Change Management in Health Care Organization

Change Management in Health Care Organization

Introduction

Change management in health care presents opportunity for unique challenge and self-fulfillment. It also calls on deep personal strength, values, and vision. In addressing health care system, leaders are reminded of the clear differences among them: Some lead academic medical centers, others are responsible for health systems comprising multiple hospitals, and still others work in long-term care services, rehabilitation and specialty hospitals, hospice care, outpatient and ambulatory care, teaching and research institutions, managed care organizations, and other divergent organizations—all of them participants within a continuum of care. In some cases, hospitals stand alone as the sole provider in their communities, smaller in size, more narrow in scope of services, and limited to the primary and secondary care services that are within their range of technology and practitioner skill. Still others are of moderate size and scope (Toussaint & Gerard, 2010). In each case, leadership is faced with similar challenges related to changing reimbursement systems, clinician workforce shortages, new technologies, and waves of patients unable to pay for their services.

Hospitals daily face competitive environments in which not only other hospitals but also their own medical staff providers often pursue competitive interests (e.g., in building their own surgery centers and thereby pulling market share from the hospital). As professionals, health care leaders are going to find themselves faced with even more competition in the years' ahead (Birk, 2008, p. 10).

Discussion

The purpose of writing this paper is to give readers an idea about the importance of change management in health care sector. The author believes that now it's time to refurnish certain health care policies to develop better understanding between the health officers and the hospitals and among the consumers (patients). Therefore, the author numerous areas where improvement is required in the health care sector.

Role of Leaders

While leading in the turbulent times of the last decade, and facing a new decade of even more intense environmental pressures, hospital leaders are compelled to bring a strong sense of values and vision to their practice. This chapter will address some of the issues and promises that are the environment in which the health care leader functions—at whatever level of responsibility that leader is found in the hospital. Gail Warden, former CEO of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, summarized the role of the health care leader in three essential contexts: Hospitals have a strong community service mission, and they must

exert leadership in carrying out this mission;

ensure that there are mechanisms to promote the provisions of high quality services and compassionate care; and

use systematic processes for determining goals and objectives in relation to change in the environment and the needs of the community (Ried, 2009).

The “New” Consumer

The evolving role of consumers in taking more responsibility for their health and the consequent rise of consumerism in health care have created the need for a shift in the way in which health care executives think about their customers. Compelled to reach deeper and deeper into their pockets to cover the cost of care, customers are more knowledgeable and bring higher expectations to their medical care experience. Effective leadership entails a move away from physician-centric operations ...