Organizational Behavior Management in Healthcare - Article Example

ARTICLE RESEARCH 3 Article Research 3 Name Grade Tutor Date Article critique of: Organizational Behavior Management in Healthcare: Applications for large - Scale improvements in patient safety By Thomas R. Cunningham, MS, and E. Scott Geller Healthcare is a universal application and therefore the standards that apply for this field are universally acceptable. Organization behavior management (OBM) will therefore not vary whichever the industry. This is so because the science relates to people and not processes. This article titled Organizational Behavior Management in Healthcare: Applications for Large scale Improvements in Patient safety in its abstract highlights the mandate by the authors which is an attempt to bridge the variations between behavioral science and management of medical care. The article further clearly points out the concepts in consideration for study aimed at better understanding organizational behavior management. At this particular point we see Thomas, Cunningham and Geller (2007) indicating that “current efforts aimed at patient safety improvement are provided to inform relevant applications of organizational behavior management” (p. 1). As earlier stated the article may not specifically address a United Arab Emirates (UAE) scenario as such, however, the understanding is that OBM according to Thomas et al (2007) “focuses on what people do, analyzes why they do it and then applies an evidence based intervention strategy to improve what people do” (p.1). This is despite the location. As such the same principles that apply in the US in regards to OBM will apply in the UAE. Basing on this we can assert that the topic organizational behavior management is well covered within this article. Behavior is modeled by the system. However, behavior is a determinant of many of the systems’ outcomes and as such there exists a correlation between the two. The article addressed OBM in relation to a particular field though it is likely that the applications are for large scale improvements in patient safety. Because behavior is defined and understood in relation to other factors, this article analyzes OBM in relation to the reduction of medical errors with the goal of improving healthcare services. The authors of this article have carried out an adequate literature review pointing to the various definitions of the term medical error by different institutions and healthcare systems. It is pertinent to understand this term from as many sources as possible because the article attempts to discuss OBM procedures and techniques based on medical error. Generally Thomas et al (2010) assert that there is a variation in the understanding of this term whereby “while some refer to medical error as an act or failure to act” (p. 1) resulting in patient harm, other defines it as a harmful action. Since an action is motivated by a certain behavior resulting from some attitude, Thomas et al (2007) concur that “prevention focused definition best fits this application of OBM” (p. 1). The article draws from various credible sources and authorities in healthcare services among them the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) which is one of the most credible measures used to derive patient safety performance. According to the areas that have been identified within this article, the following are important for this case study. They include prevention procedures; analysis and treatment. A further breakdown indicative of the areas stated above is carefully illustrated in a well presented table labeled as table 1. Figures have been used in this article which also points to testable and interpretable results. Under this section, Thomas et al (2007) indicate that “preventable errors are identified as technical at 44%, diagnostic at 17%, failure of prevention at 12% and drug use at 10%” (p. 2). This is testable and effective prevention that focuses on these factors lends credit to this article. A careful study of the article can enable us to draw more definite findings such as the percentage of incidences resulting from delayed diagnosis and treatment which according to the research stands at 60%. At the introduction section of the article, it is clearly identified that this is a fact and is backed by a well laid out illustration in form of tabulated data that appears in the early pages of the article and is continually referenced in order to help the reader of this article to clearly understand the concepts at hand. Because OBM is strongly related to the occurrence of medical errors especially so for healthcare systems, Table 1 in the article for example clearly shows the taxonomies for patient safety incidents and medical errors. It is highly probable that the data within this table is weighted which would indicate that accidental puncture or laceration is one of the most commonly occurring medical errors which can be addressed through OBM. While looking at management, the article progresses on to draw the attention of the reader to the prevention process. It is only sufficient to realize that preventive strategies will form part of the management process at organizational level. Clear illustrations of the various factors that correlate to patient safety outcome are clearly depicted in the overall modes of patient safety as Figure 1 in the article indicates. It is clearly seen that factors such as healthcare culture, caregiver behavior and legislation in the healthcare sector are some of the factors wherein OBM principles and practices can be observed. The authorship of this article is indicative of the fact that a number of medical errors in question can be effectively managed through system change. A point worth noting as mentioned within this article is that adoption of information technology plays a key role as part of system change in order to reduce errors. It is therefore worth noting that not all personnel within the healthcare system will readily embrace system change, and therefore part of the issues to be addressed would be caregivers’ resistance to this change. Accordingly Thomas et al (2007) portray OBM as “behavior modification” (p. 5). While addressing OBM this article indicates that the process is people oriented and not process oriented. It therefore implies that the understanding and application of OBM is standardized regardless of the location or country. Behavior change has been known as a process that is sustained through punishment or rewards. The management of behavior will therefore include rewards or punishment. For instance it is well known that an antecedent is a stimulus preceding a behavior to encourage performance of that behavior. Goal setting has been known to stimulate performance and can therefore be used within OBM. This article sums up the main concepts related to OBM in an elaborate manner. Feedback has been highlighted as one type of consequence variously used to effect change in behavior. In relation to this particular case study and where promotion of safe behavior is encouraged, feedback has been demonstrated in this article as able to successfully increase safe behavior while reducing risk behavior. Though these findings are for non medical settings, it is presumed that behavior is a people issue and not a process issue and so this should still be effective for medical settings as well. Once a behavior has been successfully induced, it must be maintained. The process of institutionalizing strategies to promote desired behavior forms part of the OBM process. It is universally agreed that this can be achieved through education and training, all inclusiveness, well established organizational structures able to monitor and intervene in behavior management process and identifying and promoting self motivated behavior trends that are desirable. According to Thomas et al (2007) indicate that “people need to engage in a behavior fluently to experience its inherent” (p. 6). It is generally agreeable and practical that successful application of OBM in healthcare settings and other fields depends on a number of factors. These will include; Targeting observable behavior Relying on theory to integrate any available information Focusing on the positive consequences to motivate behavior Using antecedents and consequences to motivate Develop intervention points having a consideration for internal feelings and attitudes. Application of scientific methods to enhance this intervention. Focusing on external factors to explain and improve behavior Management is an organizational practice. It therefore can be inferred from the article under study that an OBM approach to system change remains the most effective way. Consider the use of the computer based system (CPOE). It is understood that CPOE usage is likely to reduce errors and hence the OBM process should address behavior change in relation to the use of the CPOE system for instance. Thomas et al (2007) notes that “financial rewards to motivate desired behavior have encouraged the use of CPOE system from 35% to 57 %.”(p. 7). This is one of the verifiable and testable statistical data within the article which is one of the strengths of this article. The authors’ credentials lend more credibility to the article as well. The fact that the article has not directly addressed OBM process in UAE is a weakness especially considering the cultural variation between the US and UAE. The article is broad in coverage of the OBM process especially within the healthcare system. This process is what is defined as the approach that can maintain patient safety. The use of statistical data derived from reliable sources further points to the credibility of the article. The article further addresses exhaustively an aspect in healthcare and patient safety systems related to behavior that results in medical errors. A general inference from the reading of this article points to the fact that systems model behavior and system change is almost a sure way of evoking behavior change and hence behavior management. The presentation of OBM process within this article is effective on both practitioner and academic levels. As such it can be used as a research source or reference for academic purposes. The content within this article is effectively presented to the point of helping the reader to understand the correlation between OBM and patient safety in healthcare systems. The article is readable and the research design used is dependable coming from elaborate reference listings. The illustrations and figures quoted in the article are carefully backed by reliable sources to further ensure the dependability of the writing It therefore is true that this article is thoroughly addressing the OBM process and highlights its relationship to behavior which is a very important correlation. The authors have used the healthcare system to accurately describe what OBM entails and the desired outcome of the process which is increased patient safety. However, what silently comes out from the writing in this article relates to a number of other interrelated factors that ultimately shape caregiver behavior. This can therefore not be discussed in isolation without considering such factors as organizational culture, conflicts, politics and change, motivation , values and attitudes as well as personality traits. Reference List Cunningham, TR and E. Scott Geller, ES 2007, Organizational Behavior Management in Healthcare: Applications for large- scale improvements in patient safety, Available at: < http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/advances2/vol2/advances-cunningham_11.pdf> [Accessed 8 June 2011] Read More