BIOM1010 Engineering In Medicine And Biology

Investigation of project management aspects of the anterior surgical approach in adolescence idiopathic scoliosis treatment

Background for Investigation

Adolescent scoliosis is defined as scoliosis in children aged 10 to 18 (Scoliosis Research Society, 2022). It is not understood what causes adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), the most frequent kind of scoliosis. This three-dimensional health problem accounts for over 80% of all spine deformity instances. Globally, AIS prevalence is estimated at 5.2% (Konieczny, Senyurt and Krauspe, 2012). Around 0.5 percent of these instances develop and need surgery. The symptoms of the illness do not progress to neurologic disorders. However the visual symptoms connected to the illnesses are diverse. Bracing, observation, and surgery are the major treatment options for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Treatment is determined by the risk of curvature advancement (American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 2021). The basic goal of AIS surgery is a good trunk and firm fusion. Despite favourable clinical and radiological results, patients’ quality of life as measured by self-evaluation is low.

Research Aim

The research’s primary goal was to compare the three surgical approaches for treating AIS, namely posterior, anterior, and thoracic. The second goal was to learn project management ideas that may be used to speed up healing in anterior surgery.

Research objectives

For the investigation of above selected research problem, following objectives would be applied that are

• To explore the effectiveness of anterior, posterior and surgical, and posterior procedure for AIS;
• To highlight importance of anterior surgery over remaining two;
• To explore the principles of project management that can be used to get quick recovery after anterior surgery;

Research Question

For investigating problem of this research study, following is the research question that is 

Why anterior surgery is good in against two other remaining surgical forms?

Scope of Study

The study’s findings would be basic in determining the best surgical approach for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The investigation would help determine the advantages and sigifiance of anterior over other two surgeries. The most successful and helpful project management strategies would also be emphasised. The study’s findings have the potential to transform the way adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is treated surgically. Healthcare businesses may modify project management practises and allocate resources appropriately.

Literature review

Concept of management in Health Project

Following a comprehensive treatment approach is critical to a good surgical outcome. The healthcare environment is rapidly evolving, with an increasing emphasis on quality treatment, cost containment, and surgical complication avoidance. Despite huge prospects for healthcare professionals to participate in care approaches, several obstacles stand in the way (Schwalbe and Furlong, 2013). To accomplish the aim of care delivered, a robust project management plan is required. All these aspects are reflected in project management.

Project management is the activity of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and concluding work to fulfil certain objectives and criteria within a time frame. This management style is required to provide a result that meets the task’s objectives. Surgical practises are a key area in today’s period and are rapidly expanding. With the requirement for safe procedures comes the necessity for effective management (Shirley, 2016). The expense of healthcare is also a concern now, since many new technologies and assistance are expensive to utilise widely. 

Surgeons treating adolescent idiopathic scoliosis want to work in multidisciplinary teams to get better patient results. While teams enhance a surgeon’s abilities and talents in the treatment process, managing group workflow and team relations may provide substantial problems. Project management is a significant tool for surgeons doing critical surgery. Project management approaches may help teams of professionals or individuals succeed (Bove and Houston, 2020).

Managing healthcare initiatives is difficult since several tasks and duties must be met to get best outcomes. Dividing the job into smaller efforts ensures organisation and reasonable phases. Project management includes five phases: planning, execution, monitoring and control. Project initiation is the first step in assessing the project’s viability and worth. Project planning is the precise preparation that guides procuring resources (Pmp, 2018). The project execution ensures that all deliverables are met on schedule. Monitoring a project entails identifying areas for improvement. Finally, project closure occurs after the needed work is finished. The main problem in using this project management paradigm in healthcare is achieving all objectives within the limits. If the project’s goals and methods are unclear, it may impact the decision-making process. 

Project Management Theory

Richardson and Jackson (2018) defines Project Management as the use of information, skills, tools, and procedures to execute project operations and meet project criteria. Richardson and Jackson (2018) believes that project managers must not only achieve the project’s specified scope, schedule, cost, and quality criteria, but also aid in meeting the needs and expectations of everyone participating in or impacted by the project.

Stakeholders for Project

Stakeholders according to Mabelo (2020) include the team, project sponsor, support personnel, suppliers, opponents and customers. In regard to the AIS along with subsequent surgery, sponsors of the project is a main stakeholders who are patients’ family members. They pay for the surgery of the patient. Healthcare staffs are other stakeholders who make overall planning for surgery and execute the project planning to achieve project’s aim.

Process, Knowledge and Involved Groups

As per the statement of Heldman, Baca and Jansen (2007), there are five groups related to project management that are initiating, planning, execution, monitoring, controlling and proper closing of activities. In regard to the health care project, it is a duty of health care professional to apply theories and knowledge to ensure the proper execution of healthcare project. Project managers of the healthcare organization must have to use theory and principles related to project integration, time management, cost management, quality management, human resource management, management of proper communication, and procurement management.

Literature Gap

The study’s major gaps include thoracic spine surgery, posterior spine surgery and anterior spine surgery. Because each spine surgical approach has its own benefits and drawbacks, creating a good project management strategy for each is tough. Previous research has largely focused on the pros and cons of each spine surgery, with no comparison research available. Comparing comparable methodologies helps clarify the right foundation of a given health care initiative. This will aid in the creation of a rapid and successful projective management strategy using proven methodologies.

Summary

The following debate concludes that robust management is critical for the success of project related to surgery in any healthcare system. Developing efficient project management strategies for specific spine surgical procedures might be tough. Identifying the best spine surgery procedures will aid in the development of project management strategies.

Research Methodology

Research philosophy

The study followed Positivism research philosophy over others as it helped in associated occurrences observed with issue of research. Positivism is a scientific philosophy based on real information gathered via observation and measurement (Groff, 2004). In such cases, the researcher’s involvement is confined to data gathering and impartial interpretation.

Research Approach

The study used a secondary research design along with qualitative research technique to analyze the research problem. Qualitative research technique helped researcher to discover and evaluate the result of the data analysis to develop conclusion of research analysis (Myers and Avison, 2002). Data have collected from review of studies that are effective to investigate the problem of the research study.

References

American Association of Neurological Surgeons. (2021). Scoliosis. Retrieved from https://www.aans.org/en/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Scoliosis

Bove, L. and Houston, S. (2020). Project Management Skills for Healthcare: Methods and Techniques for Diverse Skillsets. CRC Press.

Groff, R. (2004). Critical Realism, Post-positivism and the Possibility of Knowledge. Routledge.

Heldman, K., Baca, C. and Jansen, P. (2007). PMP Project Management Professional Exam Study Guide. John Wiley & Sons.

Konieczny, M., Senyurt, H. and Krauspe, R. (2012). Epidemiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. J Child Orthop, 7(1), pp. 3–9.

Mabelo, P. (2020). How to Manage Project Stakeholders: Effective Strategies for Successful Large Infrastructure Projects. Routledge.

Myers, M. and Avison, D. (2002). Qualitative Research in Information Systems: A Reader. SAGE.

Pmp, D. (2018). Healthcare Project Management: Project Methodology. Independently Published.

Richardson, G. and Jackson, B. (2018). Project Management Theory and Practice, Third Edition. CRC Press.

Schwalbe, K. and Furlong, D. (2013). Healthcare Project Management. Schwalbe Publishing.

Scoliosis Research Society (2022). Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. Retrieved from https://www.srs.org/professionals/online-education-and-resources/conditions-and-treatments/adolescent-idiopathic-scoliosis

Shirley, D. (2016). Project Management for Healthcare. CRC Press.