Productivity 3: Productivity is more than a process

This the the third in a series of Productivity notes by Sarah Fraser. Productivity is more than a process.

New and improved policies can impact the design and implementation of efficiencies. For example, new recruitment, pension, appraisal and similar policy changes can impact processes not only in the short term but also long term. I do think that policy improvements are a necessary condition for many other efficiencies to be put into place.

Clinical productivity is often conceived as as "how hard are we sweating out clinical assets". Another way of looking at this is to see clinical productivity as the most up to date and best practice clinical methods being used. For example, continuing to carry our surgical procedures that are no longer proven to be effective is not productive.

Process productivity is the most familiar aspect of efficiency chasing in healthcare. Largely based on the principles of Lean (or reduced and less focused use of Lean) it is helpful but not enough to meet the healthcare challenges for the next 2 - 5 years.