Overview of Select Healthcare Service
Oral and Maxillofacial surgery refers to a service category that entails the rehabilitation of patients with oral or facial-related disabilities and defects (American academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, 2016). These conditions may have occurred due to ailments, trauma or deformations before birth. During this process prostheses are incorporated to replace missing tissue of bone parts, thus facilitating the restoration of speech, chewing and swallowing functions. However, the AAMP (2016) points out that in some instances, facial prosthesis may be utilized for psychosocial and cosmetic reasons, and for the purposes of shielding or positioning facial structures during radiotherapy. Mainly, patients that require prosthetic care are those that have been in accidents have neuromuscular disorders or had some diseased tissues removed (AAMP, 2016).
Question Two
Performance Dimensions
Notably, the abovementioned healthcare service has four performance dimensions-namely primary, secondary, operational and latent performance dimensions. Subsequently, a brief evaluation of these dimensions provides insight on their significance.
First, the primary dimensions associated with oral and maxillofacial surgery include timeliness, respect and care, and safety. Timeliness, which refers to the degree in which the care is provided during surgery, and in accordance to the patient’s perception of promptness, is considered primary since it directly impacts the surgery’s outcome. Further, safety, which refers to the degree to which the surgeries minimize risks of adverse outcomes among the providers and patients, is also primary since it determined the benefits that a patient and a provider will derive from the procedure. Additionally, respect and care, which is the degree with which surgeons of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery provide services, while empathizing with the patient’s needs, influences how patients view various procedures involved in the service.
Secondly, cost is a secondary dimension of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Notably, the previously mentioned dimension is considered secondary; since, it determines how patients access the specific healthcare service to address issues associated with oral and maxillofacial surgery. Notably, aspects of cost have evolved significantly due to introduction of programs such as universal healthcare cover and medical insurance; thus, enabling a larger portion of the populace to seek appropriate healthcare services.
Thirdly, operational performance dimensions associated with oral and maxillofacial surgery include competency, efficacy, and efficiency. The previously mentioned dimensions are considered operational since they evaluate how well resources are utilized to facilitate the delivery of quality services during oral and maxillofacial surgery. Over the years, considerable emphasis has been placed on the previously-mentioned dimensions since they have considerable influence over how surgery units prevent wastage, and adverse effects of surgery. To illustrate, high levels of competency, efficiency and efficacy within healthcare facilities enable the provision of high-quality care thus leading to patient satisfaction.
Fourthly, latent performance dimensions in oral and maxillofacial surgery include availability and appropriateness. More elaborately, the aforementioned performance dimensions were considered as latent since they influence the likelihood of getting the previously highlighted primary, secondary, and operational performance dimensions. However, over the past few years, the previously mentioned dimensions have evolved to be less effective. This is because governments, the private sector, and surgery related organizations have enhanced the availability and appropriateness of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Fringe, Lead And Non-Users
Oral and Maxillofacial surgery has three types of users-namely fringe, lead and non-users. Particularly, the fringe users of the service include individuals seeking this type of surgery for psychosocial and cosmetic reasons. This group influences latent performance dimensions by creating demand the services and paying adequately for the service. To illustrate, increased demand for psychosocial and cosmetic reasons has played a key role in increasing research on the appropriateness of various oral and maxillofacial surgeries, and the establishment of facilities that offer this service category (Clarke et al., 2005).
Further, lead users of oral and maxillofacial surgery are individuals that have been in accidents, have neuromuscular disorders or had some diseased tissues removed (AAMP, 2016).This group also influences latent performance dimensions by influencing the level of funding for related facilities and research. More elaborately, increased incidences of patients that need oral and maxillofacial surgery prompts governments to increase their funding towards the establishment of related facilities, and to fund research on how causative ailments and accidents can be alleviated.
Lastly, non-users of the previously mentioned service category include individuals that have not been in accidents or do not have neuromuscular disorders or have never had diseased tissues removed. In addition, individuals that do not need the previously mentioned services for psychosocial and cosmetic reasons are also considered as non-users. This group influences latent performance dimensions by lobbying for suitable policies towards the provision of oral and maxillofacial surgery to lead users.
Innovations in the service category
Notably, numerous innovations have occurred in the oral and maxillofacial surgery, thereby, introducing different effects in the service category. More elaborately, laparoscopic surgery is one of the sustaining innovations in the service category. According to Yu (2013), laparoscopic surgery is considered sustaining in this particular service sector since it reduces hemorrhaging among patients, it reduces recovery time for patients, it involves less medication, and it reduces the period of hospital stay. Further, single-port technique in in laparospic surgery, which involves the use of one incision to inspect sick tissues, is a resonant innovation in the select service industry (Yu,2013). Given that the innovation holds significant potential in enhancing safety and efficacy during oral and maxillofacial surgery, it can be categorized as a resonant innovation.
Moreover, the use of fiber optics to locate affected tissues is the select service sector’s new market disruption innovation. Noting that the innovation can be employed in improving various services in the healthcare industry, the innovation will have considerable disruptive effects in the healthcare industry (Yu,2013).Additionally, computer-aided surgery and computer-aided design of prosthetics, which have become crucial components of oral and maxillofacial surgery, can be categorized as low cost disruption technologies in the industry (Yu, 2013). This is because the innovations simplify the process, and enhance safety and accuracy of the procedure; thereby, minimizing costs associated with adverse effects (Yu, 2013).Moreover, the technology influences a variety of primary, secondary and operational dimensions associated with oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Question Two
Notably, major requests that relate to oral and maxillofacial surgery involve the improvement of a patient’s quality of life by restoring capabilities for important processes. Precisely, patient requests entail reduction of recovery periods, reduction of medical prescriptions, and reduction of the period of hospital stay. The previously mentioned requests present innovation opportunities in terms of developing procedures that can adequately address the previously mentioned needs.
In the context of the structure provided by Tucker et al. (2016), an appropriate approach of collecting views from the patients would entail introduction of suitable interaction structures. For instance, health facilities can benefit significantly from interacting with patients, who underwent oral and maxillofacial surgery. This would play a key role in identifying ways in which innovations can be enhanced to improve the quality of services offered to lead and fringe users of oral and maxillofacial surgery. For instance, interactions with patients can facilitate the development of innovative techniques that can facilitate reduction of recovery periods, and reduction of medical prescriptions, while retaining the effectiveness of this form of surgery. Moreover, suitable interaction will facilitate identification of innovation needs in various procedures used in this service segment (Tucker et al., 2016).
Further, suitable interaction frameworks can facilitate innovation in this service segment by enabling formation of patient-defined clusters. These groups would enable patients to share information of their experiences, thereby, shaping patient requests that relate to oral and maxillofacial surgery. As a consequence, development of clusters would enhance efficiency, enhance communication and promote the development of related innovations due to availability of information on past experiences. This would enable patients to benefit from more-convenient and better-coordinated access to care that relates to oral and maxillofacial surgery, thus improve outcomes.
Additionally, the introduction of suitable systems to facilitate the allocation of services and tasks will facilitate the determination whether employee’s expertise in oral and maxillofacial surgery units match their tasks (Tucker et al., 2016).This will facilitate the development of innovative approaches that enable innovation in task allocation. For instance, accurate determination of employee expertise in oral and maxillofacial surgery units and with respect to patient requests can facilitate introduction of innovative training approaches that ensure that accompagnateurs can offer some support services rather than doctors (Tucker et al., 2016). This will facilitate health facilities to free-up doctors to provide more vital care and reduce costs associated with oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Lastly, Tucker et al., (2016) points out that delivery location is vital to enhance service delivery. In regards to the select service, changing service locations, with regards to requests that relate to oral and maxillofacial surgery can play a key role in solving access problems .More elaborately; strategic establishment of surgery facilities would enhance the patent’s abilities to adhere to appointments and follow-up procedures, thereby, reducing pre and post-surgery complications.
- American academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics (AAMP), (2016). AAMP – Referring Physicians. Maxillofacialprosthetics.org. Retrieved 14 December 2016, from https://www.maxillofacialprosthetics.org/referringphysicians/whatismp.html
- Clarke, A., Lester, K. J., Withey, S. J., & Butler, P. E. M. (2005). A funding model for a psychological service to plastic and reconstructive surgery in UK practice. British journal of plastic surgery, 58(5), 708-713.
- Tucker, A., Teisberg, E., & Labdas, K. (2016). Four wars to reinvent Service delivery: How to create more value for your customers. Havard Business Review.
- Yu, G. Y. (2013). Oral and maxillofacial surgery: Current and future. Annals of maxillofacial surgery, 3(2), 111.
