1. Overview
The Methodist Healthcare is the second largest not-for-profit hospital in the United States of America. With a string of seven hospitals, multiple home health agencies and numerous outpatient clinics serving the Mid South under its name, the Methodist Healthcare has had it all. In 2011, Methodist has been ranked number 35 among the Top 100 Integrated healthcare networks by the nation’s leading heath care rating system (SDI) (Memphis Business Journal, 2011). The Methodist healthcare offers the following areas of specialty; the transplants institute that major with services of pancreas, kidney and liver transplant. The Neuroscience institute in collaboration with the University of Tennessee provides clinical and academic services supported by modern technology. The cancer centre which is studded with medical professionals whose roles are to meet the emotional, social, physical and spiritual challenges that are usually associated with cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatments. There is also the cardiovascular institute which provides latest technologies in heart care and other related cardiac services. Lastly, the Le Bonheur
Children’s Hospital which is the children’s hospital tending to all children with varied complications.
Perhaps it sounds way farfetched but Methodist healthcare is an embodiment of a dream that one Mr. John M. Sherard in 1918. He was an idealistic and successful farmer from North Mississippi. It was the peak of thirty years of struggle to construct a healthcare facility for the community (Beier, 2010). The Board of Trustees held their first meeting in 1911 and ever since, the organization has not looked back. Yet another milestone in the organizations’ history was in 1952 when The Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, one of the biggest facilities within the Methodist Healthcare was founded. In 1998, there the organization rebranded and changed from the name ‘Hospital’ to ‘Healthcare’. As mentioned earlier The Methodist healthcare has seven hospitals sprawling across Memphis and serving members of the community and more millions of patients from other areas.
2. Industry In Which Organization Operates
Methodist Healthcare falls under the Health care industry because according to (Bureau of Labor Statics, 2010), this industry combines human touch and medical technology, diagnoses, administers ,treats and responds to the needs of millions of sick people 24 hours 7 days a week. And this is basically what Methodist healthcare is all about. In the recent past the health care industry has been experiencing rough times especially as seen in change in industry trends that have in one way or the other derailed the provision of services and the general ambience of a working environment. Following the recession, there were significant incidences of staffing cuts more so in the health care industry. However, according to the local hospital executives and staffing companies, the Methodist healthcare was among the few that had not been so hard hit and seemed to be smiling in the face of adversities. But all the same, it was also a dark period in the not only for many healthcare centers nationwide but also at the Methodist healthcare. It recorded a decrease in the number of patients. There was also a decrease in reimbursements from government programs and private insurance (Sheffield, 2010). This move had grossly affected the smooth running of the organization.
Medical reimbursement is yet another challenge in the face of general healthcare systems. There is no doubt that millions especially the seniors and the disabled of directly depend on Medicare program so as they can have good health and longevity. Therefore this means that with the medical reimbursement program, thousands of medical professionals, hospitals and other facilities gets their payments for their services by the government. Another factor is the prescription drug costs. There has been a public outcry about the escalated cost of prescription drugs. For instance, prescription drugs costs can differ extensively between generic and name-brand medicine. These prices have had deep implications especially on treatment options. Technology has also affected the health care industry in ways more than one. It is needless to point out the importance of technology in every industry and in this context; the healthcare industry. Patients demand faster, more precise admission to medication, and thus technology make the works of the physicians much easier. Sometimes this technology is patient-centric like imaging machines and treatment technologies; other times it is behind the scenes like electronic billing and data storage (Mulliro, n.d.) Healthcare facilities should invest in technology so as to ensure those hospitals, clinics or other practices run efficiently, smoothly and on-budget.
Consequently these problems have degenerated into more problems such as layoffs. Many health workers have had to quit their jobs because of the lack of funds to meet their salaries and many have been forced to move out of the profession. There are also other factors that affect the health sector at all levels. These factors include the following; spending, outcome of proposals on access, values, and the amount of concern expected would not only on dynamics that shape the demand for health care services, such as the number of people who are covered and the compass of their coverage, but also on factors affecting the bring in of those services. The methods of paying for services and establishing prices have an effect on health care supply services by influencing resolutions that providers make about the number of patients to serve and the type of medication their patients will get. Because of the essential responsibility that hospitals and doctors take part in providing health care, it is imperative to reflect on the incentives they face when making those decisions. In the long run, those tariffs of imbursement also impinge on the number of hospitals and doctors.
3. Departmental Structure
The essence of leadership in an organization is for the purposes of orderliness and constantly flow of services. This segment analyses the structure of the departments at Methodist healthcare. At the helm of the organization is the President; Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gary Shorb. He basically oversees the work done in all departments in the organization and he is the topmost symbol of authority. The Chief Executive Officer chairs interdepartmental meetings and assents to the company’s policies into law. The President is assisted by an Executive Vice President, who handles the work of the president when he is not around. At Methodist Healthcare’s vice president is Mrs. Donna Abney.
At the Methodist healthcare, the department of Finance has the obligation of financial planning; whereby it ensures that finances are available so as to meet the needs of the organization. It is also provides the funds to pay employees, invest in stocks and make accompaniments to the industrious capability of the organization. A second function of the finance department is financial control: This helps the organization to meet its goals and objectives. Thirdly it is the department that is sought after to reach a financial decision through financing, investments and dividends so as to retain the gains earned and distribute them among the shareholders through dividends.
Methodist healthcare founded under spirituality and Christianity, it has a department called the department of health and welfare. These department core roles are to focus on building the capacity of religious institutions to advance health and wholeness. There is also a corporate affairs department whose responsibilities are to handle key external concerns that may affect the company. The function has an exacting highlighting on social and corporate responsibility. The team provides communication support to the business and manages the company's community relations program. Corporate Affairs is also in charge of monitoring and tracking public policy issues that could affect the organization, including issues relating to services which Methodist healthcare offers. The department communicates key messages to external audiences, including the media, policy makers, NGOs and other key stakeholders. Corporate Affairs also has responsibility for managing internal communications, including the production of the company intranet, internal publications and the annual employee conference. Good internal communication between departments is essential for the success of the organization and in Methodist healthcare this is achieved by having frequent interdepartmental meeting that familiarize each with the progresses made. Interconnectedness between departments is seen through direct phone lines that can link staff from different departments.
4. Mission Statement
The operating principles of the Methodist healthcare is engraved in its mission statement which is declares that its mission is to improve both family and individual health in line with its historic mission of “Serving Humanity to Honor God”. The mission further seeks to increase and uphold a thorough comprehension of the relentlessly changing health resources available to people. And it believes that by using this understanding, it will provide innovative and effective physical, mental, and spiritual resources. Its services, principally, encourage wellness and healing. Furthermore educate, empower, and nurture wholeness of body, mind, and spirit among all people, with particular concern for lasting benefits to those least-served (Methodist Healthcare System, n.d.).
5. Goals and Objectives
The longstanding goal of the Methodist Healthcare hospital was to reduce the average ED patient turnaround to 180 minutes, a national best practice benchmark (McGown, 2010) However the due to effective management not only has the Methodist Healthcare achieve its objectives but it has set a whole new level of 90 minutes. This was achieved through renovation and addition of two triage rooms to the department. This new development saw to it that anyone waiting in the ED would be seen within 30 minutes of arrival.
6. Identify several opportunities for improvement
The effectiveness of any organization depends on a number of factors that when applied in can see to the improvement of the organization in communication networks, organizational structure, physical layout, work processes, organizational productivity, and employee performance The steps towards achieving all these are as follows; Through research whereby problems are identified and resolved promptly. This improves the effectiveness of the general organization. Secondly, conflict management- Conflicts are brought forward and a common ground gained hence improving communication between conflicting parties. Thirdly, executive development-whereby a one on one group consultation is developed between CEO’s and general staff. Fourthly, Group facilitation- where members interact more effectively at meetings hence participation, and communication. Finally, strategic planning- this allows organization to have preset goals and visions with a hope of achieving all the objectives intended.
a. Assessment of health of communication network.
The communication network acquired a rating of 70% and although this is an above average efficiency, there is much that can be done to further improve the communication network. The art of conflict management was rather new but the organization has adopted that opportunity in resolving conflicts as a way of improving communication. It has worked as expected.
b. Improving structure and physical layout.
The physical layout and structure has seen a face lift through renovations, repainting the walls; maintain the hygiene levels in the areas of operation. The physical layout was also improved by planting beautiful flowers with a lot of color and appealing to the eye.
c. Recommendations while completing work process analysis form
The work process analysis form gives an indication of an employee’s track performance. It is therefore recommended that whatever information recorded in that sheet be of integrity and reflect both the weak and strong sides of a particular member.
d. List and Describe the recommendations while completing questionnaire
Organizational productivity questionnaires are meant to develop the individual, team and organizational performance. In these types of questionnaires there are a number of work preferences explored, these are- how a person prefers to relate to others, how a person assembles and uses information, how a person arrives at a decision and how a person organizes themselves and others. The questionnaire should include individual and leadership strengths, decision making, interpersonal skills and teambuilding.
e. Opportunities to current incentive programs
The incentive program is often thought to be all about the cash rewards as a motivator of employees however there are also other can be improved through the following ways- peer and management recognition, career counseling, good working environment, and customer satisfaction.
f. Of the ways of improving performance of employees, the use of incentives stands out to be quite effective in motivating staff members to engage in more meaningful and productive work.
g. After considering all the opportunities that can improve performance of employees, my top three are as follows; use of incentives, conflict management and goal management.
References
Beier, E. (2010). Methodists Healthcare Systems. Retrieved from http://www.healthcare-digital.com/company-reports/methodist-healthcare-systems
Memphis Business Journal (2011). Methodist Le Bonheur Makes SDI Top 100. Retrieved from http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2011/01/25/methodist-le-bonheur-makes-sdi-top-100.html?comments=1#readercomments
Bureau of Labor Statics (2010). Career Guide to Industries. Retrieved From http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs035.htm
Sheffield, C. (2010). Local Hospitals Avoid National Trend of Health Care layoff. Retrieved from http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2010/07/12/story3.html
Mulliro, M. (n.d). Trends Affecting Healthcare. Retrieved from http://www.healthadministrationdegrees.com/articles/trends-affecting-healthcare/
Methodist Healthcare System, (n.d.). In Service to the Community. Retrieved from http://www.mhshealth.com/custompage.asp?pagename=Community
McGown, A. (2011). Methodist Healthcare: A Real Turnaround. Retrieved from http://www.inside-healthcare.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2472:methodist-healthcare-a-real-turnaround&catid=117:hospitals&Itemid=212
