Improvement of human performance in healthcare systems by taking into account physician behavior

Abstract

Purpose

Efficiency standards, similar to industrial measures like overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), are being used in healthcare systems more and more. Performance indicator models applied to machines assume a constant completion time. However, for human resources, the completion time of a task may vary depending on the stress experienced. This study seeks to bridge this gap by integrating the human behavior of the physician into the performance evaluation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a new algorithm called PerfoBalance that is intended to distribute waiting-patient values among doctors. By maximizing each physician’s stress zones, this method helps to improve their performance as a whole. A thorough case study with medical professionals is carried out to confirm the effectiveness of the suggested methodology. The PerfoBalance algorithm is used in a variety of contexts to divide waiting-patient values among doctors and optimize stress zones.

Findings

Experimental results demonstrate a significant improvement in physician efficiency when implementing the PerfoBalance algorithm. The algorithm strategically selects stress zones that contribute to higher performance rates for physicians by optimizing waiting-patient values.

Originality/value

By addressing the undervaluation of human performance difficulties in current efficiency models used in the healthcare industry, this research constitutes a significant contribution to the field. With its launch, the PerfoBalance algorithm offers a fresh viewpoint on waiting-patient value allocation and stress zone management in healthcare settings, hence representing a powerful method for increasing physician productivity.

Citation

Titah, M. and Hachemi, K. (2024), "Improvement of human performance in healthcare systems by taking into account physician behavior", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-01-2024-0029