Each question half-page one referance

#1

With the case study provided, there needs to be a decision made between two options that have different circumstances for opening the free clinic. In Chapter 3, Ozcan (2017) explains the steps to take when healthcare organizations (HCOs) need to make decisions. The process consists of identifying the problem, specifying objectives, developing alternatives, choosing one of them and evaluating the results and outcomes. In this case, it is deciding whether or not moving to the second proposal for the extra cost is worth the time and money. It is also important to acknowledge the risks, uncertainty and causes for poor decisions. Being educated in these concepts will allow for the best decision to be made (most profit/less cost). When the decision needs to be made to choose which layout proposal to follow, it is also critical to understand how to pick a layout where you can improve process flows, minimize wasted space while taking into consideration functionality and cost savings. 

If the second proposal provides efficiency savings but will cost extra to move, it is important to use predictive analytics to determine if the second design will have enough savings to outweigh the extra costs that come with moving locations. Since an operations analyst from Roanoke recommended the second space, there is credibility behind that recommendation. I would choose the second proposal with efficiency savings even if it may cost to move. The idea with the first proposal is that there is always room for improvement with facility layouts. The second proposal should allow for savings because the whole goal of the new clinic is to alleviate strain from the ER and reduce traffic within that department. Efficiency savings that can also occur with the second proposal could be the idea of closeness and minimizing distances. This includes the number of times clinical staff and patients have to move between departments and the distances that individuals may have to walk to reach a department or facility. From the layouts provided in Chapter 5, it seems the best layout would be the process layout since the new clinic will provide primary care services and chronic disease management services (Ozcan, 2017). Because of the variability amongst patients, it is necessary for the layout to be flexible for patients. 

#2

Developing a facility layout and strategic planning is an important aspect to the success and sustainability of healthcare organizations that often go under the radar when we think of healthcare management. There is a great amount of patients and employees who walk through the front doors of a hospital or clinc. The layout of the facility is crucial to efficient workflow for employees and ease of navigation for patients in improving process flow and eliminate wasted space. ABC Medical Center wants to open up a free clinic to help to provide care services for the uninsured in order to alleviate strain on the hospital's emergency room. It is important to take predictive analysis and calculated risk when assessing which route to take between the two proposals and whether spending the extra money is worth it. In this case, I believe that proposal 2 woud be ideal for the long run. The idea from the beginning was to alleviate stress from the hospital's emergency room, and a big part of an organizations layout is "to create efficiencies in functional areas where repetitive processes (nurses walking on hallways to fetch supplies or delivering care for patients) occur, then minimizing the costs or repetitive distances traveled becomes a goal" (Ozcan, 2017). If the new clinic has a layout that is inefficient and works against process workflow for employees and the patient it will only create frustration and increased costs for those in the building. So instead of alleviating stress from the emergency room at the hospital, it can be seen as just moving stress elsewhere. Proposal 2 seems like the best option for the healthcare organization as it provides a more efficient layout that works with flow of patients and work operations. Even at an increased cost, this is an investment to the building nonetheless.