Good Research Proposal About Lean Management Theory In Gp Practice Research Proposal

Background

This research proposal entails the fundamental foundation and underlying structure which will be used in undertaking an investigation into how lean methodology can be used to reduce overspending within the General Practitioners medical practice. In this regard, the underlying client of this research study is GP Practice, which operates within the Kent locality. These practitioners are fundamentally characterized by their surgery practice, and they often make referrals to the National Health Service in the course of their work. These referrals have on numerous occasions resulted in the overspending of the financial resources of these GPs, and this overspending of their budget has negatively impacted their operational profitability levels. Therefore, this research will specifically target the operations of the GP Practice in surgery practice operating independently within the stated geographic jurisdiction.
The GP Practice which is expected to benefit from this research study is located in East London and has been in operation since mid-1994. The practice is operated by two principal partner General Practitioners who are assisted by two other practitioners. The practice also includes four other practice managers, general administrative as well as other receptionist staff members. In total, the Practice serves around 1500 patients per year. Out of these patients, 18% are children aged between 5 and 18 years, 52% are adults aged between 19 and 69 years while 30% are old-aged patients who are aged above 70 years. This research is important to the GP Practice because overall, the Kent locality health economy losses about 15 Billion Pounds per year that are attributed to referrals to the National Health Service.
This research study will significantly benefit the targeted client in a numbers of ways and result in an increase in their overall profitability and operational efficiency. This study will fundamentally focus on how lean methodology and management practices can be applied to the surgery practice of the identified GPs, so as to ensure that they reduce the overspending levels that are currently being witnessed in their operations. Through the understanding of these methodologies and management practices, the targeted client is expected to develop operational strategies that are in tune with management best practice within the health care sector in the world today. These best practices will be manifested mainly through decreased operational costs that are associated with the current overspending levels. These decreased costs will subsequently result in an increased level of profitability for the GP Practice in the short, medium as well as the longer time frames.
As previously mentioned, this research study is targeted at the GP Practice which operates surgery practices within the UK health system, and which occasionally experiences overspending instances in its day-to-day operations. These overspending instances are mainly manifested in the referrals that the GPs are forced to undertake to the National Health Service. Consequently, the scope of this research will extend to the application of lean management techniques and methodologies in regard to the operations of these GPs. The research study will analyze these methodologies and techniques and link them to the specific requirements of these practitioners to enable them formulate the most suitable approaches that they can use going forward. The identified lean methodologies and techniques will yield an overall reduction of these overspending levels once they are implemented by the GPs in their operations.
A financial review of this GP practice’s financial position was conducted with a view to identifying what areas gave rise to their highest overspends with a view to ultimately reducing the pressure on the practice budget by proffering solutions to the anomalies identified.In order to achieve this, and utilizing the principles of Lean Thinking or the Lean Methodology, a research investigation on a GP practice as a sample. The GP practice used in this study, and some of the data produced will be anonymised in the interest of patient confidentiality and data protection. In the course of this investigation, various audits were one of the tools used as a means of identifying the areas of high overspends within the Practice.
During the course of this study, the specific focus of the literature sources will be on the lean management techniques and methodologies in regards to the GPs` surgery practice in the Kent locality. The overall objective of this study is to investigate how these methodologies can be used to reduce the prevalent overspending tendencies among these practitioners. However, in undertaking this investigation, other literary aspects will be reviewed so as to ensure that the study gains a grounded knowledge of the underlying research proposition. Consequently, the literature sources enlisted in this research will be comprised of a combination of economic studies, parliamentary deliberations and reports, health science literature and lean management techniques-based literature. This variety of literary sources will be expected to provide the expected information and data that will enable this study to achieve its objectives successfully.

Research Question

How effective is lean management technique in GP's surgery in reducing overspending specifically concerning referrals?
2.1 Research Objectives
Objective 1: To find out whether lean management methodologies can be used in the reduction of overspending levels among GP surgery practices in the UK.
Objective 2: To find suitable literary sources that provide appropriate information in regards to how lean management theory can be used to reduce overspending in the said practices.
Objective 3: To propose and develop specific lean management theory aspects within the GP surgery practices that are expected to achieve an overall reduction in their overspending.
Objective 4: To formulate an implementation framework which will be used in the GP surgery practices so as to enable them reduce their recurrent overspending levels.
2.2 Hypothesis
Null Hypothesis: Lean management theory and methodology can be used to reduce overspending in GP surgery practices in the Kent locality.
Alternative Hypothesis: Lean management theory and methodology cannot be used to reduce overspending in GP surgery practices in the Kent locality.

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
This research study will fundamentally adopt the exploratory approach as the preferred framework on which the study will be undertaken. This framework entails the undertaking of a study in a subject matter where little or no studies have previously been undertaken. Consequently, exploratory studies are fundamental pioneers in their nature, and their findings are critical in the undertaking of subsequent studies in the underlying field. In this regard, very few studies involving an investigation into how lean management theory can be used to reduce overspending levels in GP surgery practices in the UK have been previously undertaken.
The research design of this study is also founded on the deductive approach of undertaking research studies. This approach entails the formulation of a theory or philosophical approach, and the subsequent undertaking of a research study which is geared towards approving or dispelling the previously formulated theory or proposition. The overall objective of studies of this nature is to find evidence which proves the existence of the said theories and ideas. Consequently, this study seeks to prove that the idea that lean management theory can be used to reduce the overspending levels among GPs is fundamentally true.
The research design of this study will also adopt the positivist paradigm as the overriding theme in the data collection and analysis process of this research. The positivist paradigm entails the view that the relationship between variables and other aspects of human behavior is fundamentally understood through the joint processes of the observation of the variables and the application of reason accordingly. This approach will be ideal for this study because it will give the leeway for the research team to undertake a comprehensive data collection and analysis process which will result in the attainment of the study`s objectives.
3.2 Data Collection
The process of undertaking this study will involve a joint data collection approach in which both quantitative as well as qualitative characteristics of the primary data will be evaluated and reviewed. Qualitative data collection approaches involve the collection of data elements that are primarily not quantifiable in numerical values, but which instead involve unique characteristics of the data such as it overriding perceptions. Quantitative data entails the collection of data which can be reduced into measurable values such as numeric scales and quantity ranges.
As previously mentioned, this research seeks to investigate how lean management techniques and methodologies can be used to reduce the overspending levels of GPs who operate surgery practices within their respective geographic jurisdiction. Accordingly, both primary and secondary sources of data will be applied in the data collection process of this study. The primary sources of data will involve the undertaking of interviews targeted at stakeholders who operate in this industry in the Kent locality, and they will yield the desired quantitative data which will be applied in the research. The secondary sources of data on the other hand will involve the literature sources that will be analyzed and used in drawing subtle conclusions relating to the objectives of this study. These secondary sources of data are expected to provide the required qualitative data required for the appropriate completion of this study.
As previously mentioned, interviews will be used as the preferred primary data collection technique of this study. In this regard, a sample population comprising of General Practitioners operating surgery practices in the Kent locality will be selected to participate in this study. From this population, a smaller sample will be selected as the primary sources of data on which the interviews will be administered. This smaller data sample will comprise of 4 doctors, who operate as General Practitioners, and whose overspending levels has drastically increased as a result of referrals that are made specifically to the National Health Service.

Internal and External Reliability of Data

The data collection techniques as well as the overall research approach which was selected for the purpose of this study is designed to ensure that the information collected will meet and pass the reliability threshold of effective research studies as is expected. Internal reliability refers to the ability of the collected data to be independently verified and approved as providing a clear picture of the research proposition and objectives of the study. External reliability on the other hand refers to the ability of the data from secondary sources to provide the required qualitative aspects and strong evidence in support of the overriding theme of the research study, thus, leading to the accomplishment of its objectives. Both the internal as well as the external reliability aspects of the study will be effectively covered in the course of undertaking this research.

Ethics

This research is committed to the highest levels of ethical operational practices in regards to studies of this scope and nature. Accordingly, all the stakeholders who will be enlisted in the course of this study are expected to adhere and comply with the same ethical operational practices and code of conduct. Consequently, any information and data collected will be used solely for purposes of the study and it will not be exposed to unwarranted third parties or unauthorized individuals. The data collection, analysis and presentation processes will be devoid of any malpractices that include plagiarism or copyright infringements. These standards are geared towards ensuring that the study will accomplish its objectives in an ethical and professional manner.

Resources

The fundamental resources to be used in this study will emanate from three primary sources. The first resource which will be used is the library resource where numerous books on the topic of lean management and methodologies are found. These books will provide the theoretical background on which the conclusions of this study will be based. These books will also form the secondary sources of the study which will be analyzed from a qualitative data perspective.
The second main resource research is the time which was spent in class learning about and understanding various aspects of this research. These aspects include an understanding of the fundamental framework within which a research study is undertaken, coupled with the likely resulting challenges to be encountered in the course of the study. A theoretical understanding of other research elements was also undertaken during the time which the research team spent in class.
The third main resource which will be used in this study is the online resources that will provide appropriate and relevant information in relation to the underlying objectives of this research. These online resources relate to the theories of lean management and methodologies which will be applied in reducing the overspending levels among the GPs. These online resources also include reports by various independent bodies relating to the underlying proposition of this study.

Time Horizon

This research study will be undertaken within a 25-week time line in which all the key elements and aspects of the study are expected to be initiated and completed. These key elements include the collection of data using the preferred approaches, the analysis of the collected data, and finalizing the presentation of the data coupled with the process of coming up with appropriate conclusions in relation to the overriding research proposition of this research. The project schedule and associated Gantt chart of this research is highlighted below:
6.1 Project Schedule
6.2 Gantt Chart

References

As previously mentioned, this study will employ both primary and secondary sources of data. The secondary sources of data to be used in this study includes reports and books on various aspects of the study matter such as lean management theory, economics and health science resources. A comprehensive list of these secondary sources is contained in the accompanying list of references found below:
Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Welsh Affairs Committee., 2009. The Provision of Cross-border Health Services for Wales: Fifth Report of Session 2008-09; Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence. Great Britain: The Stationery Office
Jones, A. M., 2012. The Elgar Companion to Health Economics. NJ: Edward Elgar Publishing.
May, A., 2011. Organizational Innovation in Health Services: Lessons from the NHS Treatment

Centers. London: Policy Press

Roebuck, K., 2012. HIE - Health Information Exchange: High-impact Strategies - What You

Need to Know: Definitions, Adoptions, Impact, Benefits, Maturity, Vendors. London: Emereo Publishing

Wolfe, I., 2014. European Child Health Services and Systems: Lessons Without Borders.
London: McGraw Hill Education