Communication is a very important tool that helps in reaching understanding, especially in cases where there are new developments that affect many people within an organization. The move by the national group to purchase this organization was unexpected, and it will have a direct impact on the population that was dependent on it. For this reason, there is a need for effective communication that would help address all the concerns of the stakeholders involved to ensure that there is a smooth transition. There are a number of communication methods that can be used to reach out to the affected group with a message that will help dispel their fear and distrust towards the new organization that will be taking over the management of this facility. It is important to analyze some of the possible ways through which effective communication can be effected under the current circumstances.
The first communication strategy is the traditional communication method. This involves a face to face interaction with the target group either through a proxy or directly from the people concerned. As from the administrator, these people expect to get an explanation from me in regard to the changes taking place at the institution. They need to know what will happen to them and the privacy of their information once this new organization takes over the leadership. This traditional method has a number of benefits that can boost this communication. The face-to-face interaction facilitates consultative communication. These people may be asked relevant questions that require instant responses. The direct interaction will also enable the administrator to read their moods.
As Bryan (2009) notes, at times we may not express our feelings using words, but they can be seen on our faces. This will help the administrator understand whether the affected group approves the changes that are to take place or not. This traditional method also helps in developing trust. The physical presence makes it easier for the audience to believe in the message. However, this method has some disadvantages. One of the main disadvantages of this communication method is that it is time consuming, the administrator may need to avail itself to the people, and this may take a lot of time. The physical contact with the people may also provoke irrelevant questions, some of which the administrator may not be able to respond to effectively. This method can also pose some risks to the communicator in case the people getting information go violent upon receiving the news. They may think that the administrator is part of the changes they disapprove within this organization. Their violent behavior against the administrator can be a form of communicating to the relevant authorities that the new changes are not welcomed in the organization.
Social media is another communication approach that can be used to speak to the affected population regarding the new changes. Facebook and Tweeter may be the best platforms to pass this message to the group. The administrator can post this information on his or her Facebook wall. This will create a forum for active consultation. One of the advantages of this method is that it is not time consuming. The administrator can take a few minutes to explain the changes and the way forward. He or she can then wait for the responses from the group, and answer any of their questions through this media. As stated above, such news on sudden changes may at times be received very harshly by the affected group. The social media will offer the administrator some security in case the group decides to act violently.
The message can be passed while one is some miles away, making it difficult for the group to express their aggression to him or her. However, social media has some disadvantages that may make it inappropriate in such circumstances. Some people still doubt the credibility of social media as a way of making professional communication. They may therefore ignore such communication as sheer rumors. Some members of the affected group may also be non frequent visitors on these social media. The information may delay in reaching them, and the desired response may fail to come within the expected time. According to Hicks and Nicols (2012), when major changes take place in a home care facility, trust is always very important in defining how successful the transition would be, because it depends on the reactions of the affected group. Use of social media does not foster this trust. This may jeopardize smooth transition of leadership from the current to new regime.
The administrator may also use electronic methods to communicate to the affected group about the new changes. This may be in the form of an announcement made over the radio or television commercials. This method has some advantages that make it appropriate for communicating with this group. This method is fast enough to pass relevant information to the affected group within the shortest time possible. It also has a wide coverage. However, one of the main shortcomings of this method is that those who were not tuned to their televisions or radios during the time of announcement may not receive the information. The method is also very costly given that the commercials may need to be paid by the administrator. The electronic methods may also make this information available to other parties that were not meant to consume it.
When choosing the right communication approach to use in this scenario, it is important to understand the effects of HIPAA and other regulations on the use of various media for health care communication. Bryan (2009) says that HIPAA defines the level of secrecy with which information about patients or those receiving care in homecare centers should be treated. This means that the chosen approach must be as discreet as it should be effective in reaching the target audience. This means that a number of communication approaches mentioned above may be inappropriate in this case. The electronic methods may not be appropriate because the message will reach the general public, making it lack the desired secrecy. Social media can also be reached by third parties, unless the communicator sends the message to the inbox of the relevant parties. Even then, secrecy is still not guaranteed because the message can reach the wrong hands. This leaves the traditional method of face-to-face communication as the most appropriate method of passing this information. It is effective enough in passing the information to the target group and it helps maintain secrecy of the information being passed.
References
Bryan, K. (2009). Communication in healthcare. Oxford: Peter Lang.
Hicks, N. J., & Nicols, C. (2012). Health industry communication: New media, new methods, new messages. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning.