Purpose: This article explores tactical planning potential within hospital departments. The study adopts two objectives: first, to develop a framework for tactical capacity planning in healthcare departments by identifying and structuring essential components for healthcare capacity management, and, second, to identify context-specific requirements and functionality demands on tactical planning processes within healthcare. Methodology: A framework for tactical capacity planning was developed through a literature review. Additionally, an exploratory multiple-case study was performed, with cases from three Swedish hospital departments, which provide the opportunity to study framework applicability in its natural context. Findings: Findings illustrate how an active tactical planning process can facilitate adjustments to capacity. However, the multiple-case study shows that there are contextual differences between departments depending on treatments and resources available that affect possible capacity adjustments, and how the planning process activities should be structured. Originality: This project develops a framework for a tactical capacity-planning process adapted to healthcare provider contexts. By developing the framework based on the literature and tactical level planning processes within three Swedish hospital case study departments, we bridge gaps between theory and application regarding healthcare capacity planning.
Part 2: Knowledge-Based ServicesInternational audienceThe purpose is to describe the essential components and output of the tactical planning process and to explore context-related variations in the applicability of the planning process for hospital departments. The paper is based on a multiple-case study of three hospital departments’ planning processes at a tactical level, wherein the department manager’s support of the planning process was found to be essential. This study illustrates how an active tactical planning process can provide for numerous potential measures to adjust capacity and how they may vary in different contexts. An active tactical planning process provides the ability to move from current short-term, costly fire-fighting measures to more proactive capacity adjustments within hospital departments, which allow the department to stay under budget while keeping waiting times and queues within limits
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