Improving educational, research and support processes based on Business Processs Modeling No-tation and timing under uncertainty: An Action Research Study at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences

The current study aimed to design an educational, research, and support process management system for the School of Management and Medical informatics of Tabriz using business processes management.

Following an action research design, related processes and activities attributed were identified. Then, by implementing several group discussions and individual interviews, only value-added processes were kept. Then, using a timing study, the observed time was recorded and using Westinghouse criteria, factors of performance and normal and standard time were determined. To address uncertainty, the timing was extracted using fuzzy logic. Afterward, real values were calculated as a mean using de-fuzzing. Bizagi-Modeler software and Excel were used to document the processes and to perform the calculations, respectively.

A total of 3729 activities were identified in the form of 384 processes, which all were entered the timing stage. According to Westinghouse, the proposed mean for process centers, performance coefficient, and normal and standard time was 12.26, 56.6, and 57.35 minutes, respectively. According to the meetings of the improvement committees, one of the important reasons for the delayed processes management during the peak operation was changes in the activities.

Using the business process model and notation along with strengthening information technology infrastructure can help universities in achieving the goals of medical education by developing performance and cost management. Currently, due to operational processes, schools are highly dependent on headquarters. Nevertheless, they can be more dynamic by delegating more authority.