After completing my strategic plan for the unified HIM department of
Gateway Healthcare Systems it is evident to me that without the
proper project management team in place for this type of merger
could lead to detrimental effects for the system. All three hospitals
had their flaws when it came to their respective HIM departments
and there were even cases of either no leadership or a huge lack of
leadership. We had to first unite the three hospitals mission and
value statements to ensure all three were focused on the same
objectives. We then needed to understand what resources were
available to the staff as well as how accessible the resources were to
the staff. b I chose to use the Kirkpatrick Model to measure the
success of what we plan on implementing at Gateway Healthcare
Systems.
Without proper guidance from the HIM department manager(s) this
could not have been accomplished. In our inital observation periods
of each hospital we noticed each HIM department was clutching
onto habits which could result in dire consequences for the
organization. b The system in general lacks cultural diversity and tends
to hire based upon their patient community base. b An overhaul of the
hiring committees was also needed because qualified candidates
were turned away for in my opinion, being someone who has a
disability (wheelchair). There is no room for that type of behavior in
a professional worlplace or any place in general. b Without the aid of
the HIM manager(s), risk management, and compliance officers these
goals would not be accomplished. b It is important to remember that
when a change of this magnitude is occurring, those involved must be
qualified and knowledgeable about their department and what their
exacts needs are. Without cohesion between the staff any strategic
plan would likely fail.
