Assignment Overview
Health care management requires leadership skills which will test
your ability to make vital decisions. “Like a rapidly mutating cancer
cell, poor leadership within healthcare systems can cause toxic symptoms
that adversely impact organizational work cultures and staff
satisfaction and lead to burnout” (Werberg, 2010, para. 1). Assessments
made by leadership have a direct relation to many areas, including but
not limited to the following: The quality of care provided, staff
morale, and organizational reputation. As a trailblazer of your
organization, you will use effective leadership skills to manage/avoid
conflict, make effective recommendations, manage staff, and protect the
overall quality/efficiency of the organization. To make effective
decisions as a leader you should identify the major facts, indicate if
or what problems exist, and finally, recommend a solution.
This assignment requires you to review a practical case study and
analyze the elements of poor leadership. The case study also explores
characteristics of a health care leader while introducing safety
culture. Your assessment and responses to the realistic scenario should
be based off leadership attributes.
Werberg, D. (2010). Transformational leadership and staff retention:
An evidence review with implications for healthcare systems. Nursing Administration Quarterly. 34(3), 246-258. doi: 10.1097/NAQ.0b013e3181e70298
Case Assignment
Read the following case study published by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement:
Griner, P. (2017). Case study: On being transparent. Retrieved from
After reading the case study, you should complete a 2- to 3-page case
analysis that includes three distinct sections (in addition to your
introduction and conclusion):
- Major Facts – Summarize the facts in the case. This includes the
most important incidents in the case. Avoid simply restating the case. - Problem(s) – From the facts it should reveal the problems that need
attention. Specify those problems and explain their significance. - Solution and Expected Outcome – Recommend a solution, and for each
recommendation provide an action on how it would be implemented. For
each solution provide your expected outcome.Required Reading
American College of Healthcare Executives. (2016). Top issues confronting hospitals in 2016. Retrieved from
Cokins, G. (2013). The balanced scorecard, strategy maps and dashboards: Why are they different? Retrieved from
Health Research & Educational Trust. (2014). Building a leadership team for the health care organization of the future. Retrieved from
Griner, P. (2017). Case study: On being transparent. Retrieved from
Nagy, J. (2016). Section 1. Organizational structure: An overview. Retrieved fromVideos
Bayliss, J., Chin, G. & Pfingsten, M. (2016). Types of traditional organizational designs: Simple, functional & divisional designs. Retrieved from
Optional Reading
Kash, B. A., Spaulding, A., Johnson, C. E., & Gamm, L. (2013).
Success factors for strategic change initiatives: a qualitative study of
healthcare administrators’ perspectives. Journal of Healthcare Management, 59(1), 65-81. doi: 10.1097/HMR.0b013e318276faf8
Schyve, P.M. (2009). Leadership in healthcare organizations: A guide to joint commission leadership standards. Retrieved from
Wyatt, J. (2004). Scorecards, dashboards, and KPIs keys to integrated
performance measurement: to effectively measure performance, providers
need more than just a balanced scorecard; they also must be able to
access performance data from a central data warehouse. Healthcare Financial Management. 58(2), 76-80.Assignment Expectations
- Conduct additional research to gather sufficient information to
justify/support your recommendations and outcomes. You should have at
least two solutions and two outcomes respectively. - Limit your response to a maximum of 3 pages.
- Support your case with peer-reviewed articles, with at least 2
references. Use the following source for additional information on how
to recognize peer-reviewed journals: http://www.angelo.edu/services/library/handouts/peerrev.php. - You may use the following source to assist in formatting your assignment:
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a healthcare leader, it is imperative to possess effective leadership skills to avoid toxic symptoms that may lead to burnout, and to manage conflict and staff for the protection of the organization’s overall efficiency. This assignment requires an analysis of a practical case study to identify elements of poor leadership and explore leadership attributes while introducing safety culture. The case analysis should include major facts, problems, and solutions with expected outcomes.
Major Facts:
The case study published by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement explores the story of a 72-year-old patient, Andy Rooney, who was unexpectedly transferred to an intensive care unit. Although his family was concerned, they were not able to find out what was going on until they endorsed a new script. They also found out that the attending physician was on vacation, and there was no one assigned to take over or follow up on the case. The situation led to confusion and distrust between the family and healthcare providers due to a lack of transparency.
Problem(s):
The major problem in the case study involved poor transparency and a lack of communication. The healthcare providers involved in Andy’s care failed to inform the family about the sudden transfer to the intensive care unit. The absence of assigned personnel to take care of Andy worsened the situation, with no one taking up responsibility to manage the crisis.
Solution and Expected Outcome:
To solve the problem, healthcare providers should have improved transparency and communication methods. They could have kept the family informed of Andy’s health status and provided updates regarding any changes made to his care plan. To avoid any future situations like this, healthcare providers should consider assigning personnel to handle patient cases when their primary physicians are unavailable. The expected outcome of these solutions would be a better relationship between the family and healthcare providers, and an effective communication strategy that promotes transparency.
In conclusion, healthcare providers should maintain effective communication and transparency methods to avoid situations like the one presented in the case study. By improving communication, trust between healthcare providers and patients/family members can be established, fostering a better environment for quality care provision.
