1. What is the difference between data, information, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom? Give specific examples of each in your own organization.
2. How has operations management changed since its early days as scientific management?
3. What are the major factors leading to increased interest in the use of operations management tools and techniques in the healthcare sector?
4. Why has ISO 9000 certification become important to healthcare organizations?
5. Research those organizations that have won the Baldrige Award in the healthcare category. What factors led to their success in winning the award?
6. What are some of the reasons for the success of Six Sigma?
7. What are some of the reasons for the success of Lean?
8. Compare and contrast ISO 9000, the Baldrige criteria, and Six Sigma. (More information on each of these programs is available on the book’s companion website.) Which would you find most appropriate to your organization? Why?
9. How are Lean initiatives similar to total quality management and Six Sigma initiatives? How are they different? 10. Why is supply chain management increasing in importance for healthcare organizations?
11. What are some new opportunities for the use of big data and analytics in healthcare?
