Organizers
Department of Sports Organization and Management, Faculty of Human Movement and Quality of Life Sciences, University of Peloponnese.
* Travlos, A.K., Associate Professor of Sport Psychology & Motor Learning and Head of the Department (Coordinator)
* Kriemadis, A., Professor of Strategic Planning in Sport Organizations.
* Douvis, J. S., Professor of Marketing in Professional Sports.
* Dimitropoulos, P., Teaching Staff.
Short Description
It is well known that length of life and number of older people is steadily increasing in most developing nations. Moreover, neurodegenerative diseases (ND) are frequent in order adults, as they affect a substantial proportion of people aged 55 years and over. However, even though western societies are committed to providing quality health services to their citizens, preventive, screening, and supporting policies for older persons with ND vary substantially among industrialized nations and health care systems. It is the purpose of this workshop to present current studies and provide contemporary information regarding person-centered coordinated “high quality” health care services for the elderly with ND addressing Managerial, Marketing, Psychological, and Financial issues.
MANAGERIAL DIMENSIONS (Kriemadis A.)
Quality Management and Quality Improvement practices are increasingly being adopted both in the USA and Europe, because they can add value to an organization’s competitive strategy. Concepts of industrial Total Quality Management practices and Deming Management Method are being adopted by health services with great results. Health services can improve their medical, laboratory and administrative services by implementing the 14 Points of the Deming Management Method which are focused on all stakeholders (patients, medical staff, administrative staff, technical staff, suppliers, sponsors, creditors, local authorities, public administration, strategic partners, media, etc.). The present study examines the extent to which the 14 points of the Deming Management Method can be applied to the management of health services and its contribution to the enhancement of quality and productivity of health services.
MARKETING DIMENSIONS (Douvis J. S.)
Recent research revealed that exclusive sport club sponsorships are by far more efficient than other forms of communication. The passion that many sports fans develop for their clubs and the engagement in watching their favorite teams make them much more receptive to marketing messages. Acording to Wakefield (2006), health care companies, which tend to have weak brands in the minds of consumers, benefit
substantially from a connection to a winning sports franchise. Sports fans unconsciously transfer their love, passion and identification with their clubs to the brands that sponsor those teams. Therefore, team’s fans and their families, including the elderly, are more likely to use the club’s affiliate health and insurance providers in order to receive specialized health services and exclusive benefits.
FINANCIAL DIMENSIONS (Dimitropoulos, P.)
The issue of performance management has received increased attention in healthcare organizations and specifically the implementation of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) methodology on organizations providing health services. The present study provides a discussion on the BSC development process, the steps that management has to take in order to prepare the implementation of the BSC and finally discusses a practical example of a scorecard with specific strategic goals and performance indicators. Managers of healthcare organizations and specifically those providing services to the elderly and the general population could use the propositions of the study as a roadmap for processing, analyzing, evaluating and implementing the balanced scorecard approach in their organizations’ daily operations.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS (Travlos, A.K.)
The Psychological dimensions of health care are focused on the protective effects of physical activity against cognitive impairment in ageing and neurodegenerative diseases (ND). A number of current studies are summarized, including results showing contemporary knowledge regarding long term health promoting effects of physical exercise in older people with ND. In addition to multiple benefits of physical activity in elders, a literature review on epidemiological studies is presented examining the facilitative effects of physical activities in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Based on the existing evidence, it can be concluded that prevention of Alzheimer’s disease may be based on nonpharmacological treatment by adopting physical and cognitive activity interventions, as well as dietary habits.