While hospitals can learn from other industries, they cannot be improved or run like factories. With work that is more individualized than standardized, and limited control over volume and arrivals, even the leanest-minded hospital must recognize that healthcare systems are more dynamic than nearly any work environment.Written with the creativity n

Hospital Capacity Management: Insights and Strategies details many of the key processes, procedures, and administrative realities that make up the healthcare system we all encounter when we visit the ED or the hospital. It walks through, in detail, how these systems work, how they came to be this way, why they are set up as they are, and then, in many cases, why and how they should be improved right now. Many examples pulled from the lifelong experiences of the authors, published studies, and well-documented case studies are provided, both to illustrate and support arguments for change. First and foremost, it is necessary to remember that the mission of our healthcare system is to take care of patients. This has been forgotten at times, causing many of the issues the authors discuss in the book including hospital capacity management. This facet of healthcare management is absolutely central to the success or failure of a hospital, both in terms of its delivery of care and its ability to survive as an institution. Poor hospital capacity management is a root cause of long wait times, overcrowding, higher error rates, poor communication, low satisfaction, and a host of other commonly experienced problems. It is important enough that when it is done well, it can completely transform an entire hospital system. Hospital capacity management can be described as optimizing a hospital’s bed availability to provide enough capacity for efficient, error-free patient evaluation, treatment, and transfer to meet daily demand. A hospital that excels at capacity management is easy to spot: no lines of people waiting and no patients in hallways or sitting around in chairs. These hospitals don’t divert incoming ambulances to other hospitals; they have excellent patient safety records and efficiently move patients through their organization. They exist but are sadly in the minority of American hospitals. The vast majority are instead forced to constantly react to their own poor performance. This often results in the building of bigger and bigger institutions, which, instead of managing capacity, simply create more space in which to mismanage it. These institutions are failing to resolve the true stumbling blocks to excellent patient care, many of which you may have experienced firsthand in your own visit to your hospital. It is the hope of the authors that this book will provide a better understanding of the healthcare delivery system.

Perspectives on Management Capacity Building provides a lively spectrum of views on the problems and prospects of improving the management and performance of municipal governments in the United States. Leading specialists in public administration probe the management needs of local governments and explore ways in which they can improve their capacity to manage. Today, state and local governments are caught in the transition between the expansionism of the post-World War II years and the retrenchment era of the late seventies and eighties. Improved management capacity has emerged as the most effective way for local governments to ride out the economic and political pressures confronting them. This book first investigates the meaning of the term "management capacity." It then considers how management needs have changed in the post-war period and how these needs vary among large cities, suburbs, and rural communities. Two of the contributions explore the organizational politics of management improvement while others look at the functional areas of computers and financial management. The book also addresses human resource problems such as labor relations, management development, and training of municipal legislators, and concludes with several viewpoints on federal efforts to improve local management capacity.

ESSENTIALS OF CAPACITY MANAGEMENT Full of valuable tips, techniques, illustrative real-world examples, exhibits, and best practices, this handy and concise paperback will help you stay up to date on the newest thinking, strategies, developments, and technologies in capacity management. "Proper capacity management is the driving force behind outstanding corporate performance. Essentials of Capacity Management clearly describes its impact on operations, as well as how to use measurement systems and process analysis to enhance capacity usage. This is a solid foundation in capacity management for the business professional!" —Steve Bragg, Author "Although capacity management is a fundamental concern, it-like many other fundamentals-is often scanted. In fact, there's little that's more important to most companies than their ability to manage their capacity, which is simply the ability to do work. Essentials of Capacity Management does a great job of giving a quick, yet thorough, overview of the many considerations involved." —Barry J. Brinker, Editor, Guide to Cost Management (John Wiley & Sons) "This book does an excellent job of relating processes to capacity. Managers and executives will better understand that managing the effectiveness and efficiency of processes reduces the amount of capacity required, thus providing an opportunity to reduce costs while improving process quality and reducing process time. It shows the relationship of capacity to demand on downstream processes. It shows that process flexibility reduces required capacity." —John Antos, President, Value Creation Group, Inc. The Wiley Essentials Series-because the business world is always changing...and so should you.

Ten years in discussion and development, Total Capacity Management provides the most complete overview of the history and techniques of capacity cost management-a timely, yet timeless, issue applicable to both capital-intensive and labor-intensive organizations. Through explanations of various capacity cost management models, executives and managers can create the most appropriate model for their organization's distinct needs. Total Capacity Management shows the way for companies and managers to gain and maintain an exceptional competitive edge.

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO MAXIMIZING LIMITED RESOURCES TO INNOVATE AND GROW Trying to accomplish too much with too few resources has become almost customary in business today. More often than not, though, all that we "accomplish" is delayed projects, mass confusion, and missed opportunities--not the achievement of business goals. The Resource Management and Capacity Planning Handbook helps you tackle the critical challenges of resource management and capacity planning head on by providing a proven tool for making the leap from chaos to control: the Capacity Quadrant, a framework for addressing visibility, prioritization, optimization of existing resources, and integrated planning and governance. The Resource Management and Capacity Planning Handbook demystifies the complexities of resource capacity and demand management and offers clear ways for maximizing your limited resources to drive business growth and sustainability. This groundbreaking guide includes: The latest benchmark data from a comprehensive study of resource management Case studies from organizations that have used the book's methods with great success Tools for overcoming common barriers and making decisions involving time capture, resource assignments, and competing priorities Recommendations on ownership of the organization's resource management and capacity planning functions Considerations for addressing the human side of resource management and capacity planning The Resource Management and Capacity Planning Handbook gives you the information, insight, and proven methods to take your company where it has never been before. PRAISE FOR THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND CAPACITY PLANNING HANDBOOK "There are lots of leadership books, scores of human resources books, and plenty of project and portfolio management books. This is the first book dedicated to what is essentially the drivetrain of organizations--the effective use of its people toward its most important activities. This is Manas's best and most ambitious book yet." -- Judith E. Glaser, CEO, Benchmark Communications, Inc.; Chairman of The Creating WE Institute; and author of the bestselling Conversational Intelligence "Jerry's book and the Capacity Quadrant model he outlines give you a realistic view of your workforce and an approach to maximizing the 'people power' in your organization that's easy to understand and apply. It could very well help transform your company and make you a hero in the process!" -- Dave Garrett, President and CEO, ProjectManagement.com "Unlike lifeless products, people skills and capacity are difficult to measure and vary widely between 'good' days and 'bad' days. Manas steps nimbly through this minefield with solid evidence and practical advice--all laced together in an easy-to-read style." -- R. Max Wideman FCSCE, FEIC, FICE, FPMI "It didn't take me too long into reading when I realized how much we really needed this book. I wish we had it when we started implementing Resource Capacity Planning and Investment Planning. I will make sure all of my staff members have copies." -- Gary Merrifield, PMP, Manager, IT Project Delivery and Quality Assurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana "A great guide to the most important topic in management: how to maximize your limited people resources." -- Hans Heuschkel, Senior Business Intelligence Analyst/Project Manager, Swiss insurance company