title: An Industrial Engineering Approach to Cost Containment of Pharmacy Education.
abstract: A 2-semester project explored employing teams of fourth-year industrial engineering students to optimize some of our academic management processes. Results included significant cost savings and increases in efficiency, effectiveness, and student and faculty satisfaction. While we did not adopt all of the students' recommendations, we did learn some important lessons. For example, an initial investment of time in developing a mutually clear understanding of the problems, constraints, and goals maximizes the value of industrial engineering analysis and recommendations. Overall, industrial engineering was a valuable tool for optimizing certain academic management processes.
authors.affiliation: California Health Sciences University, Clovis, California.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bottenberg
authors.affiliation: Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa.
authors.forename: Marilea
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chase
authors.affiliation: Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa.
authors.forename: Renae
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chesnut
authors.affiliation: Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schott
authors.affiliation: Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torry
authors.affiliation: Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Welty
mesh_terms: D003363:Cost Control; D017046:Cost Savings; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D004738:Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D005178:Faculty; D006801:Humans; D013334:Students; D013339:Students, Pharmacy
keywords: cost containment; efficiency; industrial engineer
references.citation: Am J Pharm Educ. 2014 Feb 12;78(1):5
references.pmid: 24558273