Managing customization in health care: A framework derived from the services sector literature

Etienne Minvielle (1, 2, 3) , Mathias Waelli (2, 4) , Claude Sicotte (2) , John R. Kimberly (5)

1 IGR - Institut Gustave Roussy
2 EA MOS - EA Management des Organisations de Santé
3 IDM - Institut du Management
4 EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique [EHESP]
5 University of Pennsylvania

Organizations that provide health services are increasingly in need of systems and approaches that will enable them to be more responsive to the needs and wishes of their clients. Two recent trends, namely, patient-centered care (PCC) and personalized medicine, are first steps in the customization of care. PCC shifts the focus away from the disease to the patient. Personalized medicine, which relies heavily on genetics, promises significant improvements in the quality of healthcare through the development of tailored and targeted drugs. We need to understand how these two trends can be related to customization in healthcare delivery and, because customization often entails extra costs, to define new business models. This article analyze how customization of the care process can be developed and managed in healthcare. Drawing on relevant literature from various services sectors, we have developed a framework for the implementation of customization by the hospital managers and caregivers involved in care pathways.

Mots clés: Healthcare management; Personalized medicine; Mass customization; Patient centered care

Domaines: Gestion et management; Santé publique et épidémiologie

Etienne Minvielle, Mathias Waelli, Claude Sicotte, John R. Kimberly. Managing customization in health care: A framework derived from the services sector literature. Health Policy, 2014, 117 (2), pp.216 - 227. ⟨10.1016/j.healthpol.2014.04.005⟩. ⟨hal-01509885⟩