|
Showcase
Short slide To Perfection
The sliding scale concept introduced at Global Hospitals,
Hyderabad has helped in assessing the resource requirement of the Hospital.
Nayantara Som gives an insight into this concept
 Most
hospitals grapple with allocation and distribution of resources, be it human
capital or material. That's where Hyderabad-based Global Hospitals has an edge
through its sliding scale concept, an innovative technique in healthcare, introduced
in March 2007.
The concept helps in optimum allotment of resources in proportion to the total
manpower in any department of the hospital. The tedious task of manually assessing
the resources available in proportion to the total employee strength is now
a thing of the past. Though recent, the sliding scale concept has made a world
of difference to the hospital in the lengthy processes involved in the optimal
assessment of resources or keeping equilibrium in the total manpower.
According to Dr (Major) GVJ Prabhakar, General Manager, Operations, Global Hospitals,
who introduced the concept, "A tool employed by the army regularly since
World War II while working out logistics, the sliding scale applies a rational
assessment of the resource requirements. Since the requirements of resources
vary depending on the demand and other factors, a base scale is essential."
Applying the Concept
As in the defence forces, at a hospital level too, the requirement of manpower
and other resources like medical and non-medical supplies varies depending on
the patient turnover, number of tests, X-rays, procedures and surgeries. Hence,
taking a cue from their counterparts in the army, Global Hospitals introduced
this scale for optimal allocation of their resources, by avoiding acute wastage
of resources on one hand and an appalling shortage of staff employees on the
other. S Pratap, Senior General Manager, Commercial, Global Hospitals, explains,
"We basically wanted to avoid shortages in both material and human resources,
delays, excess manpower or inventory losses at the Hospital." Given the
patient occupancy per month and availability of employees, this scale is primarily
used to plan for optimum availability of resources at all times.
At present, the human resources department and the material resource department
are using this concept. Unlike other instances, here no core team or committee
was formed to implement this concept. "Here, the entire human resources
department is involved for its smooth implementation. It is integral to our
HR policies," adds Major Prabhakar.
Operating Protocol
 "A
tool employed by the army regularly since World War II, the sliding scale
applies a rational assessment of the resource requirements"
- Dr (Major) GVJ Prabhakar
General Manager
Operations
Global Hospitals, Hyderabad
|
Accordingly, the HR department has now structured the skeleton
of the sliding scale where the required manpower or resources, in various areas
of the Hospital like house keeping, OT, labs, radiology, cath lab is calculated
against an assigned amount of work. "The number of surgeries, number of
cath procedures and occupancy level of patients is accordingly worked out. Now,
for an increase in workload of a specified quantum, an increase in the member
of the staff is planned," says Major Prabhakar. The department monitors
the workload in this fashion regularly and employs additional staff as required.
Practical Examples
The nursing department has benefitted from the concept |
Consider an example. If the initial patient bed occupancy
is 200 against a nursing work force of 400 nurses, this works out to be two
nurses per patient. If the patient occupancy increases to 220, then given the
patient-nurse ratio, the total nurse force requirement would be 440. Hence,
to fill the deficit of nursing staff and maintain the perfect equilibrium, the
human resources department will now need to recruit 40 nurses into their total
workforce.
This is applicable in other departments too. For instance, in laboratories,
initially, if one reagent kit is used to perform 10 tests and the total number
of tests in a month is 1,000, the particular laboratory needs to keep 100 kits
for its tests. Thus, if the number of tests in a month increases to 1,500, the
requirement would rise to 150 kits. Similarly, the materials department's procurement
of various consumables, reagents, drugs is calculated to a fixed defined quantum
of activity and for a predetermined increase in this activity, the additional
requirement of these consumables is planned. The purchase and procurement department
in the meantime keeps monitoring, and adding additional resources from time
to time without the departments raising the required indents.
Since its inception, the scale is often used in the nursing
department. Says Pratap, "The scale is applicable to all departments. However,
it has been observed that it is the nursing department which is the first to
be affected if there is an increase or decrease in the patient occupancy rate."
| As per the responsibilities assigned to every strata
in the hierarchical pyramid, manpower in the army is broken down into two
distinct categories—those stationed at peace stations and those in
operations (those who have to fight a war or insurgency). At a particular
time and place, army requirements of manpower and material resources such
as supplies and artillery are often variable at unit level depending on
the deployment in the field. The sliding scale concept is useful to work
out and plan for the resource requirements at various unit levels. Says
Major Prabhakar, "If manpower has to be moved from a peace station
say Zone A to Zone B there will be an automatic increase in the manpower
force in Zone B. The sliding scale then is utilised to systematically allot
and plan out the resource requirements due to this increase in manpower."
Since the concept calls for careful documentation, the logistics is thus
worked out systematically without an iota increase in the workload. |
Prognosis
Three months hence, at Global Hospitals, the sliding scale concept has made
life easier for human resources in particular and the administration of the
Hospital as a whole. "Shortage in the workforce has been avoided and the
patients will not have to suffer in the long run," Pratap avers. "This
exercise obviates the need for the various departments to assess their needs
and then forward the request for additional manpower or material resources.
This ensures timely availability of resources at all times."
Major repetitions are avoided because the documentation, calculation and criteria
for this index were defined in the beginning itself. This removes the cumbersome
process of taking the approval of the managerial authority every time there
is a need to recruit a sizable number of staff. "Once the documentation
and the criteria of the sliding scale is fixed, it is approved by the manager.
After that the HR department has the full authority to recruit people without
consulting and requiring the approval of the managerial authority," says
Major Prabhakar.
Universal Cure
The sliding scale concept has also served as an interlink between the HR department
and the various other departments in the Hospital. "It has definitely brought
an element of transparency between the HR department and other departments.
Also, the policies of the hospital administration have become lucid and clear
for the HR team, making administration and implementation a smooth process,"
says Pratap. Shortcomings like delay and shortage of resources in crucial situations
have been rectified at the Hospital leading to its growth and productivity.
With the pressure of workload showing a nosedive and delays and shortages pushed
into the background, other Indian hospitals can definitely contemplate adopting
the concept for a smooth work process.
nayantara.som@expressindia.com
|
