Embedding OR modelling as decision support in health capacity planning: insights from an evaluation
Embedding OR modelling as decision support in health capacity planning: insights from an evaluation
Literature reviews over five decades have reported the paucity of examples of OR methods being routinely used to support decision-making in health and social care. This paper presents insights from an independent evaluation of a project intended to overcome some of the barriers to implementation by establishing a “community of practice” in Kent (England). The project itself was undertaken by practitioners, and had two main aims: providing training in system dynamics modelling to analysts, and making senior managers aware of the benefits of modelling. The findings largely confirmed previous studies, but also raised issues about style of training delivery and selection of problems to be modelled. Project leaders fully understood the barriers to embedding OR modelling skills, and made considerable efforts to avoid them, but nevertheless the main barrier, pressures on people’s time, remained an obstacle. The paper concludes with general reflections and advice.
System dynamics; communities of practice; capacity building
Brailsford, Sally
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Bayer, Steffen
28979328-d6fa-4eb7-b6de-9ef97f8e8e97
Connell, Con
90024149-6d2d-4327-8969-72d7735c0363
George, Abraham
157e754b-a712-421e-8829-b0042ef725ed
Klein, Jonathan
639e04f0-059a-4566-9361-a4edda0dba7d
Lacey, Peter
7a70e54c-ec23-427b-8779-d54b24a7ccd4
Brailsford, Sally
634585ff-c828-46ca-b33d-7ac017dda04f
Bayer, Steffen
28979328-d6fa-4eb7-b6de-9ef97f8e8e97
Connell, Con
90024149-6d2d-4327-8969-72d7735c0363
George, Abraham
157e754b-a712-421e-8829-b0042ef725ed
Klein, Jonathan
639e04f0-059a-4566-9361-a4edda0dba7d
Lacey, Peter
7a70e54c-ec23-427b-8779-d54b24a7ccd4
Brailsford, Sally, Bayer, Steffen, Connell, Con, George, Abraham, Klein, Jonathan and Lacey, Peter
(2021)
Embedding OR modelling as decision support in health capacity planning: insights from an evaluation.
Health Systems.
(doi:10.1080/20476965.2021.1983476).
Abstract
Literature reviews over five decades have reported the paucity of examples of OR methods being routinely used to support decision-making in health and social care. This paper presents insights from an independent evaluation of a project intended to overcome some of the barriers to implementation by establishing a “community of practice” in Kent (England). The project itself was undertaken by practitioners, and had two main aims: providing training in system dynamics modelling to analysts, and making senior managers aware of the benefits of modelling. The findings largely confirmed previous studies, but also raised issues about style of training delivery and selection of problems to be modelled. Project leaders fully understood the barriers to embedding OR modelling skills, and made considerable efforts to avoid them, but nevertheless the main barrier, pressures on people’s time, remained an obstacle. The paper concludes with general reflections and advice.
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Accepted/In Press date: 14 September 2021
e-pub ahead of print date: 4 October 2021
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Publisher Copyright:
© Operational Research Society 2021.
Keywords:
System dynamics; communities of practice; capacity building
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 451596
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/451596
ISSN: 2047-6965
PURE UUID: 48540bd0-1a1a-4f55-9e34-07052cf76f5a
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Date deposited: 13 Oct 2021 16:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 02:37
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Author:
Con Connell
Author:
Abraham George
Author:
Peter Lacey
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