So how does this relate to healthcare management? Well, any business faces pressure to please their consumers. Any sort of medical facility still has "customers" to satisfy, and although they are not searching for their favorite frozen pizza, they still have needs they want met. Not only that, but the stakes are usually much higher. Medical professionals often see people in the more stressful situations of life. After listening to Anne Jamieson speak to our class about the role of being a Board member on a hospital, I was reminded how much personal investment leaders have in an organization. Jamieson spoke about how own personal experience as a board member at both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She mentioned that as a board member at non-for-profit organizations especially, you put yourself in a tough position. Personal information, such as your name and address, is readily available. This means you can easily be tracked down if someone does not like the decision you make. What stood out to me was Jamieson's commitment to still being a part of so many different boards, even if it means sticking her own neck out. As a board member, she is personally invested in the direction the organization is going. One of the qualities a strong healthcare leader has is being willing to fight for what you believe will bring the most good to an organization, even if that may be unpopular. I admire people like Anne Jamieson who volunteer to be a Board of Trustee member and work to improve hospitals that serve the community.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Can I Please Speak to Your Manager?
Working at a grocery store, I occasionally have customers who demand to speak to the manager. Often times it has nothing to do with what an employee has said or done, it is more about the fact that they know the easiest way to get an answer is to go straight up the chain of command. Those with more power have the ability to enact change, and any customer knows if they want their favorite brand of frozen pizza back their best chance is to let the manager know just how much they want it. The manager then has to address any customer concerns and figure out a viable solution.
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Anne is pretty great - and I don't say that just because she's my buddy.
ReplyDeleteNice job relating your own life to the class material.
My town has four hospitals (VA, University, for-profit in a chain, and not-for-profit in a chain). A civic leader who sits on many boards, and who sings in the church choir with me, shared some of the subtle nuances he experienced serving on various hospital boards over the years. In a nutshell, the for-profit board had to keep an eye on both keeping the local hospital economically viable while also keeping the parent corporation's stockholders happy. At the end of the day it was about profit and stock price (and, in his words, not about creating local healthcare value for the community). The situation was opposite with the board of the non-profit: their mission was to ensure that the hospital maintained its ability to keep the doors open, without worrying about keeping stockholders happy. Any excess profit was rolled back into capital outlays for equipment, pay raises, etc. I have moonlighted in the operating rooms at both hospitals and noted a generally better level of employee happiness and morale at the non-profit ... which can lead to reduced employee turnover ... which can lead to lower HR costs for recruiting and retention.
ReplyDeleteJust something to keep your eyes to while in various healthcare environments as part of your student experiences.
*keep your eyes open to
DeleteThat is really intriguing to hear. I wonder what could be done to help alleviate some of the stresses that come from keeping stockholders happy. Are there any possible solutions that could be implemented at for-profit hospitals to create an environment similar to that of the non for profit? That is definitely something I will be mulling over and look for information on when we hear from different executives this semester!
DeleteHi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI had a bit of a chuckle when I read the title of this blog, as I have worked in many jobs where I've heard those fated words. I think you're going in the right direction when it comes to patient (consumer)satisfaction in healthcare. As healthcare facilities continue to face downward financial pressures, they are finding the need to battle for consumer loyalty more than ever. This is especially true given the influx of disruptive innovators in the healthcare market. Companies offering convenient telehealth opportunities for patients are creating an interesting operating environment for hospitals. Hospitals are being forced to compete on consumer satisfaction, or risk losing their patients. Looking forward to reading more of your thoughts.
Thanks Evan! It definitely is never a fun time to be on the other side of those words, that is for sure! I can imagine what the struggle healthcare facilities must face in the current technology age. I feel like part of this has to do with the fact our society is changing our norms of human interaction. In general, people feel more comfortable with online interaction in many facets of life. Instead of even a phone call, people would rather text or send an email. Thinking about this in the healthcare field, I can see how much pressure this puts on facilities to create customer loyalty. Also, it is so easy for people to look up online reviews of different organizations or see a friends Facebook status outlining an experience they had somewhere. This will be something I am interested to see continuously play out in the future!
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