Governing Board’s Role
Middleville Regional Health Care has been focusing on the best approaches in order to offer quality services. The facility has enough caregivers and physicians to support the needs of different clients. The governing board of the institution undertakes various strategies in order to promote the best outcomes. The board should focus on specific strategic initiatives in order to deal with the current level of competition and support the health needs of many clients in the targeted region. To begin with, the board should identify the changing needs of different clients and address them using the most appropriate resources. This approach will ensure modern technologies are implemented and used to empower more people (Reinhard & Hassmiller, 2014). The second strategic issue should focus on the needs and expectations of many practitioners.
A healthy workforce will definitely produce the most admirable results. Members of the governing board should assign different roles to leaders who can support every employee. The board should also focus on the issue of financing. The ultimate goal is to ensure various activities are funded in an effective and convenient manner. Evidence-based ideas and observations should be used to make the most appropriate decisions (Reinhard & Hassmiller, 2014). Quantitative measurements should be used to examine the issues affecting the healthcare organization. The governing board should also focus on the issue of marketing. The population will be able to acquire quality services from the facility. A powerful framework must therefore be implemented in order combine these strategic initiatives. The framework will make the institution one of the leading providers of quality healthcare services in the region.
Performance Measures
The provided statistics can be used to determine the performance and success of Middleville Regional Health Care. The first performance that can measure the quality of healthcare services provided to different community members is the number of outpatients. This performance measure gives a clear picture of the number of clients served by the institution (Parsons & Cornett, 2011). The organization is currently a leading healthcare provider in the community. This performance measurement will be used to examine the current position of the institution. The second measurement is the number of admissions in the facility. This measure is important because it gives a picture of the institution’s performance. It shows the number of patients willing to receive the best health support from the institution.
The third performance measure is the number of healthcare workers. However, these performance measures should not be examined separately. For example, the number of admissions should be closely associated with the current workforce. Such considerations will identify the major gaps, strengths, and opportunities that must be examined in an attempt to deliver the best results. These measurements should also be contrasted with the other issues in order to outline the most appropriate strategic initiatives (Parsons & Cornett, 2011). Such approaches will make it easier for the facility to identify new strategies that can be used to deliver quality medical services.
Critical Areas to Maintain the Organization’s Competitive Market Share
The current situation shows clearly that the healthcare facility is performing positively. However, it should maintain some of its functions and areas in order to deliver quality care to different community members. To begin with, the current organizational strategy empowers different workers. It has also supported the changing needs of many stakeholders (Parsons & Cornett, 2011). This area should be supported in order to maintain the facility’s competitive advantage. The organizational healthcare delivery system is also effective. More patients have been getting quality services from the facility. That being the case, the area should be maintained in order to support more clients.
New issues should be taken seriously in order to support the facility’s competitive position. To begin with, the use of health informatics will improve the level of service delivery and support the needs of many workers (Chin & Sakuda, 2012). Decisions will also be made effectively and accurately. The other area to consider is the Human Resource Department. This department should analyze the major challenges affecting different workers. The HR manager will be ready to address the issues raised by different workers. Problems should also be addressed in a professional manner (Reinhard & Hassmiller, 2014). The clinicians should be equipped with different materials and resources in order to support the changing needs of more patients.
Advanced Technology Systems
Medical technologies are currently making it easier for many healthcare facilities to achieve their goals. This is the case because modern informatics can support different employees. Such caregivers will use modern technologies to share information, exchange ideas, and empower their patients. Modern technologies have been observed “to improve the quality of care availed to different patients” (Reinhard & Hassmiller, 2014, p. 4). That being the case, Middleville Regional Health Care has the potential to benefit from advanced technology systems. Some of the facility’s board members want the institution to pursue such technological systems within the next five years. This move will have instantaneous benefits and eventually make the facility successful (Chin & Sakuda, 2012).
However, it is appropriate to consider the current financial position of the organization. The initial phase of implementing the use of advanced technology systems will definitely be costly for the organization. The healthcare organization will incur numerous expenses. It should also be observed that the use of such technologies will present numerous opportunities and benefits to this organization. Such systems will be used to monitor the progress of every targeted patient. One of these technologies is known as Electronic Medical Record (EMR). This is “a digital version of patients’ information” (Moen & Knudsen, 2013, p. 89). It usually indicates “the treatment and medical history of many patients thus making it possible for caregivers to deliver the most appropriate medical support” (Butler, 2014, p. 7). This modern technology “makes it easier for nurses to track information, identify the health needs, and monitor the outcomes of different patients” (Moen & Knudsen, 2013, p. 90).
Implementation Plan
The proposed technology systems will make it easier for the facility to achieve its goals. That being the case, powerful implementation processes will be required. A six-step model will support the implementation process for every advanced technology system. The first step will be “to assess the needs of different patients, financial position of the organization, and readiness to use the system” (Butler, 2014, p. 4). The second stage is planning (Butler, 2014). The third step will ensure the facility identifies the most appropriate medical technology systems. The organization should also hire certified technologists to support the process.
The fourth step will be used to purchase and install the right resources. During this stage, new activities such as pilot testing and training should be done in order to support the implementation process. The fifth stage should focus on the effectiveness of the implemented program. The “ultimate goal is to achieve something known as meaningful use” (Chin & Sakuda, 2012, p. 53). The final step is “characterized by an ongoing quality improvement process” (Butler, 2014, p. 4). Experts will also monitor the system to ensure it performs effectively. Changes and new installations should be done depending on the emerging needs of different users (Chin & Sakuda, 2012). These strategies will make it easier for this healthcare organization to become the leading provider of quality and evidence-based medical services to more patients in the community.
Suggestions to the Human Resource Department
The current economic position is making it impossible for this organization to support the changing needs of different workers. Reinhard and Hassmiller (2014) argue that “strained budgets and unpredictable economic performances can make it hard for organizations to empower their employees” (p. 4). Middleville is currently facing specific HR challenges. For instance, the institution is finding it hard to recruit, empower, and retain its healthcare workers. This situation is making it impossible for the facility to achieve most of its goals. The Human Resource Department’s ultimate goal should be to empower different clinicians and support their needs. The department should address various issues such as burnout, reduced morale, and employee turnover (Parsons & Cornett, 2011).
Several suggestions are therefore needed in order to ensure the HR department improves the level of employee satisfaction. To begin with, the HR manager should collaborate with the CEO to empower and motivate every clinician. The institution should use its financial strength to increase the salaries and remunerations of its workers. This approach will ensure such clinicians and caregivers are satisfied with the working environment. The institution will be able to attract more customers and eventually increase its income. The income will also be used to improve the quality of services availed to more patients. This is the case because the facility is a not-for-profit medical facility. Newly-recruited caregivers should also be paid well in order to become motivated (Parsons & Cornett, 2011). This strategy will reduce the level of employee turnover. Such workers will also engage in the most appropriate practices and eventually support the changing needs of different patients.
The second strategy should focus on the welfare of different workers. Employees in an organization encounter “a wide range of challenges and disagreements” (Parsons & Cornett, 2011, p. 281). Such disagreements will affect the morale of the employees and result in turnover. The HR department should use powerful incentives to mentor every practitioner. The “caregivers should be involved in every decision-making and problem-solving process” (Parsons & Cornett, 2011, p. 282). Proper workplace guidelines should be used to ensure the clinicians are aware of their goals. Training programmes should be used to support the targeted physicians and nurses. Such programmes will equip them with new competencies, ideas, and skills thus making them more productive. The HR department should also acquire useful information from different patients. The gathered information will be used to support the needs of different stakeholders. The caregivers can also be empowered using different teams. Such teams will “focus on their common goals, address challenges, identify new opportunities, and deliver evidence-based care to more patients” (Jarrin, 2012, p. 19). These two recommendations will eventually make Middleville one of the leading providers of quality care to different clients.
Reference List
Butler, B. (2014). Meaningful Use and Corrections: Unknown Opportunities. Community Oriented Correctional Health Services, 1(1), 1-15.
Chin, B., & Sakuda, C. (2012). Transforming and Improving Health Care through Meaningful Use of Health Information Technology. Hawaii Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 71(4), 50-55.
Jarrin, O. (2012). The Integrality of Situated Caring in Nursing and the Environment. ANS Advanced Nursing Science, 31(1), 14-24.
Moen, A., & Knudsen, L. (2013). Nursing Informatics: Decades of Contribution to Health Informatics. Healthcare Informatics Research, 19(2), 86-92.
Parsons, M., & Cornett, P. (2011). Sustaining the pivotal organizational outcome: magnet recognition. Journal of Nursing Management, 19(1), 277-286.
Reinhard, S., & Hassmiller, S. (2014). The Future of Nursing: Transforming Health Care. The AARP International Journal, 1(2), 1-12.