An artificial neural networks approach in managing healthcare.
Hospitals as learning organisations have evolved through complex phases of service failures and continuous service improvement to meet the business needs of a varied continuum of care customers. This paper explores the use of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) in the development of a decision support system to manage healthcare non-clinical services. The information (postal questionnaires and repertory grid interviews) used to develop the input to the National Healthcare Service Facilities Risk Exposure System (NHSFRES) was articulated from 60 experienced healthcare operators. The system provides a reasonable early warning signal to the healthcare managers, and can be used by decision makers to evaluate the severity of risks on healthcare non clinical business operations. The advantage of using NHSFRES is that healthcare managers can provide their own risk assessment values (point score system) based on their own healthcare management business knowledge/judgement and corporate objectives.
Faculty of Arts, Design & Technology, School of Technology, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB, UK. m.okoroh@derby.ac.uk
Michael Iheoma
MI
Okoroh
Benedict Dozie
BD
Ilozor
Peter
P
Gombera
D000720:Ancillary Services, Hospital; D003660:Decision Support Systems, Management; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D010557:Personnel Administration, Hospital / Q000379:methods; D000078329:Workforce