Business Plan Advanced Medical Informatics And Laboratory

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

shafta

Table of Contents

Executive summary

Molecular tests help in detecting viral loads and enable the doctors to decide which antibiotics must be required by the patients. They aid in identifying the patients who are suffering from genetic disorders. There are numerous analytical methods that are included in the process of diagnose. These include the quantitative PCR, DNA sequence analysis, cytogenetic arrays and molecular amplification methods.5 There is a relatively larger use of Molecular genetics by other private hospitals in Australia. Thus the government plans to introduce this technique in the large public hospital; Public Hospitals Australia. The problem stands that the current method of testing DNA as it is not a practical and efficient approach. There is a need to use a theoretical, efficient and a more reliable approach that can cater to the increasing DNA tests. The installation of molecular genetics would lead to an increase in the maintained quality and more responsive nature would be achieved by the hospital. At the moment there is greater efficiency in the private sector of the hospitals; Flinders Medical Centre, the Royal Adelaide Hospital site and Women's and Children's Hospital. It is researched that the outsourcing cost would decrease as currently 7.2% of the total cost of outsourcing is categorized to these laboratory tests. This would however, require initial capital investment which would be relatively huge.1 This would be provided by the Ministry of Health Services. The aim is to provide high quality, responsive and most accurate genetic health care services. These consulters would also help the patient know what disease they have been suffering from. It has a high initial cost however it is distributed over a greater number of useful years. Thus, the cost turns out to be relatively lower. It has social, fiscal and internal benefits attached. Social benefit would be the benefit provided to the society. The foremost emphasis must be taken in the molecular biology today. For the proper analysis, research and development must be carried out in order to stay in constant contact with the latest technologies. Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA) software enables the facilitation of the exploration and analysis of the DNA and protein sequence variation. Major dependencies are on the government for funds and infrastructure. Also the dependency is on the third parties that supply with the softwares and equipments. The assumptions taken are; there is high growth in this industry and there is an increasing demand and genetic disorder in people. Thus, additional hiring of the laboratory technical staff must be made so that the training process could be started. Moreover, the hospital must allocate sufficient budget for training their staff members and enabling them to use the latest technology more efficiently.

Background

Molecular methods have been widely used in order to diagnose and check the intensity of nucleic acids in many fields of the laboratory medicine. There are various tests involved in these methods. And they allow the professionals to diagnose cancer; a disease that is increasing at a massive scale. In addition to it, it also aids in analyzing the stage in a greater depth.

In addition to it, the detection of bacterial and viral infections have made easier via molecular genetics. This also aids the doctors in treatment selection for each patient. Molecular tests are also help in detecting viral loads and enable the doctors decide which antibiotics must be required by the patients.2 They also aid in identifying the patients who are suffering from genetic disorders. There are numerous analytical methods that are included in the process of diagnose. These include the quantitative PCR, DNA sequence analysis, cytogenetic arrays and molecular amplification methods.

There is a need for this technique because the number of patients have been increasing over the years and cancer is become a widely shared disease. There is a relatively larger use of Molecular genetics by other private hospitals in Australia. Thus the government plans to introduce this technique in the large public hospital; Public Hospitals Australia.

Problem Statement

Technological advances in research science have helped in the diagnosis process of the genetic dysfunctions very easy and accurate. There is a high growth that is discovered in this genetic industry. In order to allow the society to benefit from the genetic testing services; molecular genetics, there is a need to install this technology in the operations of the hospital. This would provide a positive multiplier effect on the revenues and profits of the hospital as well. This will lead to a decrease in the long run expenditure and increase in the revenues figures for Molecular Genetics Laboratory. This can also reduce the outsourcing cost of the hospital as an extensive analysis would be done in these newly installed Molecular Genetics Laboratories.

The problem stands that the current method of testing DNA as it is not a practical and efficient approach. There is a need to use a theoretical, efficient and a more reliable approach that can cater to the increasing DNA tests. The installation of molecular genetics would lead to an increase in the maintained quality and more responsive nature would be achieved by the hospital.

At the moment there is greater efficiency in the private sector of the hospitals; Flinders Medical Centre, the Royal Adelaide Hospital site and Women's and Children's Hospital.5 They have been using relatively efficient tools of diagnosis and they help to serve the patients in lesser time span. Therefore patients who belong to the higher income bracket and how are price-elastic prefer the private hospitals. This is because they provide the patients with more accurate, reliable and responsive responses as compared to the public hospitals. Thus, there is a greater room to improve. A need prevails to tap in the opportunities for higher market share and an increase in the delivery of service. Provided that there is sufficient growth potentials available so this there is a desired need for Public Hospitals Australia to install molecular genetics in their operations.1

Project description

Figure : Organizational Structure of the Molecular Genetic Laboratory3

This molecular genetic agency allows the diagnosis of various diseases, including the cancer. All these diseases are then analyzed via various tests. It is researched that the outsourcing cost would decrease as currently 7.2% of the total cost of outsourcing is categorized to this laboratory tests.3 This would however, require initial capital investment which would be relatively huge. This would be provided by the Ministry of Health Services.

This public hospital is located in the heart of Australia. However, it has not been providing efficient services and no latest technology has been procured. The operations are therefore very tedious and time consuming. Thus the most recent goals of the hospital are to provide testing services in order to diagnose the genetic abnormalities and treat cancer symptoms of the people.

There is ease that the patients are already present in the hospital and they would not have to be called by various means, advertising, social media or word of mouth. This could add to the cost as they are time consuming and very costly as well. A mere positioning need is required. The laboratory must be positioned in a manner so the patients know that it provides the most accurate and reliable results. And they are the most responsive and cost effective in nature. This would build trust with in the minds of the customers.

The aim is to provide high quality, responsive and most accurate genetic health care services. A proper diagnose would be done and a complete evaluation process would be completed which would be followed by consultation of experts and doctors. They would let the patient know the probability of its occurrence and re-occurrence. The proposed and required remedies and medicines would be provided. They patients would be given intense guidance with a lot of moral support so they are at ease.

These consulters would also help the patient know what disease they have been suffering from. All the symptoms would be briefed out. They would be told what precautions they must take in order to prevent any future unforeseen event.

In addition to it, the adjacent medical universities would also be allowed to use the services of the laboratory in their practicals. They would be taught on the field; in the laboratory.3

Solution description

This is a symptomatic change in the biotechnological sector of the economy. The foremost emphasis must be taken in the molecular biology today. For the proper analysis, research and development must be carried out in order to stay in constant contact with the latest technologies.4 The installation of molecular genetics serves the purpose and the problems described above. This is a high throughput sequencing methodology which is supported by novel statistical and computational methods. These methods require a good know-how of computer programs. The tests need to be analyzed and accordingly the cures are decided by the doctors. Thus, the staff must have to be properly trained so no incorrect decisions are taken. This could be very risky as the life of a human could be lost.

One such technique is to produce Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA) software. 2 It enables the facilitation of the exploration and analysis of the DNA and protein sequence variation. Thus, it is an evolutionary perspective. The facilities if being automatic are supported by them. The inference of the phylogenetic, manual sequence alignment, web-based mining of databases, estimation of evolutionary distances and testing evolutionary hypotheses are also provided by these technologies. It proves to be a computational tool and via this software, complete statistical methods could be analyzed. Moreover, visual exploration modules for data input and their results could also be gained.

Cost/Benefit Analysis

Molecular Genetic Laboratory has a high initial cost however it is distributed over a greater number of useful years. Thus, the cost turns out to be relatively lower. However, there would be heavy installation and supply chain cost incurred as the global parties have to be intervened with. Moreover a heavy training cost would also have to be served so that the staff hired would know how to operate these latest technologies. Not only the operation but also the manner to analyze and read the results would also be briefed out in detail. In case of any incorrect analysis or diagnose, a precious life could be cost.

It has social, fiscal and internal benefits attached.

Fig 2: The benefits derived from the Molecular Genetic Labortory4

Social benefit is the positive multiplier effect that the society experiences. As a greater demand level would be satisfied as these technologies are relatively more responsive and efficient in nature.

There would be fiscal advantage gained in monetary terms. This is a return on investment that is gained by the molecular genetic laboratory and the hospital that has supported its establishment. Moreover, a higher tax would be paid to the government as it has also supported the entire plan. It has basically funded the entire development so a return is also provided to it as a share in the profits or revenues gained. This is because as the price of the service would lower as compared to that of the private hospitals so the quantity demanded would increase. This has been illustrated in the diagram below:

Figure : The increase in quantity demanded with a fall in cost1

Moreover, the internal benefits pertain to the specific benefits of the molecular genetic laboratory. This would provide the laboratory with greater retained earnings if most of the revenues are ploughed back in the lab. This would enable more research and development which would lead to greater efficiency and responsiveness. Latest technology would be procured that would further serve the purpose. The owner of the lab would get a higher profit for their business as the return would be high so they would feel motivated.

years

2004

2007

2010

2013

2016

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel costs

10000

11000

12000

13000

15000

Overhead for project

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

Equipment costs

75000

85000

110000

150000

200000

Consultant support

7000

9000

10000

12000

15000

Operational transition costs

5000

7500

15000

17500

2300

Installation costs

$250,000

$270,000

$300,000

$350,000

$390,000

Outsourcing costs

23000

25000

27000

32000

36000

 

 

 

 

 

Total Cost per year

375000

413500

481000

582500

667300

Table1: Cost and Benefit Analysis (all figures in $)

Timeline

The following comprise of the essential ingredients of the timeline:

Implementation timeline

Implementation components

Major milestones

Major dependencies

The foremost aim of this installation of the molecular genetic laboratory is to provide the need of the growing population with most reliable tests with an in depth analysis and consultation service It is expected that the operation time would require almost two years. All the required factors of production could be set to their right tasks then. These factors of production are: sufficient finds, machinery, technical support and versatile staff. The laboratory has been relying on the Ministry of health care for the funds and infrastructure facilities. Also the dependency is on the third parties that supply with the softwares and equipments.

Risk assessments

The design and introduction of these innovative techniques can be very tedious. The installation process would be very time consuming and costly. The efforts in the installation of these techniques would involve global partners and complex methodology would be formed. The needs of each area and hospital would vary so the exact requirement to this public hospital must be studied in greater detail. The availability of resources and the required capital amount also must be pre-decided. Thus, these laboratories must be designed in a way that they allow both, qualitative and quantitative testing. Not just the installation of the latest technology but also their implementation must be designed in an efficient and responsive manner. If just a frame work is provided and the way to implement it would not be given so it would not add to the value provided to the hospital or the society. Thus, strategic approaches must be formatted and implemented precisely.

The assumptions taken are:

There is high growth in this industry

There is an increasing demand and genetic disorder in people

Recommendations and Conclusions

There is a desired need for the government to provide additional funds to the public hospitals so that the social and the basic needs could be met and the society id not deprived of the basic necessities of life. The Ministry of Health Services must research as to how much more funds are required by the hospitals; this would not only include the funds required for daily operations of the hospital but it would also include the installation cost of these new innovative technologies.

The hospital must allocate sufficient budget for training their staff members and enabling them to use the latest technology more efficiently. They must be taught as how to read the results and analyze them accordingly. Because in case a test is read incorrectly, it would result in serious affect; a life would be lost. The relatives of the dead could cease the hospital which would result in an increased cost and also a bad corporate name would be attached to the hospital.

Moreover, additional hiring of the laboratory technical staff must be made so that the training process could be started. And there must be sufficient labors to use the technology and cater to the increasing needs to the patients. And one manager must be hired to monitor the progress of the operations and the entire tests.