Effectiveness of Managing Healthcare Projects - Microsoft - Essay Example

The software offers various tools that aid managers in devising plans and methodologies for the project to follow throughout their life cycle for measurement of progress and recording proportionate costs. This is a very simple software that has a high level of detail available for managing large complex projects and can be used as the primary mechanism for maintaining records of project progress and making necessary computations based on remaining work and unutilized budgets.

Application in healthcare projects
Hospitals and care centers need to become more customer-focused, treating safety and quality like commodities used to attract customer loyalty. To enable this, there can be a new system implemented effectively with the help of Microsoft Project, aimed at reducing patient waiting times or deriving other benefits. Projects in the healthcare sector can optimally benefit from the application of Microsoft Project. Some common examples of healthcare projects include information systems used for managing medical and patient records, construction of a modern certified laboratory, physical renovations, or implementation of expert knowledge systems. Healthcare projects are relatively more vulnerable to failure and stoppages due to insufficient resources, lack of interest by medical staff, and their reluctance to facilitate implementation or any modifications. In healthcare projects, the safety of patients and quality and timeliness of delivery of output is crucial as the repercussions are fatal.

Through Microsoft’s utility product, the project manager gets access to tools and techniques such as work breakdown structures, critical path analysis, Gantt charts, net present value, earned value management, kickoff meetings, and stakeholder analysis. These will help him to keep the project in line with the initial plan. This application will help the manager to develop schedules for healthcare project activities, identifying critical activities where more resources may be deployed and free activities where resources can be spared without affecting critical path. It also helps foresee any obstacles that the project might face shortly and the manager can plan any contingency procedures to ensure that the project doesn’t suffer. Healthcare projects are very sensitive as they involve public interests and it is essential for managers to identify the project stakeholders and analyze their interests through this software, including patients, donors, medical authorities, etc. He can keep them satisfied at all times to ensure the completion of the project. Healthcare projects involve heavy research into new scientific methods and discoveries; with such substantial investments at stake, Microsoft Project plays a pivotal role in concrete project planning, effective contingency arrangements,s and adequate risk management.

Effectiveness of managing healthcare projects

Due to the presence of certain constraints in healthcare projects, Microsoft Project fills the gaps and helps maximize the usage of scarce resources. With time and cost limitations, healthcare institutions also lack spare human capital to facilitate the implementation of projects. However, the project management software helps the manager and team to efficiently utilize resources to maximize progress in minimum time and cost. This software will help the p team develop an understanding of user requirements and incorporate the same in the design of the system. In situations where multiple projects are being handled by a single project manager, Microsoft Project enables him to effectively allocate his attention and time to each project on a pro-rata basis.

There are several unforeseen circumstances in the outcome of projects and therefore risk management is of critical significance, which can be easily carried out with the help of this software. This project management application provides a forecasting outlook to the o project manager, allowing him to develop a proactive approach and responses to risks that might be faced shortly. The controlling phase is the most important stage of a healthcare project. Microsoft Project facilitates the manager to monitor each activity and compared it with the initial project plan. This in turn helps in identifying activities that are departing from budgeted timings or costs and which are lagging scheduled and needing corrective actions. Different statistical and management tools allow managers to successfully integrate functions, maintain the quality of outcomes, communicate and collect information and manage stakeholders effectively: in short, Microsoft Project is a complete package for ensuring the effective completion of healthcare projects. Read More