Title: Identification and prioritisation the critical activities of the emergency department using business continuity management concept

Authors: Bakhtiar Ostadi; Mehdi Alibakhshi; Mohammad Mehdi Sepehri

Addresses: Faculty of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran ' Faculty of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran ' Healthcare Systems Engineering, Faculty of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 1411713116, Iran

Abstract: Supporting critical activities and key process in the unmoral situation is important success factor to any organisations and emergency department (ED) as one of the most important parts of the hospital. The aim of this paper is to identify and prioritise ED critical activities by using business continuity management (BCM) approach. For this purpose, preliminary ten main activities in ED were identified based on the patient flow mapping through using BPMN standard and literature review and experts judgement. Then, analytical hierarchy process (AHP) has been used to assess the identified ten activities of ED and to find their priorities in according to major criteria of criticality of an activity. Ten preliminary activity were refined and validated through interviews with ED experts. The findings of the study can be used by EDs as an important achievement in taking strategic decisions regarding BCM and resources allocation.

Keywords: emergency department; critical activities; business continuity management; BCM; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; patients flow.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2020.109214

International Journal of Business Excellence, 2020 Vol.22 No.1, pp.98 - 113

Received: 17 Jan 2019
Accepted: 15 Mar 2019
Published online: 02 Sep 2020 *

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