Non-core services efficiency improvement: How to find resources in the healthcare system

In countries where the health service is run by national and regional governments, costs have risen dramatically since the early 2000s. The consequently smaller contributions granted to hospital facilities have forced managers to implement cost-reduction strategies. The Authors' purpose is to avoid strategies which interfere with care processes such as linear cuts (fewer services to patients) and standard cost (a policy of equalizing the cost of purchasing goods and services). A health care system is strongly similar, in an operative way, to a production system. For this reason, the Authors decide to face the efficiency improvement of this kind of system with the same approach they generally use for production systems. Through the construction of simulation models (Discrete Event Simulation, System Dynamics) are, therefore, obtained quantitative data on the basis of which, in agreement with the Management, the corresponding improvement actions are made. The proposed approach allows Managers, at zero cost and without interfering with care processes, the recovery of significant resources as demonstrated in the test case application. Through the System efficiency improvement proposed by the Authors it is possible to maintain a high level of care even in the presence of budget reductions. Strong savings for each system where the methodology is applied and for the whole Italian system.