Ben Davis had just completed an intensive course in Statistical Thinking for Business Improvement, which was offered to all employees of a large health maintenance organization. There was no time to celebrate, however, because he was already under a lot of pressure. Ben works as a pharmacists assistant in the HMOs pharmacy, and his manager, Juan de Pacotilla, was about to be fired. Juans dismissal appeared to be imminent due to numerous complaints and even a few lawsuits over inaccurate prescriptions. Juan now was asking Ben for his assistance in trying to resolve the problem, preferably yesterday!
Ben, I really need your help! If I cant show some major improvement or at least a solid plan by next month, Im history.
Ill be glad to help, Juan, but what can I do? Im just a pharmacists assistant.
I dont care what your job title is; I think youre just the person who can get this done. I realize Ive been too far removed from day-to-day operations in the pharmacy, but you work there every day. Youre in a much better position to find out how to fix the problem. Just tell me what to do, and Ill do it.
But what about the statistical consultant you hired to analyze the data on inaccurate prescriptions?
Ben, to be honest, Im really disappointed with that guy. He has spent two weeks trying to come up with a new modeling approach to predict weekly inaccurate prescriptions. I tried to explain to him that I dont want to predict the mistakes, I want to eliminate them! I dont think I got through, however, because he said we need a month of aIDitional data to verify the model, and then he can apply a new method he just read about in a journal to identify change points in the time series, whatever that means. But get this, he will only identify the change points and send me a list; he says its my job to figure out what they mean and how to respond. I dont know much about statistics the only thing I remember from my course in college is that it was the worst course I ever took but Im becoming convinced that it actually doesnt have much to offer in solving real problems. Youve just gone through this statistical thinking course, though, so maybe you can see something I cant. To me, statistical thinking sounds like an oxymoron. I realize its a long shot, but I was hoping you could use this as the project you need to officially complete the course.
I see your point, Juan. I felt the same way, too. This course was interesting, though, because it didnt focus on crunching numbers. I have some ideas about how we can approach making improvements in prescription accuracy, and I think this would be a great project. We may not be able to solve it ourselves, however. As you know, there is a lot of finger-pointing going on; the pharmacists blame sloppy handwriting and incomplete instructions from doctors for the problem; doctors blame pharmacy assistants like me who actually do most of the computer entry of the prescriptions, claiming that we are incompetent; and the assistants tend to blame the pharmacists for assuming too much about our knowledge of medical terminology, brand names, known drug interactions, and so on.
It sounds like theres no hope, Ben!
I wouldnt say that at all, Juan. Its just that there may be no quick fix we can do by ourselves in the pharmacy. Let me explain how Im thinking about this and how I would propose attacking the problem using what I just learned in the statistical thinking course.
Source: G. C. Britz, D. W. Emerling, L. B. Hare, R. W. Hoerl, & J. E. Shade. How to Teach Others to Apply Statistical Thinking. Quality Progress (June 1997): 6780.
Assuming the role of Ben Davis, write a three to four (3-4) page paper in which you apply the approach discussed in the textbook to this problem. Youll have to make some assumptions about the processes used by the HMO pharmacy. Also, please use the Internet and / or Strayer LRC to research articles on common problems or errors that pharmacies face. Your paper should aIDress the following points:
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
Why Choose Us
Top quality papers
We always make sure that writers follow all your instructions precisely. You can choose your academic level: high school, college/university or professional, and we will assign a writer who has a respective degree.
Professional academic writers
We have hired a team of professional writers experienced in academic and business writing. Most of them are native speakers and PhD holders able to take care of any assignment you need help with.
Free revisions
If you feel that we missed something, send the order for a free revision. You will have 10 days to send the order for revision after you receive the final paper. You can either do it on your own after signing in to your personal account or by contacting our support.
On-time delivery
All papers are always delivered on time. In case we need more time to master your paper, we may contact you regarding the deadline extension. In case you cannot provide us with more time, a 100% refund is guaranteed.
Original & confidential
We use several checkers to make sure that all papers you receive are plagiarism-free. Our editors carefully go through all in-text citations. We also promise full confidentiality in all our services.
24/7 Customer Support
Our support agents are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and committed to providing you with the best customer experience. Get in touch whenever you need any assistance.
Try it now!
How it works?
Follow these simple steps to get your paper done
Place your order
Fill in the order form and provide all details of your assignment.
Proceed with the payment
Choose the payment system that suits you most.
Receive the final file
Once your paper is ready, we will email it to you.
Our Services
No need to work on your paper at night. Sleep tight, we will cover your back. We offer all kinds of writing services.
Essays
You are welcome to choose your academic level and the type of your paper. Our academic experts will gladly help you with essays, case studies, research papers and other assignments.
Admissions
Admission help & business writing
You can be positive that we will be here 24/7 to help you get accepted to the Master’s program at the TOP-universities or help you get a well-paid position.
Reviews
Editing your paper
Our academic writers and editors will help you submit a well-structured and organized paper just on time. We will ensure that your final paper is of the highest quality and absolutely free of mistakes.
Reviews
Revising your paper
Our academic writers and editors will help you with unlimited number of revisions in case you need any customization of your academic papers