Agility in Administrative Units in the Healthcare Sector: the Use of agile Practices in a dynamic Environment

Topic

This master's thesis examined how agile practices are used in administrative units in the Swiss healthcare sector, particularly in long-term care facilities. Agility and agile practices enable people working in administrative units to react flexibly to internal and external changes and to adapt to the dynamic and complex environment of the healthcare industry. Despite these benefits, the application of agile practices in administrative units is largely unexplored. To bridge this gap and enable the sustainable use of these practices, the study analyzed the implementation and application of agile practices and the factors influencing them.

Relevance

Administrative units in the healthcare sector face several challenges in their daily work, including strict regulations, complex funding models, staff shortages, new customer requirements, and the need for new infrastructure due to the aging population. Consequently, it is imperative for administrative teams, managers, and employees to react and work in a flexible manner. This flexibility and adaptability can be achieved through the implementation and application of agile practices, which is why the identified supporting dimensions and recommendations for action developed in this study provide a foundation for managers to introduce and apply agile practices sustainably in their organizations and teams.

Results

Five aggregated dimensions of the introduction and application of agile practices were identified in the study. These are the applications of agile practices with tools or technologies, working methods, organizational structure, leadership, and culture. The leadership dimension, which encompasses actions or empowerment, and organizational culture, which consists of values or learning, are seen as the most valuable factors supporting successful implementation of agile practices. In contrast, technology, while supportive, is not decisive.

Implications for practitioners

• Comprehensive training in agile practices is essential for managers, with 100% of management required to promote these practices in their organizations and act as role models.
• Early involvement and information of employees in the introduction phase of agile practices, as well as a step-by-step implementation with comprehensive training, should be followed.
• Internal internships can help to deepen understanding of other administrative units, break down silo thinking, promote collaboration between departments and flat hierarchies, and ensure that agile practices are maintained within an organization.
• Managers need to delegate tasks or projects to empower employees and give them the opportunity to contribute their ideas to foster a culture that favors agile practices. Encouraging difficulties or mistakes is important to learn.
• When deploying technology and technology tools in conjunction with agile practices, a needs analysis should be conducted to select the right tools and avoid tool overload.

Methods

A qualitative case study was selected and conducted to gain a comprehensive understanding of the application of agile practices in administrative units. To review the current state of the literature, an analysis was conducted on the application of agility and agile practices in administrative units in the healthcare sector. Subsequently, in total, 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with five administrative managers of the case study company, five managers in administrative units of medium-sized care facilities, and two experts. To identify the influencing dimensions emerging from the data collection, a thematic analysis was used.