Introduction
The hospital change management project was a short but holistic assessment and application of leadership, management knowledge, and skills to respond to financial and management crises in a healthcare setting. This move’s dangers and benefits must be addressed due to the state’s healthcare sector upheaval. Closing any units, moving or terminating additional employees, or closing divisions must all have a valid reason. There are three key takeaways that I gained from completing this task.
Key Takeaways
Long-Term Implications of Staff Shortage
Firstly, staff shortage is a frequent problem in various health settings, but its impacts can be far-reaching before the reaction from the healthcare managers. Workforce stability in the hospital is a concept that is merely defined by the efficiency and threshold outside which the existing workers can attain projected outcomes. When there is a crisis, the labor shortage is apparent, with reactions from managers and workers determining the outcomes of such a crisis (Elser et al., 2019). From this assignment, the crisis caused a 15% reduction in trained staff, which impacted the managers, the hospital, and the workers.
Reasons for Closing Services
Second, the grounds for choosing to close specific services are affected by various circumstances within and outside the organization, making it a difficult decision. Weighing the potential benefits of such actions against the potential drawbacks was necessary to close clinics successfully and let go of some personnel without jeopardizing the hospital’s image and reputation. Therefore, the transition must be planned in stages with significant material inputs and financial resources.
The Importance of Testing
Lastly, when dealing with such intricate scenarios, embracing a trial-and-error mindset and repeatedly testing many approaches could become imperative until the most effective one is discovered. Adopting an innovative and experimental mindset allows for bold iterations of solutions until the most effective approach is discovered. The change strategies suggested in this task had significant risks and benefits to the hospital and other stakeholders.
Conclusion
Completing the crisis management work has offered excellent insight into the difficulties faced in response to crises. The experience has underlined the significance of staff stability, rigorous assessment of the reasons for discontinuing certain services, and approaching complicated issues with a trial-and-error perspective. The change was inevitable, and thus the outcome would determine the effectiveness of the strategies. Multidisciplinary planning should be part of change planning and management. The risk-benefit analysis should direct the choice of change strategies to achieve the best and most inclusive outcomes.
Reference
Elser, H., Ben-Michael, E., Rehkopf, D., Modrek, S., Eisen, E. A., & Cullen, M. R. (2019). Layoffs and the mental health and safety of remaining workers: a difference-in-differences analysis of the US aluminum industry. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 73(12), 1094–1100. Web.