Problem:
You have been hired as the Health Manager for Coronado Medical Center. The Senior Medical Director is concerned that the Primary Care Unit of the medical center is highly inefficient, staff morale is low, and patient satisfaction ratings are disappointing. You have been hired to provide leadership and administrative direction for the Primary Care Unit, which provides age- and developmentally-appropriate services to infants, children, adolescents, and the elderly. You have been asked to oversee day-to-day operations of the Primary Unit, with the goal of identifying the primary sources of Coronado's problems in efficiency, staff morale, and patient care. The Senior Medical Director hopes that you can turn things around at Coronado by improving its image, increasing the quality of care within the practical constraints of financial accountability, and generally enhancing the overall organizational milieu at Coronado Medical Center.
One role you will take to help assess and improve these areas is to participate in the Strategic Planning Committee, which is responsible for assessing, analyzing, and communicating organizational goals and objectives to staff. This committee will also assess the organizational structure, culture, management policies and procedures, staffing and professional development issues, as well as programs of delivery to determine the most effective way to increase morale, improve patient care, and increase efficiency. In addition, you have been asked to head the Ethics Subcommittee of the Strategic Planning Committee, which is investigating the trade-offs between quality of care and financial accountability and their implications.