Toward Service Process Improvement in Nursing-Care Services

Population aging rates are increasing, not only in Japan but also in many other countries. Nursing-care services, which help to support the aging population, are becoming one of the most important utilities in aging societies, and its demand is increasing year by year. In this study, we considered that the analysis of service processes was important and proposed new methods to encourage service process improvements as well as technologies for sustainable nursing-care services. We quantitatively measured the behaviors of five care workers by using the time and motion study and the movement of all care workers and nurses for two weeks via the indoor positioning system, visualized them as service processes based on the timeline, trajectory and heatmap, and compared the measurement techniques. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of the time and motion study and the indoor positioning system for service process analyses were considered. Also, the application of service process measurements in nursing-care services was discussed.