Constructing and Evaluating “as-is” and “to-be” OPM Models for the Healthcare Sector for Adoption of Vscan

Current healthcare systems are no longer sustainable; governments around the world have come to realise that the rapidly growing demand for healthcare cannot be matched by sufficient financial resources, and that improving efficiency and cutting costs is not enough. System-wide changes that include people, products, processes, and services are required. All the relevant stakeholders need to get involved in developing alternative healthcare system models and be able to understand and interact with models of such systems in order to accelerate the adoption and diffusion of changes. This paper presents a systems approach to developing affordable business models based on the specific case example of novel portable ultrasound scanning device – the GE Vscan – for use in primary care. We investigated whole system changes required for adopting Vscan. Systems engineering principles are applied to represent alternative business models around this technology. Object Process Methodology (OPM) is utilized to visualise the conceptual models in order for subject matter experts to successfully participate in the development and validation of alternative healthcare systems. The paper concludes with a discussion on wider implications of adopting systems engineering methods and techniques.