Process Coordination Within a Health Care Service Supply Network
研究了患者共病情况下医疗服务供应链的三种协调方案（患者自协调、医生协调、第三方协调），通过流程链网络分析评估其效果，并基于案例提出协调理论。
There are two manifestations of supply chains in health care. One involves the supply of equipment and materials used in health care delivery. The other supply chain involves the delivery of health care itself, wherein patients supply their physical conditions and service suppliers deliver health care services. This article considers the latter supply chain, analyzing a case study in which patients have comorbidities and thus require the services of a network of multiple health care providers. In the case study, we examine three schemes for coordination of care. In the first scheme, the patient herself is expected to manage the coordination. In the second scheme, physicians are expected to coordinate the care. In the third scheme, a third‐party coordinator manages care across network members. We examine these three possible coordination alternatives using a technique known as Process‐Chain‐Network ( PCN ) Analysis. PCN Analysis helps us document how coordination schemes are implemented and where they may fail. Our analysis of the case study leads us to the development of ex post theory about who should initiate coordination and how it should take place under conditions of comorbidities. Empirical data coming from the case study support the theory. We describe possible applications of the theory inside and outside of health care, and show how the PCN approach can guide process innovation.