Critical Thinking Case Study: Let It Pour – My First Assignment as Executive Assistant

Critical Thinking Case Study: Let It Pour – My First Assignment as Executive Assistant

 

Introduction

            The case study presented to us exhibits the problems the new Executive Assistant of the Chief Executive Officer, will be trying to propose solutions with, and these problems, possible solutions, and possible actions will be discussed in this paper.

            The concepts related to this case study involve Organizational Processes, Ethics Issues, and Communication Systems. Briefly, these concepts will be discussed at the latter part of the paper, which will enable us to evaluate its application on the possible solutions on the problems presented by the case study. Moreover, due to the relevance of these concepts, we will be able to fully understand the problems in the case study, and be able to propose conceivable actions and solutions.

 

Problems in the Case Study

            In any business organization or company, problems or issues addressing a variety of functions, concepts and theories are to be encountered. Problems in any business or service organizations are inevitable, which leads many to come up with creative and substantial strategies to solve them. Likewise, certain problems of the Faith Community Hospital were presented to us, in relation to their mission statement, which states that “ With the foundation and commitment of our spiritual heritage and values, our mission is to promote the health and well-being of the people in the communities we serve through a comprehensive continuum of services provided in collaboration with the partners who share the same vision and values” (“Let It Pour: My First Assignment as Executive Assistant”, attachment).

 

• Work ethics of staffs and members


• The staffs and members of Faith Community Hospital are not doing their work in accordance to the fulfillment of their mission statement.


• Pragmatism


• Medical errors cause many incidences of deaths in the hospital


• Diversity on the part of the Board of Members, which represents a kaleidoscope of thinking and decision-making and the lack of understanding on ethics, laws, beliefs and oaths


• Conflict between the hospital staffs and patients, on administering and taking certain medical services, which will clash with their religious beliefs or personal moral convictions


• Decision-making on the provision of proper treatment, such as resuscitation


• Hospital staffs not following hospital directives


• Reliance of the hospital staffs on money and insurance policies, which create problems regarding filling of insurance prescriptions and insurance coverage


• Collaboration of the hospital with insurance companies and their regulators, in relation to the patients’ coverage, costs, and modes of payment


• Decrease in the number of patients and increase in hospital costs yearly, due to increase in the cost of hospital admission and treatment


• Lack of communication and unity or teamwork, and focus on priorities

 

Proposal of Possible Solutions

            For the proposal of solutions to the problems presented by the case study, it is essential that we identify the concepts related to the case study. These concepts include Organizational Processes, Ethics Issues, and Communication Systems.

It has been reported that organizational processes serve to establish and sustain a usable set of organizational process assets, which allow consistent process performance across the organization and provide a basis for cumulative, long-term benefits to the organization (2005). From this definition, problems regarding the focus on priorities, following of hospital directives, improvement of services and facilities, and attracting more patients.

            One possible solution is to propose training on all hospital staffs and members. The training must include the review of the mission and vision of the company, to remind them of their roles and responsibilities in the hospital. In addition to classroom-type discussion trainings, the hospital must be able to propose employee or staff assessment or evaluation, which will tackle the current performance of the staff or member on the basis of following hospital directives, effective administering of treatment, and efficient employee interrelations. Through these, the organization will be able to impose changes and strict adherence to hospital directives, and restrict staff and members from committing violations. These actions will somehow help the company address their aim to focus on long-term goals in improving their services and facilities.

            Moreover, to address the problem regarding the decrease in the number of patients and the increase in hospital costs, hospital staffs and members must be able to have an efficient and an effective inventory of costs and instruments, to make sure that what they are using the hospital are really needed. They can also engage in research and look for alternatives for the expensive materials and instruments used in the hospital, to reduce their costs. However, the use of alternative and more affordable instruments and materials should not compensate the quality of service and provision of treatment that they can provide their patients. These actions are in response only to the aim of the hospital for cost reduction, which should not lead to the decline of the quality of services provided by hospital staffs, for their performance would largely affect the reputation of the hospital. In addition, the improvement in the training and knowledge of the staff and members of the hospital should contribute to the improvement of hospital facilities and services, so the hospital must be able to focus on providing and reviewing treatments and medical processes for the patients. However, the hospital must also allot a specific budget for the improvement of its technology, to be able to provide better services for their patients. In line with the changes and advancements of science and technology at present, the hospital must be able to adapt to these changes, and be able to use high-tech gadgets for a more effective and efficient service.

            Other problems of the company involves the concept of communication system, which can be defined as a system of functions making possible the communication between different parties, the carriers of which can be biological, personal, social, or technical units, and this provides a channel for mutual information exchange ( 2006). Based on this concept, the various problems of the Faith Community Hospital regarding communication can be addressed. The hospital can implement an effective communication system, by constantly having staff and patient assessment. Through staff or member assessment, the hospital will be able to evaluate and appraise the performance of hospital staffs, which would help with their improvement, while with patient assessment; the hospital will be able to identify their needs and feedbacks from the performance of hospital staffs or members administering the treatment.

            In relation to this, effective communication can also be established to be able the company to retain and make good relations with health insurance companies, which will help the hospital cater to the needs of its patients and even add to its features in providing better services. If this problem will be resolved then the hospital members and staffs will not have problems and conflicts with patients regarding health and coverage insurance. With the use of effective communication, the members and staffs will be able to establish and develop teamwork, and this teamwork will be used to resolve conflicts regarding their opposing beliefs on administering treatment and taking medical services. In this way, the staffs will be able to respond properly to the wants and needs, while the patient can also compromise on their treatment. Moreover, with effective communication, the Board of Members will be able to exhibit unity and promote collectivism. In this way, the Board of Members and the rest of the hospital staff and members can avoid pragmatism, and in turn, the whole organization will be promoting and establishing common goals towards their mission and vision.   

            In relation to ethics issues, the hospital and the Chief Executive Officer can promote professionalism and work ethics in the organization through work incentives and rewards. With rewards, hospital staffs and members will become motivated in working and rendering services to their patients, aside from fulfilling their responsibilities as healthcare professionals. Moreover, ethics and professionalism can also be promoted and encouraged through employee trainings and development, which can be managed by hospital Human Resource Management team. 

 

Rationale for Proposed Solutions

            The reason behind the proposed solutions is the aim of the Faith Community Hospital to promote the health and welfare of the people through the provision of adequate and efficient services, alongside the hospital’s partners who also have the same goals, and this purpose and objective of the hospital should be executed in accordance to their giving importance of the concepts and ideas regarding efficient management.  

            In relation to the concepts of organizational processes, the hospital can build on their long-term goals through employing continuous staff and member training and development. From this member or staff training and development, the Chief Executive Officer can emphasize on their attitudes and performance, which could contribute on more efficient and effective rendering of healthcare services. In relation to the hospital’s aim, they can also engage in research, for with in-depth research, the hospital staffs can give more importance on the preferences of their patients in relation to treatment, or find new ways to compromise with their religious beliefs and personal moral convictions. Through this, the hospital can render services and obtain customer satisfaction and loyalty.

            Moreover, in relation to communication systems, the provision and development of effective and efficient communication will enable the hospital perceive the needs of their patients, becoming more intent in providing their needs and wants, and efficient in establishing interrelationships, both among the patients, hospital staff and members, and other group of individuals sharing the same goals and values. Effective communication should be established in the hospital and among the organization because with this, there would be consensus among the members and staffs, which would promote collectivism. Through collectivism, the members of the Board and the whole organization will be able to work on the realization towards a common goal, which to promote the health and well-being of the people in the community. In addition, through effective communication systems, the organization will be focused only on same idea, however, although pragmatism because of individualism is also helpful in their success, maintaining and developing the same vision and ideas, gives them the edge in functioning as a whole.

            In relation to ethics issues, substantial incentives and rewards are helpful because its purpose is to influence employee behaviors, such as membership, which develops behaviors as joining the organization, remaining with the organization, and coming to work regularly and punctually, and performance, which comprises the entire range of behaviors required in the performance of a given job or role (1998). Through these, the organization can promote work ethics and motivation, which can encourage more effective and efficient performance and service of the hospital staff and members. Moreover, these are helpful measures because with incentives and rewards, most employees will be striving to perform better services, to be able to obtain the rewards and incentives they deserve.

 

Conclusion

            From the discussed problems, proposals and rationale of the proposal, it can be deduced that in any organization, including healthcare facilities, it would be essential if the concepts and theories in management, organizational processes, communication systems, and ethics issues will be addressed. This is in relation to the aim of organizations to achieve or attain their short-term and long-term goals, and to be able to establish their reputation in the industry or field they are in. However, due to many problems being encountered and crisis to solve, many of these theories are being neglected, in their belief of resolving the problem using easier strategies. With this, it must be given importance that concepts and theories must be applied to be able to arrive at desired results and consequences.

 

 

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