Using a model of the performance measures in Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) to take action: a case study in health care

Kotiadis, Kathy; Tako, Antuela A.; Rouwette, E.A.J.A.; Vasilakis, Christos; Brennan, Johnny; Gandhi, Pankaj; Wegstapel, Henk; Sagias, Filippos; Webb, P.

doi:10.1057/jors.2012.21

Cited by 24 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Baldwin et al (2004) Simulation in healthcare management Checkland and Poulter (1994) Production of a hospital information and systems strategy Checkland and Scholes (1999) East Berkshire Community Medicine Department -performance measurement and improvement Connell (2013) Design of an information system for health service users providing care in the community Esain et al (2012) Quality improvement initiatives across NHS England healthcare trusts Kalim et al (2004) Healthcare policy provision and decision support Kotiadis et al (2013) Modelling performance measures in SSM Kotiadis et al (2014) Conceptual modelling for discrete event simulation in healthcare Lehaney and Paul (1996) Development of a Simulation of Out-Patient Services at Watford General Hospital Mukotekwa and Carson (2007) Improving the discharge planning process Rose and Haynes (1999) Evaluation of Complex Interventions in the Public Sector Wells (1995) An analysis of nurse management and activity on a psychiatric in-patient facility Our study confirms some of the findings of Mukotekwa and Carson (2007) including the value of greater coordination between health and social care practitioners. However, we go further by incorporating the views of additional important stakeholders -Registrars, Consultants and Discharge Coordinators -and also by investigating how different stakeholders may subscribe to different philosophies.…”

Section: Author (S) Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It proved sufficient to explore a range of different issues and to identify the key tensions; a larger number would have been more time consuming to develop and difficult to communicate. Whilst some recent studies have preferred the four-stage process for SSM (Kotiadis et al, 2013), the seven-stage process for SSM was intuitive and readily applicable to the problem situation investigated.…”

Section: Reflections On Ssm Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Care and Flow: Using Soft Systems Methodology to understand tensions in the patient discharge process

Emes

Smith

Ward³

et al. 2017

Health Systems

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Many hospitals face a daily struggle to manage capacity, especially where wards contain patients with a combination of health and social care needs. In this study, Soft Systems Methodology was used to understand the process of discharging patients from an acute hospital and to answer the question 'Why do patients with complex needs often spend longer on the wards than is necessary?'. Through a series of twenty structured interviews, several problems with the discharge planning process were identified. Problems included ineffective communication, slow processing of paperwork, limited forward planning, no clear ownership of the process and delays in finding care in the community. The persistence of these problems despite longstanding guidance on discharge planning can be understood by recognising the tension between two different philosophies in hospitals -a traditional 'Care' mindset focusing on the immediate needs of patients on the wards, and a planning-focused 'Flow' mentality, where the hospital's responsibility to the wider community dominates. Soft Systems Methodology was found to be an effective approach for discussing discharge planning and highlighting this tension. Based on the insights gained from the interviews, three practical initiatives have now been implemented to reconcile the tension and thereby reduce delays in the hospital.

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Section: Author (S) Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reflections On Ssm Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

Care and Flow: Using Soft Systems Methodology to understand tensions in the patient discharge process

Emes

Smith

Ward³

et al. 2017

Health Systems

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Following Kotiadis et al (2013) the workshop and SSM stages have also been mapped onto the timeline.…”

Section: Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving coordination in an engineer-to-order supply chain using a soft systems approach

Mello

Gosling

Strandhagen

et al. 2016

Production Planning & Control

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An empirical study in the ship-building sector has been undertaken to understand the problems associated with the coordination of engineer-to-order (ETO) supply chains and to reveal insights into opportunities for improvements based on the application of soft systems methodology (SSM). A number of alternatives to improve coordination of supply chain have been proposed based on the comparison between a soft systems model and actual practice. These alternatives were summarized into seven general principles that help define the role of individual companies' in coordinating ETO supply chains, highlighting the company's structures and interdependencies that lead to project tardiness. Due to the specific nature of a project which changes according to the context, it is difficult to generalize the soft system model. Nevertheless, future research can further explore some of the principles proposed to deal with coordination problems experienced in other types of ETO project operations, such as construction and oil and gas.

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“…Such techniques generally employ qualitative methods such as cognitive mapping and extensive interaction with stakeholders through facilitated workshops. Examples of applications of soft methods in health include a study on improving the organisation of multidisciplinary team meetings for colorectal cancer14 and addressing the gap between patients’ and providers’ expectations in NHS hospital outpatients’ department 15…”

Section: Outline Of Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systems modelling and simulation in health service design, delivery and decision making

et al. 2015

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The ever increasing pressures to ensure the most efficient and effective use of limited health service resources will, over time, encourage policy makers to turn to system modelling solutions. Such techniques have been available for decades, but despite ample research which demonstrates potential, their application in health services to date is limited. This article surveys the breadth of approaches available to support delivery and design across many areas and levels of healthcare planning. A case study in emergency stroke care is presented as an exemplar of an impactful application of health system modelling. This is followed by a discussion of the key issues surrounding the application of these methods in health, what barriers need to be overcome to ensure more effective implementation, as well as likely developments in the future.

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Using a model of the performance measures in Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) to take action: a case study in health care

Cited by 24 publications

References 19 publications

Care and Flow: Using Soft Systems Methodology to understand tensions in the patient discharge process

Care and Flow: Using Soft Systems Methodology to understand tensions in the patient discharge process

Improving coordination in an engineer-to-order supply chain using a soft systems approach

Systems modelling and simulation in health service design, delivery and decision making

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