In high-level decision-making, coming up with practice-oriented options requires thorough analysis and knowledge transfer skills. Based on what I have learned, to be viable, a potential solution should be able to produce tangible financial, resource-related, or reputational benefits without disproportionately high risks. Next, when it comes to knowledge transfer, studying current literature and a multitude of existing successful solutions for the problem can also lead to the generation of viable options. In option formulation endeavors, I relied on credible research and suggestions peculiar to dental care contexts in countries other than the U.S. and then aligned two options with the hypothetical dental clinic’s needs and opportunities. Therefore, the option generation process should involve adequate preliminary research, knowledge generalization, and adequate risk assessment skills.
The exercise changed my perspective on proposing process improvement solutions to a large extent. It made me recognize the importance of holistic preliminary analysis and conciseness in communicating the proposal, and this knowledge will definitely inform my future attempts to engage in organizational improvement. After using the option comparison form that makes recommendation formulation well-organized, I understand that even the most inspiring suggestion should be viewed through the prisms of viability and cost-effectiveness to become worth high-level discussion. Only when these efforts and stages of analysis are completed, is the initial abstract idea be transformed into an opportunity that would not be perceived as a waste of time by the managerial team. Consequently, to inform leaders about my suggestions, I will make sure to check them for realizability and formulate them without unnecessary or secondary details. Without due preparatory work, even good ideas may sound too abstract or detached from reality. Thus, leaders with tight schedules will simply have no time to read loosely formulated suggestions and recognize their potential immediately.
Finally, since the beginning of the bachelor’s program, my research methodology has become more profound and aligned with the question of interest. Particularly, the program has introduced me to the basics of using Boolean operators and keyword formulation. I have learned how to produce specific clinical questions depending on the underlying goals of therapeutic, prognostic, diagnostic, and finance-related clinical problems. Aside from EBP, this knowledge can be partially transferred to research in everyday life, for instance, important purchases, to ensure the specificity of evaluation criteria and search queries. Therefore, the analysis method from the recent option comparison assignment could support decision-making when it comes to large purchases.