The development of a policy framework for integrating smart asset management within operating theatres in a private healthcare group to mitigate critical system failure

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), health technologiesare an essential basis for the correct functionality of an effective healthcare system. It is within this hospital environment that medical equipment is consideredhospital assets that can directly affect human lives. However hospitals within the private healthcare industry are also considered businesses which apart from dealing with human lives, are also accountable to management to be profitable, where assets are also considerable investments and maintenance costs need to be factored into the return of asset investment as well as incomegenerated from asset utilisation and performance. It is therefore important to have a well planned and managed physical asset management (PAM) programme that is able to keep the medical equipment in a healthcare institution reliable, safe and available for use when it is needed. This thesis has narrowed down the strategic execution of PAM to an operating theatre as a critical asset, both in terms of human safety and also operational importance. By utilising a case study approach to qualitatively explore the implementation of PAM, a new concept known as Smart Asset Management (SAM) has been identified as a means to assist physical asset management strategic execution (PAMSE).SAM is a new expression where the term smart, is a concept used increasingly within the commercial environment, which relates to a perception oftechnological intelligence. The concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) has also become a reality which necessitates the need for a different approach to managing physical assets. With this emergence of technological intelligence,comes the possibility of vast quantities of asset data and the analysis thereof which has proven to add value to asset management. In order to capitalise and expand on this value creation, SAM came into being by incorporatingproven methodologies and applying these within real-time management structures.This thesis also sets out to create industry awareness about the business potential of incorporating SAM within automated asset environments for assistingin strategic management decisions. In order to do so, SAM applications are investigated, as well as requirements and benefits of SAM implementationaccording to various literature sources. By investigating concepts such as; performance management (PM) and condition monitoring (CM), in conjunction with SAM; this thesis aims to illustrate how SAM can be incorporated within the strategic execution of PAM to predict and avoid critical system failure.Considering the qualitative intricacies of this investigation, it was identified that management at various levels need to be engaged as well as informed with regards to the context in which SAM can be utilised to address potential risks.Ultimately the case study approach was adopted to portray a common understanding experienced by technical managers operating within various hospitalsacross South Africa. Hence by providing a view of an ideal, integrated holistic system, the concept of SAM implementation will be presented to variousparticipants within the same corporate group. In accordance with the face validation approach, the feedback and experiences gained from professionalswithin the industry are further consolidated within a model which represents the best practices towards utilising SAM within the given constraints. In orderto further validate this conceptual implementation of SAM, the face validation analyses are further utilised to facilitate expert agreement of the proposedSAM concept. The developed theory is further summarised and consolidated into a theoretical guideline for senior management to improve PAM and theexecution thereof. Finally the model therefore serves the purpose of assisting senior management to steer their focus and efforts towards practises that contributetowards strategic execution which assists in risk mitigation planning associated with critical asset failure.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University