Joining forces: the value of design partnering with operational research to improve healthcare delivery
A wide range of disciplines are directing their methods and tools to help address the challenges of healthcare. Chief among these are design and operational research (OR). Though they have much in common, these two disciplines have existed in isolation for most of their history and there is currentl...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Design Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470123000021/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811156433895424000 |
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| author | Guillaume Lamé Sonya Crowe Alexander Komashie Geoff Royston |
| author_facet | Guillaume Lamé Sonya Crowe Alexander Komashie Geoff Royston |
| author_sort | Guillaume Lamé |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A wide range of disciplines are directing their methods and tools to help address the challenges of healthcare. Chief among these are design and operational research (OR). Though they have much in common, these two disciplines have existed in isolation for most of their history and there is currently a gulf between the two research communities. In this position paper, we rapidly review the contributions of design and OR in healthcare. We then identify similarities and complementarities between the two disciplines and communities when they consider healthcare systems. Finally, we propose practical steps to enable better collaboration. Our focus is on finding ways in which the two disciplines complement each other. When applying design to healthcare services, designers may wish to learn from OR, which has a long history of supporting improvements in healthcare organisation and services, particularly using quantitative data and analysis and modelling methods. In return, design has distinctive qualities that could augment the OR approach, such as its emphasis on wide and creative search for potential solutions, and iterative co-production and prototyping of solutions with clients. Better collaboration will require a coordinated effort but could yield a more comprehensive and effective approach to improving healthcare systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:50:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6b9ddce56b0f48fbaf1237501ccc7d08 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-4701 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:50:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Design Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-6b9ddce56b0f48fbaf1237501ccc7d082023-03-09T12:32:04ZengCambridge University PressDesign Science2053-47012023-01-01910.1017/dsj.2023.2Joining forces: the value of design partnering with operational research to improve healthcare deliveryGuillaume Lamé0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9514-1890Sonya Crowe1Alexander Komashie2Geoff Royston3Laboratoire de Génie Industriel, CentraleSupélec, Université Paris Saclay, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, FranceClinical Operational Research Unit, University College London, 4 Taviton Street, London WC1H 0BT, UKDepartment of Engineering and The Healthcare Improvement Studies (THIS) Institute, University of Cambridge, The Old Schools, Trinity Lane, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UKIndependent, Harrogate, UKA wide range of disciplines are directing their methods and tools to help address the challenges of healthcare. Chief among these are design and operational research (OR). Though they have much in common, these two disciplines have existed in isolation for most of their history and there is currently a gulf between the two research communities. In this position paper, we rapidly review the contributions of design and OR in healthcare. We then identify similarities and complementarities between the two disciplines and communities when they consider healthcare systems. Finally, we propose practical steps to enable better collaboration. Our focus is on finding ways in which the two disciplines complement each other. When applying design to healthcare services, designers may wish to learn from OR, which has a long history of supporting improvements in healthcare organisation and services, particularly using quantitative data and analysis and modelling methods. In return, design has distinctive qualities that could augment the OR approach, such as its emphasis on wide and creative search for potential solutions, and iterative co-production and prototyping of solutions with clients. Better collaboration will require a coordinated effort but could yield a more comprehensive and effective approach to improving healthcare systems.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470123000021/type/journal_articlehealthcare designinterdisciplinarityoperational researchhealthcare improvement science |
| spellingShingle | Guillaume Lamé Sonya Crowe Alexander Komashie Geoff Royston Joining forces: the value of design partnering with operational research to improve healthcare delivery Design Science healthcare design interdisciplinarity operational research healthcare improvement science |
| title | Joining forces: the value of design partnering with operational research to improve healthcare delivery |
| title_full | Joining forces: the value of design partnering with operational research to improve healthcare delivery |
| title_fullStr | Joining forces: the value of design partnering with operational research to improve healthcare delivery |
| title_full_unstemmed | Joining forces: the value of design partnering with operational research to improve healthcare delivery |
| title_short | Joining forces: the value of design partnering with operational research to improve healthcare delivery |
| title_sort | joining forces the value of design partnering with operational research to improve healthcare delivery |
| topic | healthcare design interdisciplinarity operational research healthcare improvement science |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470123000021/type/journal_article |
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