Process management in healthcare facilities? - Quality guarantor instead of time waster!

It is not without reason that process management has become an increasingly relevant aspect in the management of companies in recent years. In the healthcare sector in particular, more emphasis is being placed on orderly processes, as there are strict legal requirements in this area in particular. Among other things, the German Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch V) defines the legal framework for quality assurance. Regardless of whether hospitals, rehabs, contract physicians or care facilities - quality criteria apply in every area, even outside the actual care of patients. In such a jungle of requirements, it's easy to lose track of what's going on. But how exactly do processes help here in the healthcare sector and contribute to quality assurance?

Often, (healthcare) organizations take advantage of loopholes by purchasing ready-made quality management manuals. These ready-made "packages" are sufficient for the time being to meet legal requirements, but do not move a facility forward. This option is often chosen when the added value of a well-practiced quality policy is not understood. The other option is to understand and live out the quality policy within the company, for which good process management is the foundation.

Countless processes accompany employees and managers in the healthcare sector on a daily basis. Due to the many processes and additional documentation requirements, there is often only a fine line between the legally prescribed procedures and those that have to be managed in practice. In addition, there is the cooperation and interlocking of many departments and areas: Who is responsible for what? How are new employees introduced to the company and when do I use which document? To clarify these questions, a quality management representative is usually appointed. This person is an expert when it comes to processes, but cannot possibly be an expert in every specialist area. So how is the QM representative supposed to create a system for everyone that works in practice?

A clear system for (health) processes

To this end, a way must be found to create transparency about tasks, procedures and the company's organization. The benefits should lie primarily in the creation of a cross-divisional overview for optimizing the company and preparing insurance companies such as the medical service of the health insurance funds. A process management system offers a long-term solution here. A (well-managed) process management system not only provides healthcare facilities with better transparency regarding tasks in the system, but can also serve as a means of comparison for processes in progress and legally prescribed procedures. Especially across departments, process management also provides a suitable basis for collaboration by mapping existing processes and documents or systems used. As a result, a neat, clear process management system is also ideal for introducing new employees to the company.

How exactly an organization fills the system (centralized by the quality manager/process manager or collectively by the employees with the quality representative as "system administrator") is up to each healthcare company. Basically, the main focus is on the overview of the individual departments and the cooperation between them. Many work steps merge into each other and do not function without each other. The complexity of the processes and close-meshed laws demand a systematic approach. Through this, the processes can have a long-term benefit for the healthcare company and advance it qualitatively.

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(Editor's note: Eva is an external contact and works in healthcare process management herself. Many thanks to Eva for the insight into the challenges of her daily work and her assistance!)