Specific environmental changes that Central Michigan Hospital must report
Central Michigan Hospital (CMH) is credited for delivering quality Medicare services to patients using the available resources. The hospital focuses its synergies on the provision of cancer care, family birthing, emergency care, and imaging services. However, the exemplary record of service delivery to patients is threatened by diverse environmental changes. The changes include rapid technological advancement, changes in social values, economic and legal issues. In particular, the rapid advancement in the technology sector demands heavy investment in new machines such as health care informatics that most companies cannot sustain.
Economic and legal changes also threaten to impede systematic service delivery in the hospital. Economic instability is caused by the global economic crisis and rapid changes in social beliefs about the relevance of modern medication, which is impeding the hospital’s progress. Economically, the global economic crunch has lowered the hospital’s financial capacity, thereby affecting infrastructural expansion. Patients also find it difficult to seek the hospital’s services due to a lack of sufficient funds.
Specific constraints CMH faces in dealing with change
Indeed, dealing with the structural and policy changes is proving to be difficult due to resource constraints in CMH. First, the employees are not in support of the changes being introduced. The employees who are the drivers of operations in the hospital are resisting digitization programs as they fear losing jobs. Resource inadequacy is another major constraint with serious connotation to the change initiative. The change process that involves hiring advanced professionals, procuring high standard machines and improvement of workers welfare requires a huge capital base. Likewise, several legal requirements and procedures that are to be met by changing the system of operation, such as amending the procurement guidelines, are highly frustrating.
The structural changes CMH is undertaking in dealing with change
To realize the changes that are aimed at improving the effectiveness of service delivery in the hospital, CMH has developed various structural changes or adjustments. The structural changes include the performance of extensive sensitization programs to enlighten employees about the need for change. The idea is to instill a culture of change acceptance. The management of the hospital also plans to amend the institution’s financial policy. This will foster the soliciting of funds from donors and financial institutions in order to finance development projects.
The impact of traditional culture on resistance to change at CMH and rites related to the traditional culture
The culture of health care workers appertains to their working beliefs, values, shared ideas, norms, and opinions. The culture influences the way they deliver services, communicate, show concern, and respond to changes. For instance, health workers who are used to manual systems of operations cannot be easily persuaded to accept digital systems. Such workers will always strive to resist any attempt to introduce technology, as evident in CMH case.
The traditional culture of work that the employees are used to has been fuelling their resistance to any form of change, whether in working hours, technology, or responsibilities at the hospital. The employees have also been resisting the new culture of accountability being introduced, given that they were used to absolute freedom at work. The instrumental rites that characterized and influenced service delivery in the hospital include prayer or supplication, dreams, divination, and concern about scientific health practices.
The concern nature of human resources in a change process
Successful realization of change is based on the quality of human resource capacity in most companies. No institution can attain its change objectives without the involvement of human resources. In particular, the individuals are the ones who implement the changes proposed and performed daily activities to satisfy clients. In Michigan Hospital, the doctors, nurses, clinicians, and support staff, among others, ensure that patients receive the best services. They contribute immensely to the implementation process of the new changes as preferred. Therefore, its importance cannot be underrated.
The specific actions CMH leadership is taking to boost change processes
The CMH leadership is undertaking various actions to ensure that the change process is successful. Such actions include the inculcation of a culture of change through sensitization programs. The programs are to enhance the employees’ understanding of technology importance and new ways of service delivery. The area is also meant to create awareness among employees of being not targeted. They should view the process as a quality advancement strategy. The leadership is also boosting change processes through the adoption of democratic management standards, promotion of inclusivity in decision-making and execution of employee training or capacity development programs.
The frame used in facilitating change
The hospital does not ignore the use of a frame to facilitate change, and the frame is called the eight-step change model.
The management of the hospital adopts the use of Kotler’s eight-step change model frame. The frame provides a clear-cut change process highlighting what should be done from the preamble stages to the end. The frame gives a chronology of events starting from the creation of urgency of the need for change, formulation of a powerful coalition, and creation of a clear vision for change. The activities are followed by effective communication of the vision, removal of obstacles, building the change, and making it stick.