3 Challenges Facing US Hospitals
Hospitals today are facing many challenging issues. Three of those ear-piercing dilemmas are ensuring patient safety, quality of care, and eliminating financial challenges. All of these issues are prevalent to the existence of hospitals everywhere. If they are not addressed, the lack of success of hospitals could not only hurt its business, but each patient that it serves on a daily basis. Each of these problems can also suggest that there is a significant lack of management.
A main priority of every hospital is to ensure patient safety. According to Michael Sullivan, “Every year an estimated 20,000 people in the U.S. and 5,000 in the U.K. die from an infection they received while in the hospital” (Sullivan, 2013, pg. 1). Typically, the majority of the problems with patient safety and the quality of care are the result of medical errors, ineffective monitoring, and substandard care. Patients should always be provided exceptional care. Hospitals have also encountered problems with patient identification errors. Another problem that is hurting the healthcare profession in many hospitals today is that of financial challenges.
Many hospitals are facing an extensive amount of financial problems that have either caused the facility to file for bankruptcy or simply close. Hospitals are struggling to reduce costs as many are having to deal with cuts from government funding. This has also led to problems with providing adequate patient care with an assurance of payment delivery. Also collecting payments from patients has become an even bigger problem with higher deductibles. Hospitals even have increasing debt that could lead to a problem paying staff members.
Person Classified as a Professional
Professionalism can be difficult for many to express in places where it is required most such as at work. However, for some it just simply takes more time to obtain. It is a skill that can easily be recognized just from a first impression. As a result of their professionalism, many people tend to respect them most. There are several characteristics that a person should have in order to be considered a professional.
One characteristic of a great professional is having an extensive amount of knowledge or expertise about a given topic. This requires taking the time to prepare through studying and becoming familiar with a particular area of focus. Typically, professionals that are highly knowledgeable have better chances of being paid more in the work force. A second characteristic of a professional is one that accepts responsibility. According to Dianne Walker, “They can be trusted and given high levels of responsibility within the organization” (Walker, 2015, pg. 1). Professionals are also capable of working well with other people.
They take the time to learn how to effectively communicate with others and appreciate the relationship they have created. They know how to actively listen to other people and provide feedback that is empowering. Professionals do not put other people down. The last characteristic a professional should have is having higher expectations within their professional of not only themselves but of those they come face to face with in a business setting. Professional should focus on building their brand and doing what is required at higher levels to be their very best. When a job is done well, the return is always greater. No professional should be satisfied with not giving their best in anything that they do. Overall, all of these characteristics help to define someone that exhibits what a professional not only looks like but acts like as well.
References
Sullivan, Michael. (2013). The Top Five Challenges Facing Today’s Hospitals. Schneider Electric. Retrieved from http://blog.schneider-electric.com/building-management/2013/10/17/top-five-challenges-facing-todays-hospitals/
Walker, Diane. (2015). The Seven Characteristics of a Professional. Minerva WebWorks LLC. Retrieved from http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48951.asp
