Managing Health Services - Essay Example

?Managing Health Services Managing Health Services Managing Health Services Introduction Managing health services is challenging particularly on the part of managers. This is because the health care system is composed of different employees with varied behavior to include the different factors affecting the process of development within the organization. However, assimilating system that guarantees the highest possible value for patients may lead managers and leaders to make a difference (Mullins, 2007). Thus, to lead employees for a common goal, managers should have a clear understanding of behaviors of staffs and its role within the organization, meaning of perception so that behavior would be interpreted with sound judgment, and the essence of groupings and their role in decision making. Answers to Questions 1. Define organizational behavior and relate this interpretation to your current experiences by providing examples (2) of what you have witnessed or how you have experienced it. Organizational behavior is a field of study that involves investigating how individuals and groups behave together in an organization (Wood, et al. 2006). Behaviors may include actions, attitude, norms and beliefs in which if these practices come into play affect the organization in general. Since organization is made up of individuals and groups, behavior of the employees may also vary which explains the differences in organizational culture. However, in most cases each company’s or culture is influenced on how the vision and objectives are envisioned by the founders (McShane & VonGlinow, 2010). For instance, if the health care system is conceived to achieve for excellence in the near future, core values to include accountability, integrity, trust, and honesty must be practiced within the organization. The alignment of behavior with the goal of the institution is important because it affects the employee’s functioning and performance which may in turn impact the whole organization. In my paramedic work, it is the culture of the group to train newly hired employees before they are fielded in actual rescue operations. Since time frame is critical and we are dealing with lives, experienced employees are to mentor a newbie through offering orientation and coaching regarding the equipment, protocol, and other rules critical for paramedical staffs to follow. Thus, each group is composed of new and old employees working together during actual operations. Another culture I had experienced is the non-tolerance of blaming for mistakes and shortcomings. To the leaders of paramedics, pointing fingers to others may impede the delivery of quality health care. Such notion is supported with the study by Belluz (2008) where she revealed that behavior and practices such as non- blaming and non punitive language are essential elements to enhance the safety of the patient. 2. Describe why you might need to understand behavior of people in organizations. Understand behavior in an organization is a need because staff’s behavior is the basis of the success and failure of it. Managers would not be able to address issues confronting the organization in cases of conflicts if behavior is not considered. Discerning negative and positive behaviors is also a way to meet the needs of the employees. This notion is supported in the study by Grass and Lee-Ane (2010) where they found out that staffs within a mental health facility performed poorly because their lack of vision towards their organizational policy and structure was not addressed. This indicates that the absence of understanding behavior results in poor decision making, poor communication, and poor commitment to tasks among staffs which may lead to poor practices. As a result, the organization fails. On the other hand, addressing behavior contributes to the company’s effectiveness (Borkowski, 2008) while enhancing managerial skills in predicting behavior. 3. Describe what is meant by perception. In your own words indicate how factors influencing the perceptual process might affect your working relationship and why. What is the difference between perception and stereotyping? Perception involves the sense of feelings, ideas, theories, and thought to conceptualize objects and objective events (Romanov, 2011). This emphasizes that with the presentation of stimulus, the different senses come into play to organize and interpret stimulus. Perception varies from individual to individual depending on the person’s own discrimination of the stimulus as influenced by factors like motivation, past experience, and level of education. In my experience, motivation affects my working relationship positively when I am satisfied with the trust I get from my colleagues, compensated well, and with a clear goal to follow. My past experiences likewise provided me a framework of reference in cases of confusing roles and rules within my workplace. This made my decision making easier because I can perceive clearly which contributed to my smooth working relationship towards my co-workers. Equally important factor is my level of education which gave me the edge to interpret actions, non verbal communications, and behavior of my colleague at a professional level. However, to be more effective in maintaining smooth working relationship, perception must be differentiated from stereotyping. Perception is dependent on the setting, the person perceiving, and interpretation hence it is not bias. Stereotyping on the other hand could be judgmental since beliefs are based on membership of a particular group serving as their point of reference (Schaefer, 2006). Another difference is the reliability of perception because it is guided with schema while stereotyping focuses more on traits, physical appearance, and ethnicity. Lastly, perception helps recognizes individual differences while stereotyping generalizes individual or group. 4. List the type of groups that exist in your workplace or an organization that you belong to, both permanent and temporary work groups. Demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of group dynamics in discussing whether or not groups make better decisions than individuals. In your response you should also refer to group structures, group think, and group decision-making techniques. Grouping is inevitable in every organization which could be either permanent or temporary. In my workplace, I belong to both the formal and informal groups. Formal group emerges as a result of pursuing a particular purpose of the organization so it becomes an integral part (Khan, 2011). Relationship of staffs in this group is generally superficial and work related. In hospital setting for example, the group of nurses and doctors interacting with each other in treating the patient makes up the formal group of the health care system although each has his own job responsibility. At times, formal group becomes permanent or temporary depending on the nature of the work. Formal group becomes permanent when position is continues and is a need of the organization. An example is the position of a Chief Nurse because it is inevitable for a hospital to survive without such position. However, groups become temporary when the task to be performed is specific and has a time frame for its completion. Occasionally, temporary groups are formed to perform some tasks the permanent group cannot accomplish. As a result, when the assigned task is terminated, the group also disperses and disappears. Another group which exists in my workplace is the informal groups. Their emergence is brought about by certain changes within the health care system. This holds true if changes to be implemented totally alter the norms within my workplace and imposes further stress to the already stressful job of a paramedic. If the group cannot cope with the new norms, misunderstanding or conflict arise encouraging other informal groups to form to counter act stratagem of the organization (accel-team, 2011). Often times, informal groups find ways to recourse to other methods to undermine imposed standards by the management. Although, it is understood that informal groups thrive with a leader and others are followers, it is obvious that they decide as a group making them successful in their aim. This demonstrates that group decision is better than individual decision in this situation. This corroborates with the article by Hays (2001) explaining that experiments conducted revealed better decision making when group is involved compared to individual decision. Group think has been discouraged traditionally because most employees believed that individual creativity and uniqueness is not analyzed and evaluated. However, it was found out that groupthink is beneficial in decision making process. Another reason why group decision is better is that it empowers employees. This is evident in cases when the manager calls for a meeting or forum where staffs discuss or share information vital to reconstruct standards acceptable by both the management and the employees to resolve conflict (Arnold, & Silvester, 2005). This makes the participating employees excited and energized. Additional decision-making techniques would be brainstorming, nominal group technique, dialectical inquiry, and Delphi technique. Nevertheless, the manager should adopt techniques deemed effective for the group. Buchbinder and Shanks (2007) yet suggest a better option which is to structure the group so that assignment performed by every staff are determined and completed even in different situations. For example, nurses who are assigned in the operating room should report to the supervisor heading the area and get directions from him. This method offers employees greater access to their direct boss and gives them the opportunity to express concerns. Conclusion Although, the efficiency of the individual employee is an important aspect in the health care system, its success mostly depends on the unity of the staffs as a whole. This proves that the saying “in unity we stand, divided we fall” is applicable in an organization. To live up to this maxim however is to consider the role of several factors such as individual behavior, perception, and groupings so that management becomes effective. Managers should be skillful enough to modify negative behavior and support the positive ones uniting them into one and lead the group towards a single goal. This may create a health care service environment conducive in motivating employees to aspire change, to meet their needs and to create a commendable image. When employees feel they are respected and recognized they are worth to the organization’s existence, they become committed and cooperative and most of all easier to manage. References Accel-team. ( 2011). Team building. PDF. Retrieved from http://www.accel- team.com/_pdf/atPDF_13_groupsNorms_np.pdf. on August 10, 2011. Arnold, J., & Silvester, J. ( 2005). Work psychology: understanding human behavior in the workplace. Financial times management. Belluz, T. (2008). Coaching as a leadership communication practice in the development of a culture of patient safety. Proquest. P. 157. Retrieved from http://gradworks.umi.com/MR/41/MR41924.html. on August 10, 2011. Buchbinder, & Shanks. (2007). Introduction to health care management. Massachusetts. Jones and Bartlett publisher. Grass, D., & Lee-Ane, C. (2010). Slow decline: The social organization of mental health care in a prison-hospital. Proquest. 231. Retrieved from http://gradworks.umi.com/NR/69/NR69955.html. on August 10,2011. Hays, YC. ( 2001). Study affirms: two heads are better than one. Princeton weekly bulletin. ( 90) 16. Retrieved from http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pwb/01/0212/1b.shtml. on August 10,2011. Khan, M. (2011). Management and organizational behavior. PDF. Retrieved from http://www.docstoc.com/docs/7222547/Group-Behaviour. on August, 10,2011. McShane, S., & VonGlinow, M. (2010).Organizational Behavior. New York, N.Y. McGraw Hill publisher. Mullins, L. (2007). Management and organizational behavior. New York. Prentice Hall. Romanov, N. (2011). What is perception? Crossfit Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.crossfit.com/2011/06/romanov7perception.tp. on August 10,2011. Schaefer, R. ( 2006). Sociology. New York. McGraw-Hill companies. Wood, G., Wood, J.M., Zeffane, R. Fromholtz, M., Fotzgerald, J. (2006). Organizational behavior: core concepts and applications. Australia. John Wiley & sons Read More