Field Activity 1
Jessica Collins
BUSI691: Healthcare Administration Capstone
Field Activity Parts 1 & 2
August 10, 2025
Respectfully submitted to: Dr. Geraldine Rosol
Field Activity 2
Organization, Activity Summary, Role, Project Timeline Assignment
Organization: Military Medical Clinic
Summary of Field Assignment: Controlling performance management and scheduling under
a new agency that places emphasis on productivity for funding.
Role of the student: Collect information and data by interviewing healthcare
administrators. Not involved in a healthcare organization.
Timeline of project/activity: It will take two weeks to gather information from military
healthcare administrators about the topic presented above.
Field Activity 3
Abstract
A healthcare organization keeps a community of people thriving when its mission,
values, and goals align. Strategic impact and strategic planning are some of the ways a
healthcare organization stays successful. In this paper, a healthcare organization is
experiencing a budget crisis that impacts its action to provide care and is under new
management that will not provide any flexibility. To make proper adjustments, a
benchmark analysis will be conducted. As well as a SWOT analysis to determine what the
organization is doing well and what can be improved upon. This will help set up
recommendations for the organization.
Field Activity 4
Field Activity 5
Introduction
Healthcare organizations’ main goals are to provide care, make profit, and be
efficient to manage costs. More emphasis is sometime placed on one area than the
another, but overall, the organization sticks to its mission and values. The organization
this paper has researched will remain anonymous and therefore will be referred to as
ACC medical group. The topic this paper will focus on will be in the form of a case study
and looking to find the effects of controlling performance management and scheduling
under a new agency that places emphasis on productivity for funding inside the
organization.
Benchmark Analysis
In healthcare, there is competition in everything. To understand the performance
of an organization it must provide a benchmark. Which is just an assessment of
performance based on data. “Benchmarking has been applied to the healthcare sector
with the aim of measuring and comparing clinical outcomes across organizations as well
as enabling them to learn from one another and apply best practices” (Willmington, et
al.,
2022, para 2). The ACC medical group has long been in business for ensuring that patients
are current with their Individual Medical Readiness (IMR), and that includes dental,
immunizations, lab work, physical therapy, mental health, etc... For the medical group to
compare their efficiency to other surrounding medical groups, they look at the
population size they serve, how many staff members they have, the number of staff
vacancies, controlling missed appointments, how to better manage the Electronic Health
Record (EHR), and how many referrals they give to other medical facilities.
“Nowadays, benchmarking represents one of the strategies used for quality
improvement, that is, the changes that will lead to better patient outcomes (health), better
Field Activity 7
system performance (care) and better professional development” (Willmington et al.,
2022, para 3). ACC’s mission is to develop medical personnel, ensure readiness, and
deliver care to all. Its objectives are to develop and refine programs to improve full
spectrum medical readiness. Create a culture of innovation with overall efficiency, and
effectiveness. Enhance and extend the spectrum of quality patient care. Strengthen the
organizational culture of resiliency and inclusion. Lastly, lead change to ensure seamless
transition to future health system.
For its size, ACC is operating below its standard. “334 employees make up the
medical group and they range from military, civilian, and contracting personnel with a
wide range of services” (20th Medical Group). In its current state, after being absorbed by
a major health agency, it has new operating principles, but a smaller budget. Essentially,
doing more with less is the theme of the new agency and ACC is having a challenging
time adopting the standard. Conducting a SWOT analysis will help identify where things
can be reduced.
SWOT Analysis
The acronym SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
It is a tool used by companies to better understand their environment, after they have
already gathered internal and external data (Walston, 2023). “While the SWOT analysis
approach is better known for its use in organizations, the approach has also been used
to analyze systems, specifically health systems” (O'Brien et al., 2023, para 9). ACC must
figure out what is contributing to their lack of funding from the Agency and how they
can improve their performance to keep fulfilling their mission and objectives.
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Strengths
1. Good implementation of the EHR
2. Qualified personnel
3. Innovative ways to see patients
4 Education and training
According to Walson (2023), “Strengths are important capabilities,
characteristics, and competencies that enable an organization to compete successfully
or that set it apart from its competitors” (p. 207). ACC has taken the time to revamp its
EHR so that it contains full system integration with civilian and military healthcare
organizations. The EHR previously used had issues being transferred within clinical
networks. They have also implemented telehealth, known as the Nurse Advice Hotline.
This is used when a person cannot be seen in person within the time they need and seek
the advice of a registered nurse to determine if and what their symptoms are.
“One of the most significant decisions patients make occurs when selecting a
provider for their medical needs. Many consider this choice to impact the course of their
treatment, and ultimately, their health outcomes” (Kozikowski et al., 2022, para. 1).
Unfortunately, in this setting people do not get to choose their provider. However, the
qualifications for the roles are very specific, so most of the time everyone has the same
qualifications, which is why people are assigned providers, and they are not chosen.
Weaknesses
1. Delays in treatment
2. Rising cost of healthcare if seen outside the clinic
3. Access to specialized care
Field Activity 9
These weaknesses are detrimental to the medical group. With delays in
treatments, people go to the ER or the urgent care if they want to be diagnosed or
treated when they cannot get an appointment at the clinic. This ultimately increases
hospital intake and frequent visits for some patients and inaccurately depicts their
medical readiness in the system. Another negative impact that coincides with delays in
treatment is if one does not get a referral and seeks outside medical treatment, they will
pay the fees for said visit. “Limited access to healthcare is a primary public health
concern impacting preventative care, health disparities, and overall wellness. Delaying
medical care can negatively affect health outcomes, inpatient stays, and the frequency
of emergency department visits” (Ratnapradipa et al., 2023, para 1). Typically, inside the
medical group specialty care can be considered mental health services or physical
therapy; two clinics that cause the most referrals to outside facilities. These are
positions that are hard to keep filled because contractors usually fill them and they can
choose not to renew their contract.
Opportunities
1. New initiatives for veterans
2. Broadening access to care
3. New partnerships
Opportunities are external factors that a healthcare organization looks to partake
in to make positive impacts. “Such impacts could include organizational growth, market
share increase, potential entry into new markets, increased profits, chances to exploit
competitors’ weaknesses, or any other positive outcome” (Wayland & McDonald, 2021,
p. 82). Investing in new initiatives for veterans involves extending mental health services
and or partnering with local clinics who can help veterans after they have served. In the
Field Activity 10
book of Acts, chapter 20, verse 35 says, “In all things I have shown you that by working
hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how
he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive” (King James Bible,
1769/2021). Opportunities like this for a healthcare organization allow a struggling
population to receive the attention they deserve; it also gives outside providers the
opportunity to get involved and make connections with people they would not have.
New partnerships mean expansion. Expansion means reaching different communities
and providing care for them. Positive impacts like this could last for generations while
also boosting profits and awareness throughout communities struggling to receive
medical care.
Threats
1. Natural disasters
2. Lack of qualified personnel
3. Cyber attacks
4. Budget
A threat is also an external factor that negatively affects a healthcare
organization. A natural disaster such as COVID-19 showed how badly any medical clinic
or hospital struggled to keep the doors open due to the massive influx of people
needing services. Health facilities lacked the necessary PPE and did not have protocols in
place for a breakout of this size. But there was no time to figure out a plan and test it.
Another threat that would greatly affect the medical group would be cyberattacks.
Someone breaching the firewall and gaining access to people's medical records and
other information would shut the facility down. Not only are people not safe, but their
information is compromised that has all of their personal details attached to a file.
Field Activity 11
Lack of qualified personnel is the cause of delayed medical treatment. As of right
now there is only one pediatrician in the healthcare organization who must treat over
200 newborns. That requires monthly checkups, sick care, and any other random
appointments. How does this doctor see them all and not jeopardize the care? This
speaks to the budget. The Agency has the ability to get help when required, but if the
money is not in the budget, more providers cannot be hired.
Summary of Identified Problems
ACC medical group has an issue with extending its current budget because its
productivity is not at the standard set by the Agency. With a lack of providers to help
increase productivity and people going to urgent care or the emergency department,
the Agency will not budge on making any changes. Without an extended budget, ACC is
forced to close departments that cost too much to operate. For example, the physical
therapy department will not be accepting new contracts for a Doctor of Physical Therapy
or physical therapy techs. Bigger medical groups have a chiropractic department, but the
ACC medical group does not because that requires financial incentive to hire someone
for that position. Another department that is being affected by the budget is pharmacy.
People who are prescribed expensive medications cannot get them filled at the medical
group. They must go to a local Walgreens or CVS.
Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of
grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (King James
Bible, 1769/2021). Healthcare is one of the biggest business industries in the world. To
stay profitable, decisions must be made to keep other producing organizations afloat.
However, organizational change can be difficult for newly merged facilities. Leadership
Field Activity 12
must present a plan that can help propel the organization forward as it continues to
acclimate to the new system and mission/ objectives of the Agency.
Summary of Recommendations
Organizations experiencing change in this manner are redefining their processes from
the top down. “Organizational change is defined as the ‘change that involves differences
in how an organization functions, who its members and leaders are, what form it takes,
and how it allocates resources’” (Millela et al., 2021, p. 395). A reinvestment and
mindset shift under new guidance is required even though employees will be resistant
to change. The manner in which stakeholders and leadership will grow the organization
depends on the involvement of every person.
A deliberate multifaceted iterative approach is critical for achieving success,
rather than through a rapid set of tectonic changes. A combination of leadership
tools (ie, articulating a vision, active listening, storytelling, leading by example,
persuasion, and conversation), management tools through effective and timely
dissemination of information (ie, strategic planning, decision-making, role
definitions, measurement, control systems, operating procedures), and power
tools (ie, incentives and rewards, promotions, punishments, etc.) may be
necessary to bring about the desired cultural change (Bhardwaj, 2022, p. 26)
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and
good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging
one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (King James Bible,
1769/2021). Collaborating with lower-level managers and employees will increase
engagement and commitment to the organization because they feel a part of the
Field Activity 13
process. When people feel valued, motivation to perform for the organization is also
increased.
A recommendation to increase productivity for ACC medical group is to conduct
training for all physicians so they all have the same basic knowledge to transition to
different departments when needed. When a department is operating above water and
hitting productivity markers, the medical group can pull a physician or two over to an
underperforming department to help out. For instance, the pediatric department is
oversaturated with patients and there are not enough physicians to handle all
appointments not including sick care. Allow the pediatrician to handle scheduled
appointments and bring someone else over to handle nonemergency care. Conduct
training at least once a month with providers the organization would like to rotate for
help to ensure they have the proper understanding of what is required of them. This
prevents a backflow of unseen patients and opens more slots for patients to fill; this will
increase productivity for ACC medical group.
An additional reality to increasing productivity is the time a physician takes with
each patient. This requires less time spent with a patient in order to meet a daily quota.
“Patients benefit from guideline-based preventive, chronic disease, and acute care, but
many do not receive it. A limitation to providing high-quality care is insufficient time”
(Porter et al., 2023, p. 145). Since new team-based care models have been adopted
inside healthcare facilities, other healthcare providers spend more time with a patient so
the doctor can move on to see other patients.
Physician time is one of the most valuable resources in healthcare. The ways in
which physicians spend their work time are likely to have a major impact on the quality
Field Activity 14
and cost of care, on patients’ experience of care, and on physician satisfaction, burnout,
and professionalism (Toscano et al., 2020, p. 3166) There are a host of reasons why
productivity is low in an organization, but in this specific situation, the lack of physicians
is causing negative effects to the medical group.
Social Responsibility of the Organization
There is an understanding that people have when they raise their right hand and
say they will defend their country. While making that commitment, a person must
remain medically ready and physically fit to endure all the challenges set before them.
“It is well known that an organization’s built environment (i.e., human-made structures
and features), access to nutritional foods, and cultural norms can significantly influence
the health behavior patterns of its constituent members” (Smith, 2022, p. 252). ACC
medical group is responsible for maintaining health records and providing top notch care
to members who serve and protect their country, as well as their families. On the other
hand, to maintain social responsibility, stakeholders and staff members must be taken
care of too. “To be sustainable, organizations need to identify innovative ways to balance
the social and environmental needs of internal and external stakeholders (employees,
unions, community) with the economic (financial) needs of internal and external
stakeholders (shareholders, employees, suppliers, customers, tax administrations)”
(Bocean et al., 2022, para 3). This field study helps to keep this in perspective when
attempting to pinpoint how pivotal this organization is to members and how short
staffed they are to fulfill the mission properly. Romans 12:6-8 says, “Having gifts that
differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to
our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who
Field Activity 15
exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads,
with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness” (King James Bible,
1769/2021).
To achieve social responsibility, leadership must be prominent within an
organization. “Healthcare leaders are crucial for fostering a positive work environment,
enhancing team performance, and ensuring high-quality patient care” (Singh et al.,
2024,
p. 233). Working from the inside out, intentional leadership makes an impact on an
organization which in turn improves its strategic impact outwardly.
Strategic Goals of the Organization
The strategic goal of ACC medical group is to improve the patient experience and
maintain readiness. This field assignment questioned how it will reach its goals based on
its current budget and employment vacancies. The rate that patients need to be seen is
currently overwhelming ACC, which has caused an increase in training days per quarter.
Training took place once a month, and now they train once a week. The organization is
intentional on how they complete tasks for the sake of strategic planning.
Strategic planning is a forward-looking process to set priorities, focus resources
on common goals, strengthen operations and maintain vitality of an
organization; it is “a deliberative, disciplined approach to producing fundamental
decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization or other entity
is, what it does, and why (Harvey et al., 2021, p. 1769)
Field Activity 16
Overall strategic planning does not change inside this organization. However, based on
the turnover rate for leadership coming and going every three to five years, changes
happen often. The same goes for employees. No one stays in the organization longer
than four years, so it makes it hard to keep the progress on a continuous incline.
References
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responsibility and ethics in employees' wellbeing. International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(14), 8838.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148838
Bhardwaj A. (2022). Organizational culture and effective leadership in academic medical
institutions. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 14, 25–30.
https://doi.org/10.2147/JHL.S358414
Harvey, C. E., Gapstur, S. M., Pottinger, C. A., Elena, J. W., & Helzlsouer, K. J. (2021).
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Field Activity 17
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/ (Original work published 1769)
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