The Department for Monitoring Administration and Information Systems (DCS) at the University of Chile, together with the Advanced Center for Process Simulations (CASP) at the University of Bio-Bio, has designed ABC Salud, software whose objective is to improve the management and evaluation of facilities at public hospitals.
In July this year, the project was allocated funds from the First Edition of the Technology Research Competition run by the IDEA Program (supported by FONDEF-CONICYT), which financially supports the execution of research proposals for scientific and technological research.
“The model we are proposing is based on a costing system known as ABC (Activity Based Costing), whose focus makes it possible to cost facilities, types of patients, etc. But the important aspect is that it does not just tell you how much a service or facility costs but also how much the activities involved in generating them cost as well”, said Liliana Neriz Jara, Director of the DCS and the leader of the research project at the University of Chile.
This is an R + D project that offers innovations for hospital administration through a cost administration tool that supports clinical and administrative work and makes it possible to evaluate improvements in processes.
In a summary of her experience, the doctor concluded: “Francisco Ramis, an academic at the University of Bio-Bio, and I have worked for almost 10 years on these issues, financed by research project competitions and we believe that we are familiar with most of the clinical processes that take place in Chilean hospitals, so this project involves creating a prototype that makes it possible to apply the model to an entire hospital.”
Information Transparency
As Jara explained, the project provides clear information for unit directors, showing not only how much is being spent but also how resources are being used.
In addition, the doctor noted that self-administered hospitals in Chile have the WINSIG costing edition (a financial management and monitoring tool) but the information delivered by that system is very aggregated and doesn’t, for example, cost facilities.
ABC Salud is in its initial stages and the aim is to consolidate its implementation over a period of two years.
Sources: Facultad de Economía y Negocios de la Universidad de Chile and DFl
