Introduction
The dynamic changes in the health sector since the inception of the health reform's implementation are crystal clear as Gruber and Newquist (2011) note. Many organizations in the present US have networks with other organizations, not only within the health system but the entire economy as a whole. Within the healthcare context, organizational linkages serve very crucial purposes, if hierarchy and policies put in place are observed. Top of the list is the ease of patient referrals. This is usually done in a vertical manner, from organizations with resource constraints to those with plenty. The merging of health systems among organizations linked together has been the trend in the millennial era. The merger makes monitoring of health processes quite manageable since centralized systems of control can be put in place. This paper examines Johns Hopkins Hospital, a healthcare delivery organization in the US. A detailed description of the organization and its health system will be the area of focus. Additionally, a chart will be used to illustrate its organizational linkages. Description of the organization is next.
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The hospital, located in Maryland, Baltimore, has been in place for more than a century. It has stood economic challenges and remained afloat during periods of recess, without health service delivery being compromised. Presently, the organization is a global leader concerning faculty excellence and professional specialization. The 2015/16 rankings report released by ‘U.S News and World Report' placed the hospital in the third position overall in the US, ("Best Hospitals 2015-16: an Overview - US News," n.d.) findings indicate. The hospital also serves as an educational facility for Medicine and Surgery students. It occupies close to 25 buildings, with a bed capacity of over 100. All employees, both permanent and those on contract terms total to 30,000, the number of doctors standing at 1705. The hospital receives more than 83,200 visitors on average, weekly. The hospital has several affiliates including several outpatient centers specialized in different medical fields. Many affiliates are located in Washington DC and Baltimore.
At its commencement, the hospital was guided by three main principles, designed by Johns Hopkins, a philanthropist then also labeled as ‘The father of Johns Hopkins Hospital';
Highest quality of patient care.
Upholding education as the first move to providing efficient medical care.
Transferring learned facts to the next generation.
These principles have guided the organization to its present status and have attracted other organizations to it. Consequently, the organization has established links with various outside parties and enriched the quality of its services, as well as professional networks. The first partner of the hospital was and has remained the Medical Campus within its compound, a global champion in nurse training.
Johns Hopkins Delivery System
The hospital has been at the forefront of establishing connections with insurance firms and other organizations. The main aim of the organization's management has been enhancement and acquisition of new resources, both for teaching and research purposes. The hospital's health system was designed in a way that amenities for those with financial ability are put in place. The revenue generated from this is channeled back to financing the needy in society in a structured scheme. Therefore, the health system at Johns Hopkins is all inclusive as Ashar, Miller, Sisson, and Johns Hopkins University (2012) report points out. The health system puts the hospital in a better position to confronting current world epidemics. These include but not in any way limited to the following; cancer and benign neoplasms, tuberculosis, antibiotic resistant infections, mental infections, and incurable viral infections. The system is also flexible to change and has undergone some modifications, technological advancement being incorporated within it.
Johns Hopkins' Linkages and Alliances
The organization at its top level is linked to a group of physicians and nurses belonging to an Accountable Care Organization dubbed Johns Hopkins Community Physicians (JHCP). The number of healthcare providers in JHCP ranges between 400 and 450. They deliver their services at a fee and are responsible and accountable for the quality of service delivery. Their partnership with Johns Hopkins hospital has seen their professionalism grow. Medical conditions that prove a burden to the hospitals' workforce are referred to the JHCP directly.
The hospital's Employer Health Programs is the organization's umbrella as Bartlett and Johns Hopkins AIDS Clinic (2015) highlights. It is a self-funded organization that comes to the hospital's aid at times of financial need. All Children's Hospital makes referrals of pediatrics conditions to Johns Hospital. Other organizations with links with the hospital are Sibley Memorial Hospital, Howard County General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Center, and Suburban Hospital. The chart below best illustrates the order of referrals.
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Conclusion
Linkages and alliances increase the efficiency of an organization regarding the quality of service delivered, particularly within the healthcare context. Johns Hopkins Hospital has maintained its performance for years due to the linkages it has with other health facilities.
References
Ashar, B. H., Miller, R. G., Sisson, S. D., & Johns Hopkins University. (2012). The Johns Hopkins Internal Medicine Board review: Certification and recertification. Philadelphia: Elsevier/Saunders.
Bartlett, J. G., & Johns Hopkins AIDS Clinic. (1995). The Johns Hopkins Hospital guide to medical care of patients with HIV infection. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins.
Best Hospitals 2015-16: an Overview - US News. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://health.usnews.com/health-news/best-hospitals/articles/2015/07/21/best-hospitals-2015-16-an-overview?int=ab2909&int=ad4609
Gruber, J., &Newquist, H. P. (2011). Health care reform: What it is, why it's necessary, how it works. New York: Hill and Wang.
