METHODIST UNIVERSITY GHANA
INDEX NUMBER: BBAA/DD/221201
NAME: BAWA GLORIA BIGOB
COURSE CODE: MMGT102
COURSE TITLE: PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
MY ADVICE TO ST. MICHEALS SPECIALIST HOSPITAL’S MANAGEMENT TO
WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY
Hospitals, because of their intricate, convoluted, and occasionally political nature, rank among
the most difficult corporate environments to manage. There isn't a method that works for
everyone, which is unfortunate. There is always space for improvement, regardless of how
effective the medical facility at the hospital is. There are certain initiatives that a hospitals
management must take to further enhance operations and streamline processes to be more
efficient in their routine task. Some of which include:
1. THEY MUST ENGAGE IN EFFECTIVE PLANNING
The hospital’s management engages in planning by assessing how the institution is now
run and creating plans that are centered on the future of the health center. In our situation,
the administration uses strategic planning techniques to foresee and prepare for
unforeseen obstacles. Resource planning is an illustration of planning; it involves keeping
track of the number of beds, doctors, nurses, and medical supplies that are required. The
company may be ready for any situation by carefully ensuring that the right number of
supplies are on hand. Planning, in the context of a hospital, is about management looking
to the future and analyzing new medicinal techniques that are becoming available. The
purpose of planning is to make sure that the hospital is still taking as good of care of its
patients in the future as it is now. Setting long-term goals and/or short-term targets for the
organization to meet based on these conditions and generating strategies for how to
achieve those goals entail engaging in environmental scanning, or knowing the conditions
of the organization. In the healthcare industry, a skilled planner is aware of which sectors
require the greatest forward planning. In the healthcare industry, objectives could be set
hospital’s management for improved patient care, office administration, or information
systems, all of which should result in increased productivity, efficiency, and good public
relations, which should in turn result in increased funding or profits.
2. ENSURE EFFECTIVE AND HIGH-QUALITY CARE DELIVERY
The foundation of hospital operations is patient care. To ensure that this care is both of
the highest caliber and is delivered effectively, the hospital management conduct constant
oversight. The complexity of carrying out such due diligence stems from the need to
manage the hospital budget, maintain current with regulatory changes, and examine
medical staff practices. For instance, as an alternative to conventional fee-for-service
arrangements, many payers are moving toward value-based compensation models that
take patient outcomes into account when calculating provider reimbursements.
The task of navigating these developments falls to the management of the hospital. In
order to provide hospital staff with the tools they need to deliver quality care, they
typically develop goals and objectives and hold training sessions.
3. THEY MUST HAVE A PATIENT-CENTERED PERSPECTIVE
Instead of, focusing on certain departments or procedures, the hospital management should
be patient-centered. All hospital management initiatives should be centered on improving
patient satisfaction. If a patient receives subpar care, they are likely to share unfavorable
internet evaluations that can damage your business's brand. So, the company must make sure
that clients are happy with the services they receive at the hospital both while they are there
and when they return for follow-up care. You should periodically conduct surveys and focus
groups for this reason to learn what patients think about the services your hospital offers.
These surveys can be carried out by an impartial third party to ensure that there is no
prejudice present. Also, they'll aid in identifying specific locations where the hospital needs
improvement, so they come up with better strategies.
4. ENGAGE IN THE USE OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Hospital management systems have become more crucial as a result of evolving
technology and sophisticated instruments for keeping up with contemporary trends.
Innovative technology can be used to handle some areas of hospital management. For
instance, remote patient monitoring, which enables medical practitioners to monitor
patients' vital signs from anywhere in the globe using a wireless device like a laptop or
cell phone, is the most popular application of technology in hospitals. Instead of
constantly inspecting and caring for patients at every stage of the treatment, medical staff
can more efficiently monitor patients remotely. Also, hospitals can easily store and
manage all patient data, including their medical history, medication information, and
other information, with the help of digital health records. Hospital management is more
effective and time-saving with all these innovative technologies.
5. TRAIN THEIR STAFF
Millions of people are admitted to hospitals each year in order to receive the best care.
This calls for a competent and effective workforce that is capable of managing all
hospital operations when they are on duty. As a result, management must provide staff
members with sufficient training to ensure that all patients receive fair treatment and
quality care throughout their stay at a hospital. Along with teaching them, encourage your
personnel to pursue higher education so they can sharpen their professional abilities and
gain new skill. The only way you can properly manage your hospital and train your staff
is if you have the necessary abilities, which you cannot get without earning additional
credentials like an executive masters in healthcare administration. We live in a time when
everything is great. Thus, professional training is a prerequisite for staff members to work
efficiently at a hospital. Thus, it is necessary for the hospitals management to partner with
institutions to provide professional training specialists. Such professionals ought to be
dedicated to professionalization; these are people who are professionals not just because
of their training and instruction but also because of their attitude, conduct, and ethical
standards.
6. GIVE ATTENTION TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND COMFORT OF THEIR
EMPLOYEES
A manager must oversee every facet of medical care while preserving employee morale.
Effective hospital management is an art that calls for meticulous cooperation between
numerous parties. Assuring that your team is productive and does not feel overworked is
the greatest method to run your hospital properly. The better you treat your staff, the
better they will be able to care for your patients. The likelihood that a patient will return
for treatment in the future increases if they have a positive experience with the hospital
staff. The complexity of hospital management is due to this.
7. MUST BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH CRISIS EFFECTIVELY
Every department in a hospital is likely to be affected whenever there is a crisis. For
instance, the nursing and endocrinology departments would be included in the
investigation if the in-patient department received complaints regarding the management
of a diabetic patient's bed sores. The same thing occurs when x-ray results are delayed;
numerous departments become involved. The key message is that in order to prevent
crises and manage them, all departments must collaborate. Being ready for any potential
emergencies before they arise is a key component of proactive hospital management. It
entails making certain that everyone is aware of what must be done in the event of a
certain issue and has the resources necessary to do their duties effectively. Every
potential issue should have direction from management, and they should ensure that
everyone follows it. You may increase your chances of crisis avoidance by putting in
place an effective crisis management plan.
8. REDUCE WASTEFUL SPENDING AND HAVE A BUDGET
Effective hospital administration requires limiting excess or unnecessary expenses and
adhering to the budget. There are strategies you may use to manage your spending.
Recognizing the area where your budget is being spent most heavily is the first thing you
should do. You can use this to pinpoint the main areas where you are overspending.
Work on strategies to cut these costs once you have identified these areas. For instance, if
the hospital has a large number of staff who don't add much value, they could be a source
of extra expenses for the hospital.
If this occurs, it would be wiser for you to fire these workers and replace them with fresh
ones who can benefit the institution. Buying pricey equipment or medical devices without
first determining whether they are actually necessary or not is another technique to cut
costs. To achieve this, ask your team about their needs before making any purchases.
9. MUST HAVE A WELL STOCKED MEDICAL SUPPLIES
For effective hospital management, the medical supply room must be fully stocked and
maintained. Unfortunately, the majority of managers and directors struggle with this.
There are a number of causes for this, but the main one is that they are unaware of the
importance of a well-kept supply room.
A well-stocked medical supply room serves the objective of giving hospitals access to the
tools and supplies they require around-the-clock for patient care and facility maintenance.
This typically includes supplies like surgical masks, bandages, gauze pads, latex gloves,
and much more.
10. THEY MUST REGULARLY ENGAGE IN PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
One of the qualities the hospitals management must have is the capacity to assess
individuals, programs, and the overall success of the hospital. Relationships between
employees and clients as well as interpersonal behavior are evaluated. The hospital's
management decision-making process occasionally includes "intuition". When this is
done it helps management know where they are slacking then work towards that to
enhance their efficiency and improve their effectiveness.
11. CONTROLLING
Creating and upholding standards in the healthcare industry are arguably more crucial
than anything else. Standards are vitally necessary for the personnel and patient's safety.
An effective healthcare manager must have a very, very strong understanding of both the
fundamental principles of medicine, such as being able to tell when lab technicians are
becoming careless or when a doctor is repeatedly misdiagnosing patients, as well as the
standards of patient care (including front office rapport, bedside manner, and
effectiveness with social workers).
12. BUILD AN EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP SKILL
In the field of healthcare, management and leadership involve an individual's efforts to
change the actions of others while delivering direct, individualized, and skilled treatment.
The fundamental tenet of management is that managers create objectives that indicate
some level of development for a certain group in a specific setting. Then, managers create
plans to accomplish these objectives.
Outcomes are assessed, changed, or new directions are established. The Management
must continually come up with plans to get teams of employees to higher, more effective
levels of performance. Managers plan, organize, encourage, manage, control, and assess
the work of healthcare professionals in the provision of professional care while carrying
out these activities.
Hospital’s management working in a controlled setting require strong leadership and
direction as it is a challenging career. Physicians must feel confident that their needs will
be satisfied and that issues with staff, equipment, or scheduling will be taken seriously.
Given that they frequently feel ignored, it is crucial for nurses and technologists to feel
heard and well-led in this environment. The "lower-level" workers will remain dedicated
and focused on their employment if they are led by a capable and understanding person.
A good leader will contribute to making the long hours and challenging cases
worthwhile.
13. MUST ENSURE PROPER CO-ORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES
The coordination of management of hospital operations has grown more specialized, and
the field of hospital administration has resulted. The concepts that underpin contemporary
health care administration will require time to develop and spread among the hospital's
administrative and technical employees. The administration of the hospital involves
complicated interactions between the medical, paramedical, and administrative staff and
is not just the duty of a small group of administrative personnel. The establishment of the
hospital's admission and discharge policies provides a particularly dramatic illustration of
this requirement. In addition to standards of care, technical skill, and facility use, the
entire chain of pre- and post-hospitalization networks, including outpatient clinics, health
centers, smaller hospitals and others.
In conclusion, the future of health services will depend on whether there is better
management or not. Some people feel that this acknowledgment is long overdue. For
some, it signifies the start of stumbling blocks, inconveniences, and hurdles to attaining
crucial healthcare goals. All those participating in the organization of hospital and health
services as professionals by academic institutions must understand the function of
management, whether it is seen as a solution or a risk to the activities of health-services
delivery. Also, efficient management of a hospital’s resources is the key to success.
Hospital managers can start by creating an effective action plan and implementing
guidelines, as these will help maximize revenue while minimizing costs. Effective
management is based on solid planning and sound knowledge of hospital operations. The
point I have stated for effective hospital management mentioned above will help the
hospital’s management discharge their duties well and make the organization more
profitable.