase in invested capital, open up new research perspectives to find out whether, at the industry level, performance appraisal that is based on EVA stimulates the development of a business’s economic capital. The research has a double utility: scientific (by providing an overview of the state of the art in the field of performance management) and practical (by providing a reference model for measuring and monitoring performance).

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