Experiences from Healthcare Logistician Education

Ulla Kotonen1, Ullamari Tuominen1, Ann-Nina Maksimainen2, Miika Kuusisto2 
(1. Faculty of Business Studies, Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Finland;
2. Faculty of Social and Health Care, Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Finland)

Abstract: The need for healthcare services is increasing due to ageing population in most countries. At the same time, financial resources are decreasing. This means that healthcare services need to be developed and healthcare organisations have to find new and more efficient operating models. Healthcare logistics would aid that process by strengthening logistical operations and allowing nurses to concentrate on nursing.
A healthcare logistician (HL) service concept and a healthcare logistician education (HLE) are examples of the latest innovations of the Finnish healthcare logistics. The essential idea behind the concept of healthcare logistician is to free traditional healthcare personnel of the need to conduct logistics operations, enabling them to have more time for patients. Working in the demanding healthcare environment and supporting healthcare professionals in their work requires a new type of combination of logistics and healthcare competences, which can be acquired through a new healthcare logistician education.
The aim of this study is to describe and analyse the first experiences of HLE, a new type of demand-driven and outcome-oriented further education for logistics positions in healthcare organisations (HOs), which aims to meet the expectations of HOs which have implemented or are planning to implement HL service concept and those of individuals’ working in healthcare logistics.

Key words: healthcare, logistics, healthcare logistician, education innovation, competence assessment