Organizational Leadership and Inter-professional Teams
Contemporary healthcare systems present unique aspects of economic processes, quality indicators, and regulatory requirement compared to other business organizations. The measure of quality services delivery in healthcare organizations depends on patients’ feedback that lies in the line of their satisfaction and improved health outcomes.
Organizational Leadership and Inter-professional Teams
Therefore, health organizations require resilient leadership that could introduce and implement changes to conform to the dynamics within the healthcare sector. The leadership ought to be sensitive to improving patient and family-centered care. Therefore, the organization should develop effective interprofessional teams that could initiate a comprehensive approach to patient care management. This could promote the quality of services and improve health outcomes (Körner, Wirtz, Bengel, & Göritz, 2015). This paper focuses on patient and family-centered care within an organizational system. In this case, Britta healthcare organization is selected to be the center of focus in conducting analysis. It is one of the primary organization that is committed to the provision of maternal health services and child health care.
Organizational analysis
Business practices
Best business practices increase organizational value and competitive advantage. An organization charges patients on any services provided to sustain its operations and register profits for progressive growth. It ensures the motivation of its members through salary increments, incentives, and provision of quality equipment.
These business practices provide a favorable environment to deliver patient centered care. Through them, healthcare providers are inspired to demonstrate a commitment to patient-centered care. Purchase of quality equipment and professional development enhance specialized healthcare services in the context of patient and family-centered care within all department (Smith et al., 2018).
Regulatory requirement
The organization conforms with the policies and regulations set by the regulatory bodies. It is sensitive and aware of the consequences that follow in the event of breaching the standards of care. It is registered and the healthcare regulatory authorities that provide recurrent recommendations and principles of practice.
By sticking to the regulatory requirements, the organization ensures the promotion of patient and family safety while receiving care. It also ensures the protection of patient and family’s rights in the context of care.
Reimbursement
Health organizations rely on the insurance companies and government as a form of compensation for the services delivered. The organization compiles financial reports that guides in filing claims for reimbursement and waivers.
Coverage of patient healthcare costs ensures access to quality patient and family-centered care. Reimbursement reinforces the organization’s resources and capacity to support patient-centered care.
Patient and Family-Centered Care Tool (PFCC)
The tool is attached in another document
Setting description
Britta healthcare organization runs various healthcare facilities. The facility used in the PFCC is the maternal health setting that offers comprehensive primary services within the community. It is situated within the state of Arizona, it established to handle midwifery cases and child health care. It provides antenatal care, maternal services, post-natal services, and child health services. However, it has a an outpatient section that offer emergency services and medical care including appropriate referrals.
The facility serves a population of pregnant mothers and children within the state of Arizona in the US. It serves individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including persons with different cultural practices. The facility is committed to integrating interprofessional teams in efforts to improve the quality of patient-centered care.
The strengths and weakness of the healthcare organization
Considering the details from the PFCC, Britta healthcare organization presents distinct strengths and weaknesses in the context of the patient and family-centered care. This enables the organization to identify the areas of improvement and formulate strategies that enhance services delivery.
| Section | Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Operations/leadership | Effective coordination is witnessed in the line of leadership through formulation of policies and regulations that support patient and family-centered care. | Patients have limited influence in decision-making on critical operations in the organization. |
| Mission, Vision, values | Its mission, vision, and values are aimed at improving the quality of services delivery among the served population. It also aligns with the interests of patients and families | The mission, vision, and values are too general and not directly addressing the concerns surrounding patient-centered care. |
| Advisors | The facility has provided for patient and family advisors who offers guidance on critical healthcare issues. | The family and patient advisor is allowed limited access to healthcare data for appropriate guidance. |
| Quality Improvement | The organization has established a quality improvement department that focuses on progressive advancements in the standards of care. | Limited participation of patient and family in quality improvement is evident. |
| Personnel | The healthcare personnel in Britta healthcare organization are posses diverse knowledge in the field of medicine. They demonstrate effective coordination in provision of care. | The personnel lack specialization in midwifery and maternal healthcare.
Most of the healthcare professionals underwent general training without advanced education. |
| Environment and Design | The organization is designed provide services to large population of patients and families. It has enough space and sufficient equipment. | The patients and family do not participate in strategic planning in designing clinical projects. |
| Information/Education | Telemedicine has been improved and patients exchange information with healthcare providers through an online system. | The family members are not allowed collaborate access to online portal accounts. |
| Diversity and Disparity | The organization is culturally sensitive and appreciates diversity among various populations. It considers healthcare coverage to the minority and underserved population. | The organization lacks representation from all diverse groups |
| Charting and Documentation | The organization has provided for digital documentation and recording of information. | Patient and family do not interact with the documents and charts |
| Care support | The organization encourages family presence during delivery of care and has established active emergency systems for care. | Family presence is denied during rescue events such as resuscitation, and there is a limited disclosure to clinical errors |
| Care | The organization involves family and patients in the planning of care and form partnership in managing pain and other complications | Family and patients are rarely coupled as one in treatment, and there is the limited engagement of patients in collaborative goal setting |
Areas of improvement
From the PFCC tool, the organization demonstrates significant weaknesses that need to be improved to boost patient and family-centered care. The one area of improvement identified from the tool is under the personnel domain. The facility lack specialized staff with extensive training on the field of midwifery and child health which challenge the delivery of skilled care within the organization. Therefore, it has limited knowledge and skills in services delivery within the setting. Since the organization’s facility mainly offer maternal and child health services, it is expected to hire a health care provider with advanced knowledge in the same field. Thus, limited specialization of professionals leads to low standards of patient-centered care and challenges the formation of interprofessional teams in the order of experience, skills, and knowledge.
Improvement strategy
Concerning the area identified for improvement, the organization should establish staff training and scholarships programs targeting professional development specialization. It could provide them opportunities to advance their education, skills, and knowledge in specialized fields related to maternal and health. The knowledge acquired through these programs could be integrated and utilized in the clinical setting to promote patient-centered care modality.
In line with providing scholarships, the organization could establish a medical institution that provides training in specific areas and offer short course teachings for the current staff members. In this case, the interprofessional teams could be composed of members who are specialized in a particular field and with extensive knowledge to guide the intervention plans and promote the quality of care (De Labrusse et al., 2016). Through these teams, division of tasks could be adapted to assign specific teams to specific patients hence enhancing patient and family-centered care.
Change theory
Adoption of the change theory within the facility could oversee the introduction of the change strategy, implementation, and sustainment. Roger’s change theory could be appropriate in attaining long-term change within the organization. It approaches change in five stages that are, awareness, interest, evaluation, implementation, and adoption.
The organization could apply the theory by starting with education programs to create awareness to all members about the change. Then outline the importance and personal benefits of the change in professional development to stimulate interest. Evaluation of the strategy could be done in relation to the organizational mission and vision. Then the strategy could be implemented, starting with few individuals to serve as an example (Batras, Duff, & Smith, 2016). Finally, after gathering support, the change strategy could be adopted by all organizational members as part of the system.
Financial implication
The organization could face financial implications in light of offering personnel training and scholarships. Huge financial expenditure could be incurred in advancing the members level of education in specialized areas. Large budgetary allocations on hiring of specialists draws a massive amount of income and overstretches the organization financial stamina in terms of salary payment. The organization also has to hire large numbers of healthcare professional across all disciplines, which suggest an increased financial expenditure in payment of salaries.
Method
A survey study could be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the improvement strategy. A team of analysists could conduct interviews on selected stakeholders to collect their views and feedback on the strategy. Distribution of the questionnaire could be effected to patients, healthcare providers, family members, and organizational management team to offer their opinions. Analysis and synthesis of the feedbacks could provide a significant conclusion on the effectiveness of the improvement strategy.
Multidisciplinary team
A multidisciplinary team consisting of members from different disciplines at various capacities within the organization who works towards attaining the common agenda in patient and family-centered care. The team could consist of the following;
- Hospital administrator; has the responsibility to deliberate operations within the facility and approves budgetary allocations.
- Consultant; serves as the team leaders to guide the interprofessional teams and available for consultations from the team members.
- Midwife; offers maternal care from the antenatal stage, delivery, and postnatal services.
- Nutritionist; provide health information on nutritious diet and foods that should be avoided in various patients’ conditions.
- Pharmacists; delivers knowledge on drug interactions, reactions, and side effects. Also aids in correct prescriptions.
Team diversity
Individuals making up the interprofessional teams emanate from different cultural background demonstrating various values, culture, and beliefs. Cultural diversity among team members brings about a common understanding that is translated into patient care. It enhances cultural competency and sensitivity to addressing individual patient’s needs. Thus, patients could be offered individualized care in respect to their unique cultural practices. Therefore, cultural diversity could support patient and family-centered care in the context of identifying and addressing the needs (Mitchell et al., 2015).
Leadership theories
Transformational leadership theory encompasses the identification of a problem or the need for change and working collectively towards attaining the change. This theory adopts a transformational leadership style whereby the leader serves to enhance motivation, interests, morale, and job performance of their followers. The leader engages the team members in identifying a clinical problem and derive solutions that conform to individual abilities. The style is focused on motivation, inspiration, and encouragement of members in enhancing their commitment to work beyond their performance limits (Turnnidge, & Côté, 2018).
Implementation strategy
The team could implement the change strategy in sequential steps to ensure the establishment and sustainment of the strategy. Step one, the team could evaluate and communicate the strategic plan to all members to stimulate awareness and develop interest. The team could outline the goals and objectives of the strategy. Step 2, the team leader could develop an implementation structure that establishes a link between various organizational members at different capacities for support. The third step, the team members could collectively derive the implementation support policy and programs that track and monitor the introduced program. Step four, the hospital executives could be engaged to design budgets and allocate resources for sustaining the new strategic program. They would formulate designs for maintaining system checks and balances, including disbursement of necessary funds. Step five, the team members could guide the discharge of functions and activities, ensuring continuous engagement of personnel and integration of control measures for the change (Howard, 2017).
Communication to the organization
The interdisciplinary team would select representatives who could offer a presentation of the strategic change and the expected outcome to the panel of organizational executives. Communication could also be conducted through organizational conferences where the team introduces members and other stakeholders to the strategy outlining its advantages and benefits in improving the quality of care and increasing organizational value (Fox, & Reeves, 2015). Departmental meetings could also be the perfect platform for the team to introduce managers to change and gather support throughout the organization.
Specific tool for a team assessment
Team Assessment Survey (TAS) could be the most appropriate in-depth tool to measure team effectiveness in various aspects. The tool is associated with the Rocket Model of team performance that utilizes prescriptive and diagnostic techniques. The tool can be used to evaluate team effectiveness in eight components, including results, courage, resources, buy-in, norms, talent, mission, and context. It considers the team’s track record and its approach to managing conflicts. It analyzes the team’s assets in terms of resources. It focuses on the level of motivation among members and the team’s formal and informal work processes. The tool evaluates the composition of the team that is the interdisciplinary involvement. It also focuses on the team’s purpose and goals, including the situation in which the group operates.
References
Batras, D., Duff, C., & Smith, B. J. (2016). Organizational change theory: implications for health promotion practice. Health Promotion International, 31(1), 231-241.
De Labrusse, C., Ramelet, A. S., Humphrey, T., & Maclennan, S. J. (2016). Patient-centered care in maternity services: a critical appraisal and synthesis of the literature. Women’s Health Issues, 26(1), 100-109.
Fox, A., & Reeves, S. (2015). Interprofessional collaborative patient-centred care: a critical exploration of two related discourses. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 29(2), 113-118.
Howard, E. D. (2017). Patient-Centered Culturally Sensitive Maternity Care Begins at Home. The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing, 31(3), 195-197.
Körner, M., Wirtz, M. A., Bengel, J., & Göritz, A. S. (2015). Relationship of organizational culture, teamwork and job satisfaction in interprofessional teams. BMC Health Services Research, 15(1), 243.
Mitchell, R., Boyle, B., Parker, V., Giles, M., Chiang, V., & Joyce, P. (2015). Managing inclusiveness and diversity in teams: How leader inclusiveness affects performance through status and team identity. Human Resource Management, 54(2), 217-239.
Smith, T., Fowler-Davis, S., Nancarrow, S., Ariss, S. M. B., & Enderby, P. (2018). Leadership in interprofessional health and social care teams: a literature review. Leadership in Health Services, 31(4), 452-467.
Turnnidge, J., & Côté, J. (2018). Applying transformational leadership theory to coaching research in youth sport: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 16(3), 327-342.
