Problems and Proposed Alternatives for Faith Community Hospital
Problems Defined
Faith Community Hospital is an institution of devoted and well-coordinated team of healthcare professionals, who are capable of providing the quality health services to the community. As stated by its mission statement, “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”. However, from the current situation of the hospital, it appears that its major problems are rooted from this mission statement. Specifically, the institution may have an established mission, yet the people operating within it do not seem to have a universal interpretation for this mission.
There had been reported incidents for instance, wherein the provision of healthcare services by the staff is influenced by individual directives. While there are patients who decline to take some medical services, there are hospital staffs as well who refuse to provide certain healthcare services to the patients. There are staffs who care too much for the patients’ well-being, whereas other staff will prioritize the institution’s welfare among others. This problem is greatly attributed to individual religious beliefs or moral principles. It is then ironic that despite the inclusion of the collaboration concept in the institution’s mission statement, there are obvious signs that staff in general does not really put this into practice.
Aside from the disjointed interpretation of the hospital’s mission statement, the lack of clear communication channels among the different staff units also contributes to the problem. Healthcare staff appears to operate and decide on their own, including sensitive issues. With individual interpretation of the institution’s healthcare standards, the hospital is really likely to encounter problems like legal charges. Unfortunately, the problem of the hospital on uncoordinated healthcare efforts is a partial contributor to the institution’s now growing concern on increasing expenses. If some healthcare staff provides unauthorized services for free or if they allow payments in installments, this will directly affect the hospital’s overall gains. The report analysis on the hospital’s accounts revealed that the number of patients is not the factor that causes this problem. Thus, if the number of patients will not increase, the institution will have to make major cost reductions on its fixed costs. Though a non-profit organization, this problem should be taken seriously considering that the hospital needs the finances for its facilities and workers.
From this definition of the problem, the primary concern is the lack of clear understanding of the hospital’s mission statement among the staff, specifically, lack of collaboration. This then resulted to two other major problems: the lack of clear communication lines between healthcare teams and the increasing hospital expenses. Alternatives that will be implemented should then directly address these major institutional issues.
Proposed Alternatives and Rationale
Understanding the Mission Statement
A mission statement is not only developed by organizations; it is imperative that people who will work with the mission clearly comprehends its meaning and proper application so as to prevent conflicts. For this purpose, a general gathering to be participated by the hospital staff must be conducted. The objective of this general gathering is to discuss the values indicated in the mission statement. This will then foster the establishment of a single professional goal among the staff. It should be stressed that while individual differences are respected by the institution, having a common goal as well as universal healthcare standards will help the institution in providing quality services. Moreover, this will make decision-making effective and less complicated. Practicing a single mission statement will also enable the use of standard operations resulting to less errors and cost control.
Promotion of teamwork
The importance of developing effective communication and interpersonal skill among healthcare teams has been emphasized through a number of theories. Communication may be defined as the transmission of meaning and information from one person to another ( 1998). While the transmission itself may appear to be a simple task, the interpretation of the message being relayed through communication poses a challenge, particularly on the establishment of human relations. In general, communication becomes effective when both parties involved are honest and open to share information and have the ability to decipher the meaning of their messages. Effective communication must always be practiced as it is significant to individual health as well as for the creation of positive relationships. Specifically, the ability to communicate directly affects an individual’s stress levels, self-esteem and relationship quality (, 1998). This is then the skill that must be practiced in Faith Community Hospital in support for its mission statement.
Communication within a group or inter-professional team goes beyond the concepts of effective speaking or listening, or what is commonly considered as linear communication. It is an interactive model which deals with feedback and reciprocal exchanges. According to surveys focusing on areas of improvement among corporations, communication is usually ranked first as an important element within the organization (1993). Specifically, communication is recognized as an important aspect of an organization as it keeps employees well-informed and open to communication channels. Moreover, organizational communication enables the employees to comply with company standards, leading to efficiency and accuracy.
The hospital should then designate communication lines within the staffs’ units; in particular it should be made clear to whom they should report or inquire. They should also be instructed as to how they should interact with members of other hospital departments (e.g. physicians and nurses). This in turn can be done through the organization of relevant workshops or seminars for the staff members. Having an established communication in the hospital plays several purposes. For one thing, this could ensure the application of the collaboration principle in the mission statement. With teamwork, the quality of healthcare given to patients will naturally improve as well. As mentioned, control in operations is an important factor that should be observed in the institution.
Practicing effective communication can then ensure that staff members follow the set hospital standards rather than deciding on personal motivations. In general, the case of the Faith Community Hospital should apply the concept of the Dynamic Social Impact Theory (DSIT). In this theory, it has been explained that in spite of the differences inherent among people as well the influences that significantly affect the social spaces, people should learn how to adapt and become flexible through open communication (, 1996).
Cost Control
The cited alternatives have certain capabilities of controlling the hospital costs. Nonetheless, a direct measure must be enforced. For this issue, a dual-alternative may be appropriate; this means that two supporting activities for cost control can be implemented. Specifically, this can be done by minimal cost-reduction and increased customer satisfaction. Forcing a drastic 15% fixed cost reduction for a break even is too big and may not be possible for the hospital staff to support. It is perhaps best to start on a lower reduction of cost (e.g. 5%) to increase the possibility of goal achievement. Monthly changes in expense levels should be monitored; this will help in assessing whether further reduction is still necessary. The staff members on the other hand, will support this alternative through conserving the use of major utilities and managing supply inventories.
While the first alternative is focused on reducing cost, increasing the level of customer satisfaction on the other hand is geared on profit generation. If more and more patients are satisfied with the services the company provides, the number of patients is likely to increase. This will then help the hospital in preventing further cost reductions as well as major company losses. In order to improve the services of the hospital for increased customer satisfaction, the staff could adapt a certain healthcare model. In particular, the staff members may apply the discrimination model. In the discrimination model, clinical supervisors are necessary and should perform three supervisory roles. These include the teacher, counselor and consultant roles. As teachers, clinical supervisors can share their knowledge or experience to the supervisee through lectures or instructions. By means of addressing the problems of the supervisee, clinical supervisors can then act as counselors. During co-therapy activities, the provision of assistance to the supervisee serves as the supervisor’s consulting responsibility ( 1994).
In order to save valuable resources (since the institution aims to reduce major costs), it is recommended that potential leaders in the department units are given the appropriate training to become effective clinical supervisors. This training will then focus on teaching the clinical supervisors how to motivate their staff, settle conflicts, answer inquiries, make decisions, teach the patients and the staff as well as address personal issues. These learnings will then be relayed to the staff through mentoring approach. This alternative actually supports the aim of collaboration as it promotes the establishment of clear and common healthcare standards. These standards will then enhance the ability of the staff in delivering health services. In turn, this could increase the satisfaction of the patients and lead to customer loyalty. The satisfaction of the patients can also become an effective marketing channel, specifically through referral. With these two cost control alternatives, the institution could avoid extreme cost reduction efforts, gain a certain level of profitability, obtain loyal patients and practice quality healthcare service delivery.
Implementation
In order to implement the cited alternatives, trainings, workshops, seminars and similar activities should take place. Moreover, printed booklets that would facilitate the discussion of the hospital’s mission statement, the conduction of the effective communication and clinical supervisory trainings should also be provided. Speakers who would discuss these factors should also be informed in advance; seminar organizers should also decide how and when these activities should be conducted. For the cost reduction alternatives, it is important that the staffs are given prior information regarding the hospital’s concerns on its growing expenses. This information should explain the current cost issues, the problems that could arise if this will not be resolved and the ways how this matter can be addressed. A general meeting among individual staff can be conducted for this purpose. Assigned clinical supervisors will then be responsible for ensuring that cost reduction measures are observed in their respective units. This monitoring responsibility will be done along with the enforcement of quality healthcare delivery among the staff.
In order to evaluate the effects of these alternatives, regular reports from the clinical supervisors will be submitted to the management. Every month, the institution should see to it that the board meets to discuss the developments brought about by the alternatives applied. For the cost reduction issue, the expertise of a financial analyst should be employed to facilitate the discussion as to how further reductions should be made; progress made by the institution through its cost-reduction efforts should also be supported by clear financial reports. In conclusion, the problems in Faith Community Hospital are characterized by unclear mission interpretation, ineffective communication and increasing expenses. In order to resolve them, trainings and seminars that will clarify the values of the mission statement, promote the utilization of effective communication skill, conserve resources and increase quality of healthcare services should be done. Regular monitoring of the alternatives’ effects to the institution should be done to maintain positive outcomes and address other relevant issues.
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