Process Analysis Tools

Answer

Process Analysis Tools

Eby (2020) explains that project management in healthcare helps improve the functioning of healthcare organizations. While healthcare organizations use project managers to organize, plan, and oversee the success of projects aimed at increased optimal health and organizational goals achieved, healthcare organizations also implement process analytics towards organizational process tracing by gaining real-time evidence that will help in improving organizational performance. Scatter diagrams are one of the many tools used for process analysis in organizations. This essay highlights scatter diagrams, their advantages, and disadvantages and provide an example of theoretical data towards improved performance.
Scatter Diagrams
According to Lotich (2019) and the Minnesota Depart of Health (2019), scatter diagrams are tools used in process analytics to identify and explain the relationship between specific changes seen in data sets through different variables aimed at a specific organizational goal. In healthcare, organizations use scatter diagrams to conduct surveys in areas where a healthcare organization may fall behind on performance, all geared towards administering optimal care to patients and achieving organizational goals (Minnesota Depart of Health, 2019). Examples of such surveys include assessing local public health and investigating the effectiveness of new policy changes in the healthcare facility.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Scatter Diagrams
Strengths
Scatter diagrams are advantageous to project managers and organizations because of their simplicity in designing them. Scatter diagrams do not need mathematical methods to formulate; rather go by correlation variables into visualized data (BrainKart, 2019). Second, scatter diagrams only work with internal items as variables without the influence of extreme and external items (BrainKart, 2019). Scatter diagrams use the raw data inputted to formulate performance plans towards the improvement of organizational status; attaining organizational goals. Third, scatter diagrams offer a peek at the data collected on the correlation to the intended resolutions to be done in order to maximize organizational performance.
Weaknesses
The biggest limitation to scatter diagrams is that the peak at the estimate to the correlation of data and the variables on improving organizational performance does not establish exact findings and results but gives speculations (BrainKart, 2019). With the lack of an exact solution, organizations that use this project analytics tool will have to speculate on improving performance. Therefore, solutions are on the abroad spectrum rather than specific.
Scatter Diagram Data Analytic Example
This example follows the directives by nursing staff in GHT Pediatric Hospital to test for bacteria on surfaces in the hospital. The goal of this bacterial swab test is to analyze the hospital's overall sanitization efforts. This sanitization goal by the nursing staff is the emergence of readmission and longer hospital stays of infants and other pediatric patients with bacterial infections. Cobrado et al. (2017) and the World Health Organization (WHO) (2014) explain that the microbial pathogens in high surfaces in hospitals are a leading cause of readmissions and prolonged lengths of stay for patients in hospitals with Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; as the leading bacterial contaminants of surfaces in hospitals.
The surfaces targeted include patient gowns, floors, bed linen, door handles and knobs, light switches, railings, call buttons, furniture, and sinks and taps. These surfaces were picked because they were common through the various areas targeted for bacterial swabs: the waiting area, the physician observation room, the pediatric ward, and the storage area. The data collected from the swabs were averaged across all rooms to show which surfaces brought about more re-infections amongst pediatric patients. A score of 400 units and below showed normal flora and a pass on the swab test. A score of 400 units and above indicated a fail needing further investigation and sanitization on the surfaces. Attached is a check sheet visualizing the data collected.
From the data collected, the scatter diagrams show the different variables being the different surfaces and different areas in the hospital where bacteria; highlighting how these two variables lead to increased re-infections in the hospitals. Areas with higher bacterial units need further investigation towards better sanitization efforts by the nurses. When the nursing staff recognizes these areas with higher microbial pathogens, sanitization efforts can ensue towards the effective promotion of health amongst the pediatric patients while ensuring minimal to no readmissions of pediatric patients. The scatter diagrams will help in better hospital care and the prevention of hospital-caused infections.