A systems approach to healthcare: from thinking to -practice.
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Publication Date
2018-10Journal Title
Future Healthc J
ISSN
2514-6645
Publisher
Royal College of Physicians
Volume
5
Issue
3
Pages
151-155
Language
eng
Type
Article
Physical Medium
Print
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Clarkson, J., Dean, J., Ward, J., Komashie, A., & Bashford, T. (2018). A systems approach to healthcare: from thinking to -practice.. Future Healthc J, 5 (3), 151-155. https://doi.org/10.7861/futurehosp.5-3-151
Abstract
Medicine is increasingly complex, involving a highly connected system of people, resources, processes, and institutions. Attempts to improve care involve disruptions to this system, with the potential for wide-ranging consequences, both positive and negative. Despite this, many improvement methodologies are poorly equipped to manage either complexity or risk - instead focusing on discrete interventions whose effects are narrowly monitored. Engineers have long understood that complex problems require a systems view, and that attempts to make things better can themselves introduce new risk into a system. Given this, an engineering systems approach may be of significant value to those trying to improve healthcare. Two fundamental questions emerge from such an approach: what can we do better, and what could possibly go wrong? This paper describes the evolution of a systems approach to healthcare, and explores a recently co-developed framework outlining a systems approach based upon a synergy between healthcare and engineering.
Keywords
Systems approach, healthcare improvement, healthcare systems, quality improvement, systems engineering
Sponsorship
Department of Health (via National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)) (16/137/105)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.7861/futurehosp.5-3-151
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/285771
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http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
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