Changes in Healthcare Organizations
Cheri McCarthy
Wilkes University
Introduction Organizational changes occur rapidly, especially in this era of healthcare reform. It is therefore imperative that nurse executives be prepared to manage the changes necessary to make healthcare manageable, affordable, and of the highest quality. Change is important in organizations to allow employees to learn new skills, explore new opportunities, and exercise their creativity in ways that ultimately benefit the organization through new ideas and increased commitment (Shirey, 2013). In addition, organizational change has a significant impact on those who are undergoing it, and thus introducing change can be a complex process. However, following a theoretical framework can provide a foundation for making informed decisions that allows for better control over the outcomes of the changes (Mitchell, 2013). There are many different change management models, but one that has been used successfully in health care, and specifically to address the adoption of technological innovations, is John Kotter’s process for transformational change. This paper will identify a recent change implemented in my organization and discuss how Kotter’s Change Theory applies to it.
Telemetry Monitoring Equipment Process Change
Telemetry monitoring has been proven to improve mortality in certain disorders where cardiac dysrhythmia is likely or possible (Dressler et al., 2014). However, studies
According to Porter-O’Grady, 2016 et al p 324, our healthcare systems today are at the center of what is considered major change. Much of the change today is directly related to the foundational principles, concepts and associated with complexity in systems and relationships, and an understanding by nurse leader and follower; of what it takes to make meaningful change. Nurse Leaders, registered nurses, advance practice nurses, and other followers, at every level of our organizations must be increasingly aware of meaningful and sustainable changes that improves our healthcare systems (Porter-O’Grady, 2016 et al p 324).
Implementing a change in practice within these environments can produce anxiety or fear of failure in nurses, leading to a resistance to change. Several studies (Bozak, 2003; Lehman, 2008; Spetz, Burgess & Phibbs, 2012) expounded the need for a concise plan and clear communication between nurses and management when implementing a change of this nature. The use of Lewin’s Change Management theory can support nurses through the transitions and identify areas of strengths and resistances prior to implementing change. Without a framework for guidance, it can be difficult to keep on track.
Change is a hard concept for most, but change in the hospital setting can be beneficial for both staff and patients. According to Mclean (2011), “Every change begins with an ending” (p.79). How people respond to change can make the process easy or hard depending on how the change is presented.
Hospitals have organizational structures that allows them to carry out their duties efficiently and successfully. What separates the organizational structure of a healthcare organization from a business, essentially that the hospital 's organization is chiefly founded on the amalgamation of medical and administrative staff (Carayon, et al., 2014). The organizational structure of the twenty-first century solutions in health care hospitals involves, both divisional and hierarchical structure. In the of the chain of command hierarchy, there are various levels of professional’s that fall under other levels within the facility, and each staff member is organized in regards to departments that are related to their (KSA’s) skills, attributes and job duties (Carayon, et al., 2014). Hospital organization philosophies is based on development of values and ethics, with the understanding on moral principles relating to human conduct. These systems are comprised with the processes in decision making and determining the best actions to consider between the difficult alternatives when pertaining to patient care.
Banner Health is a nonprofit health care system that was started on September 1, 1991 after the merger of Samaritan Health System and Lutheran Health Systems. Before the merger Lutheran Health System had a long standing history as a respected health care provider in rural communities located across Western and Midwestern states dating as far back as 1938 while Samaritan Health System was formed in 1911 and had a reputation for clinical excellence in California and Arizona primarily in the metro Phoenix area. The headquarters of Banner Health are located in Phoenix
In the ever-changing healthcare field, organizations must be willing to adapt and make changes when necessary. Patient-centered care is of utmost importance in today?s healthcare landscape. Therefore, management must not view change as a threat, but as a challenge to do something new and innovative (Marquis, B., & Huston, C., 2015).
Implementing change can evoke stress, and nurses are not immune to this stress brought on by change, or this stress might be amplified due to the fact that nurses are usually at the forefront of change. Any change that is initiated in the healthcare industry will impact how nurse perform their duty, and can negatively can affect their workflow if extra precaution is not taken. Thus, nurses are a major force in resistance to
In the article entitled “Lewin’s Theory of Planned Change as a Strategic Resource”, the author, Shirey (2013) stated that Lewin’s approach to change involves looking at the forces that are needed to diminished or strengthened in order to bring about change within an organization. Burnes and Cooke (2012) added to Shirey’s point by noting that it is important to understand the psychological forces influencing peoples’ behavior at a given point in time before change can be made. Both authors main point of agreement is that there are a number of forces that drive, restrain or balance peoples’ behavior. These authors stated that organizational change is necessary to meet consumer needs. Also, as technology changes, such as the change from the paper medical record to the EMR, health care organizations have to adopt these changes to improve patient safety. In addition, change provides a learning opportunity for employees and allows
For several decades health care has been tied to the economy and with the current downturn we see continued efforts to control and reduce over-head costs. Health care organizations in their effort to become more efficient and address changes in the industry have altered their strategic business plans. Lee & Alexander (1999) researched organizational change in hospitals and their survival, in this paper I hope to discuss their findings and add other examples to validate their conclusions.
Week 3, the lecture on Managing Change describes organizational changes that occur when a company makes a shift from its current state to some preferred future state. Managing organizational change is the process of planning and implementing change in organizations in such a way as to decrease employee resistance and cost to the organization while concurrently expanding the effectiveness of the change effort. Today's business environment requires companies to undergo changes almost constantly if they are to remain competitive. Students of organizational change identify areas of change in order to analyze them. A manager trying to implement a change, no matter how small, should expect to encounter some resistance from within the organization.
The purpose of this paper is to discuss organizational change and the management of that change. I will talk about the different drivers of change, the factors a leader needs to weigh to implement change effectively, the various resistances a leader may encounter while trying to implement change, and how various leadership styles will effect the realization of change. I will also discuss the knowledge I have gained through the completion of this assignment and how I think it might affect the way I manage change in my workplace.
Suggest the key financial drivers that most likely will cause health care organizations to merge. Provide support for your rationale.
Changes in the Health Care System and the Practice of Nursing have become complex. Technological changes, complicated client needs, short hospital length of stay, and departure from acute care to community based care, all these changes have underscore the need for professional nurses to think critically in order to provide safe and effective client care. A better educated nursing workforce can provide good health education to patients and their families. The affordable care of 2010 has required the need for nurses to expand their role of practice to meet complicated patient demands. This has prompted the Institute Of Medicine to review the “Future of Nursing, Leading change and Advancing Health”. {Creasia & Fribery,2011}
This article introduces health care managers to the theories and philosophies of John Kotter and
While many health care practitioners are willing to change, the issue is that change is often mismanaged by leaders whom are either incompetent or lack the resources to follow through in the implementation of change. An example was documented in a study of a California hospital unit where patient satisfaction scores rose and immediately fell. At the time, the hospital was going through transition. The nurses in the unit saw this as an opportunity to improve patient satisfaction score. They initiated the process by recommending that the new chief executive officer (CEO) change the current procedure to one that could led to the improvement of patients’ satisfaction. The result, in a few months