health care questions

HCA 3301, Health Care Management 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VII Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Explain the impact of geographic environment on the design of health care organizations.

3. Outline the planning processes in a health care organization.

4. Analyze the finance system in a health care organization.

5. Evaluate ways to improve the quality of patient care in a health care setting. 5.1 Discuss how decision-making and managing changes in health care are vital issues in today’s

health care environment.

6. Compare and contrast leadership approaches for personnel in health care.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

1 Unit VII Course Project

3 Unit VII Course Project

4 Unit VII Course Project

5.1

Unit Lesson Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Unit VII Course Project

6 Unit VII Course Project

Required Unit Resources Chapter 13: Making Decisions and Solving Problems Chapter 14: Managing Change

Unit Lesson

Managing Change in Health Care Organizations The only constant in health care is change. That says it pretty well. The only thing that we can count on in U.S. health care is that next year will not be like this year, which was not like last year. Some people thrive in an environment like that, and others simply do not. It is probably a fair statement that to be good at leading a health care facility today, you need to be good at managing change.

Sources of Change in Health Care Some of these changes are new government regulations every year, new payment systems, constant patient care innovations, and information systems innovations. Other changes that have an impact include new medications, new drug interactions, new diseases, new diagnostics and therapeutics, and health system mergers and acquisitions.

UNIT VII STUDY GUIDE

Decision-Making and Managing Change

HCA 3301, Health Care Management 2

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Doctors need to adapt to new documentation requirements and new payment models. Nurses need to learn new medical equipment every year, and there are new pharmaceuticals and changes in the electronic health record processes. Therapists in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and respiratory therapy need to keep up with changes in procedures, new and better ways of doing things, new charting rules, and new reimbursement rules. Finally, we all need to adjust as the Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance companies change their requirements and processes. All of these changes clearly impact health care professionals at every level, and it impacts patients! Not keeping up with all of this change means one of two things: failure or early retirement (“How to Manage,” 2017). This lesson author had the privilege of working with an excellent and beloved family doctor who chose the latter route. He was in his 38th year of practice when the health system announced a move to 100% electronic health records, and no more paper records were permitted. The doctor had no computer knowledge at all, and he was unwilling to learn the new electronic system. He was frustrated with the decision, and he simply announced his retirement. He no longer had financial need to work, and he walked away. But the story is not over. About 6 months later, the doctor showed up in this lesson author’s office asking for computer training. The doctor wanted to volunteer in a local church-sponsored free clinic, and guess what, even the free clinic required electronic health records. Of course, we agreed to train the doctor, and he now enjoys his role caring for patients at the free clinic two mornings each week. He still grumbles about the computers. So here is reality, we are going to have change, it is unavoidable. So how do we manage the change in a way that is positive and less traumatic for the entire health care team and the patients?

Explaining That Change Is Part of the Job First, we must expect and accept change rather than reject or fight it. As leaders, we can help our doctors and staff members with this acceptance. It will not be easy, but if they understand what is driving the change, then the goals and anticipated outcomes of the change will allow things to get better. So we must be teachers. We must thoroughly explain why the change is happening and the good that will come from it (“How to Manage,” 2017).

Honesty and Timely Communication As you will learn in Unit VIII of this course, communication is the foundation for any successful change. Here, we emphasize the three rights—the right message, at the right time, and to the right people. The key is to thoroughly think through the upcoming change considering anyone who will be impacted. Everyone who may be impacted deserves to know about the change. Timing is also very important, people need advance notice, they need some lead time to prepare for change and to make their own decisions. Sometimes, change has a predictable negative impact on another organization or individual. At those times, absolute honesty is so important. This lesson author managed a small community hospital some years ago where the decision was made at the board of directors level to recruit a full-time cardiologist to the town. That would not have been possible for the town in years past, but the community was growing now, and it did make sense. However, the long-time internal medicine specialist, who had been taking care of heart patients in the community for many years, would definitely be negatively impacted by the decision. It was handled honestly, with 6 months lead time, and the internist was able to find other work to offset the impact. He actually thanked this lesson author some years later, “Inevitable, and the right thing for the community,” he said.

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Decide to Thrive in Change

Medical doctor working with modern computer virtual screen interface for electronic health records. (Wrightstudio, n.d.)

Succeeding in times of great change—and we are certainly there right now—is all about making personal and professional adjustments. Ask yourself and your doctors and staff members, “What are the best opportunities that come with this new change?” Let’s take the example of electronic health records (EHR), certainly one of the biggest changes ever to face U.S. health care facilities. EHR brought about a lot of work, no doubt, a lot of training, and a lot of expense, but it also brought about whole new skill sets and career paths. For example, high paying “superuser” positions were created in hospitals all over the nation. These are staff members who take special training from the computer vendor, but then practice on-site at the hospital. They answer most of the questions locally and solve most of the problems that staff encounter. They are local heroes, and they reduce the call load to the vendor dramatically. Also, the skill set acquired by nurses in learning EHR prepares them to do remote chart review work for Medicare, Medicaid, Agency for Health Research and Quality, and insurance companies. At $60 per chart review, that side income adds up pretty fast. The nurses’ learning at the hospital prepares them for a second career and/or retirement career.

Conclusion Change will never be easy, but it can be positive. An environment of high change is designed for people who are adaptable, it is for continuous learners, and it is for those who make the most of technology. It is for people like our students here at CSU!

References How to manage change in a health care organization. (2017, March 23). Cerner.

https://www.cerner.com/perspectives/how-to-manage-change-in-a-health-care-organization Wrightstudio. (n.d.). Medical doctor working with modern computer virtual screen interface. Medicine concept.

EHR, Electronic Health Records (ID 121466642) [Photograph]. Dreamstime. https://www.dreamstime.com/medical-doctor-working-modern-computer-virtual-screen-interface- medicine-concept-ehr-electronic-health-records-technology-image121466642

HCA 3301, Health Care Management 4

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Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. The Chapter 13 Click to Reveal Terms activity reinforces information on lesson content that you will find helpful. A PDF of the Chapter 13 Terms activity is also available. The Chapter 14 Matching activity reinforces information on the lesson content that you will find helpful. A PDF of the Chapter 14 Matching activity is also available.