Introduction
Management is a very critical element in every organization irrespective of its size. It is a broad area encompassing various processes such as planning, organizing, coordinating/ directing and controlling, staffing among others, all aimed at ensuring that a given organization is successful in terms of attaining its goals and objectives as well as achieving productivity and profitability. All this is made possible through effective coordination of the management aspects hence allowing for efficiency, effectiveness and economy in all the practices and activities involved. This piece of work looks at the management practices at the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC) with much emphasis being given to the management levels involved and the roles they play, the internal and external environment of the organization as well as how the management in the organization contributes to its overall performance.
Assess the various management levels and their role in VAMC’s (Veterans Affairs Medical Centers)
According to Kitchheimer (2001), there are various management levels in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers all performing different roles which are then combined to bring about the overall success in the organization? The levels of management in VAMC can generally be classified according to the ranks given to the leaders/ managers. There are the top level managers, the middle level managers and the first level managers. The classification is usually based on the authority and importance attached to the managers and the management tasks undertaken. The first level managers are the majority in number followed by the middle level managers while the top level managers are the least.
The top level managers in VAMC are charged with the responsibility of overseeing all processes in the organization as well as developing strategic goals, policy and plans. They also mobilize internal and external resources. The middle level managers oversee departmental activities and encourage first level managers to perform better. The first level managers are involved with the coordination of various management functions. They have direct contact with the employees. Some of the management team members in Washington DC, VA medical center include the acting medical center director Michael H. Dunfee, assistant medical center director Paula Gorman, chief of staff Ross D. Fetcher and acting nurse executive Delilah.
Describe and explain the external and internal environment of the facility
VAMC has some internal and eternal attributes that are worth discussing in this paper to have a better understanding of the organization especially in regard to management. Some of the internal and external environmental factors facing the organization include the global health care trends which entail the changing health needs where there has been occurrence of new diseases replacing the traditional ailments and the effects of technology on health care services which have improved the conditions of diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. Advancement of technology has also led to effective communication and dissemination of significance information (Fulop et al., 2002). There has been development of various facilities and medical services which have been influenced in a way by the technology advancement for example ambulatory and community care services. Another environmental factor associated with VAMC is the improvement of expertise through management practices like appraisal and creation of awareness on various important health issues such as evidence-based medicine. The community expectation on the facility is also on the rise. This is because of improvement of the management in terms of serving the community. Financial constraint has been an issue brought about by internal and external issues but efforts are underway to handle this (Li-Ping Tang & Timmer, 2008).
Explain how management contributes to its effective or non effective performance.
Although there have been some instances of mismanagement in various branches and department of VAMC for instance where there was some mismanagement in the form of unhygienic practices At the Dayton VA medical center, the management body has always been keen to ensure that the management is effective so as to improve the image of the organization and keep the clients satisfied at all times. To deal with the mismanagement at Dayton VA medical center, it was recommended that the staffing issues be evaluated and necessary actions taken to curb the problem. This was aimed at restoring the public’s confidence on the organization.
The general management at VAMC is effective with the practices and activities being transparent. The practices are carried out with a lot of integrity and every individual is held accountable for the responsibilities assigned to him or her. The fact that the organization has embraced technology to a great extent has contributed to efficiency and effectiveness in most of the organization’s practices. We can therefore conclude that the management in VAMC has contributed positively to the overall performance of the organization. This has been made possible by the strong management body and effective policies, plans and strategies that are geared towards achieving success (MacLaren, 2002).
Conclusion
It is evident that management is a very essential process and it influences an organization’s performance. Proper management results to effective performance while poor management leads to poor performance despite the resources that are at hand. VAMC has been able to record good performance and this can be greatly linked to the significance it places on management practices.
Reference List
Fulop, N., et al. (2002). Process and Impact of Mergers in NHS Trusts: Multicentre Case Study and Management Cost Analysis. British Medical Journal 325 (7358), 246
Kitchheimer, B. (2001). Global Ambition. Modern Healthcare, 31 (19), 30.
Li-Ping Tang, T. & Timmer, L. S. (2008). All In The Name Of Change: Effects Of Organizational Change On Performance Measures Of Customer Service In The Health Care Industry. International Journal of Organizational Theory and Behavior, 11(2), 220-239.
MacLaren, E. (2002). One For All: Combining Management Across Hospitals. Nursing Management 33 (7), 32.