What medicine can teach operations: What operations can teach medicine

Abstract

There has been much debate and discussion recently about how to reduce costs and improve quality of healthcare in both the U.S. and around the world. This is a debate we are all interested in. The purpose of this essay is to examine how professors, teachers and researchers in the business field of operations management can contribute to improving quality and reducing costs of care. Management researchers have a unique set of skills that can contribute to substantial improvements in a wide range of medical situations and organizations. At the same time, there is much that can be learned by operations management professionals by engaging with medical professionals beyond simply being patients.