Description
Teamwork is ubiquitous in the work world today. Teams work together both face-to-face and around the world as technology provides more and more opportunities for distance collaboration. The intricacies of forming effective working teams can be daunting because the stakes are often very high. Much time, effort, and other resources can be wasted if a team is not cohesive, communicative, motivated, accountable, and goal-oriented. When the project to be tackled is important and costly, as is often the case in health care, failure can be devastating to an organization, both in terms of outcomes and morale.
Health care administrators work in an environment that is particularly impacted by interprofessional efforts. Building an effective work team requires a great deal of insight, attention, and skill. For this Assignment, examine the following scenario and focus on effectively selecting team members, concepts of team management, and principles of team dynamics.
Scenario:
You are the newly appointed chief operating officer for Thomason Health System (THS), a large health care delivery system that will be acquiring and implementing a new information technology system: ?Electronic Medical Records? (EMRs). The organization has many and differing opinions about EMRs, but the CEO and the board of directors want you to establish an onboarding team that will help facilitate the organization-wide adoption of this new technology. Your main responsibility is to identify five team members from a short list of candidates and facilitate the launch of an effective team through conflict resolution and team building. This team will present a unified message and facilitate cultural change within the greater organization.
Team Evaluation
Your Name:
Part I: Individual Evaluation?Directions: Type each team member?s name in the cell marked ?Name? below. Be sure to
include yourself in the ?Self? column. Type an X in the cell that best fits the team member?s participation in the
assignment.
Self
Name
Name
Name
Name
Met
Expectations
Yes
No
Met
Expectations
Yes
No
Met
Expectations
Yes
No
Met
Expectations
Yes
No
Met
Expectations
Yes
No
Workload?Did a full share of the
work
Initiative?Took the initiative in
helping the group get organized
Contribution?Provided many
ideas for the development of the
assignment
Punctuality?Met or exceeded
deadlines
Production?Produced a quality
product
Problem Solving?Solved
problems
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Part II: Team Evaluation?Directions: Type an X in the cell that best fits the overall performance of the team as a whole.
Yes
No
The team clearly defined its goals and identified specific steps for achieving them.
The team had productive and efficient discussions with clear identification of tasks.
The team had clear delineation of individual responsibilities.
The team managed conflict effectively.
Frank and open exchange of ideas were encouraged by the team.
The quality of team?s final product met or exceeded my expectations.
Part III: Provide a narrative explanation for each ?No? marked in Part I and Part II.
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Thomason Health System Background
There is a significant shift towards an integrated healthcare system that provides
coordinated care while trying to eliminate the gaps in shared information and
communication that affect patient safety and care. Effective integrated systems have
comprehensive care and preventive services that increase the organization?s capacity to
be patient-focused across the continuum of care. Leadership, teamwork, and
communication are essential for a successful integrated healthcare system that can
manage the delivery of seamless and well-coordinated care for patients.
Responding to this trend is Thomason Health System (THS), a non-profit organization
that has recently made the transition to a fully integrated healthcare system. THS is
located in a suburb of Houston, Texas, and consists of one hospital, five clinics, one
hospice facility, and 800 staff members (78 administrators, 132 doctors, 220 nurses,
160 technicians, 85 facilities, and 125 support staff). THS?s mission is to practice
medicine and care as an integrated team of compassionate, multi-disciplinary
physicians, nurses, and health professionals who are focused on the complete health
needs of the patients. According to the American Medical Association (AMA),
developing an accountable integrated healthcare organization will help an organization
monitor patient needs and outcomes, use performance data and indicators for
organizational and staff assessment, and implement new forms of reimbursement that
result in improved quality while keeping costs checked.
Under the leadership of CEO Maggie Tweedy, MD, THS will undergo a huge
information technology infrastructure update with electronic medical records (EMR)
system and policy. EMR will provide crucial information when treating individual patients
throughout different points of care as well as provide data regarding the effectiveness of
treatments and staff within the system. Both the Joint Commission (JC) and the Institute
of Medicine (IOM) have stated that EMRs will also significantly contribute to the
collection of empirical and longitudinal evidence without creating an undue burden on
the organization. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health
Act and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act place new importance on the
widespread adoption and meaningful use of EMRs.
However, there have been instances of hesitation from the staff, and several staff
members have vocalized their displeasure and lack of enthusiasm for EMRs. THS is
committed to preserving the highest standards of care while the technology
infrastructure is being updated, but understands the need for a cultural adoption.
Unengaged staff will become dissatisfied and the lack of buy-in will interrupt
communication, high-quality service, and workflow within the system. Before the roll out
of EMRs, the board of directors has asked you to create an onboarding team charged
with the cultural adoption of EMRs by THS.
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Thomason Health System Bios
Maggie Tweedy, MD, is the chief executive officer (CEO) of THS and was
previously its chief operating officer. Dr. Tweedy joined the management team in 1991
and served in various management capacities. In addition to leading the organization
and delegating day to day operations to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) , Dr. Tweedy
has been responsible for advancing the organization?s focus on quality coordinated care
and patient safety, cultivating a talented multidisciplinary staff, advancing clinical and
technological innovation, and maintaining financial and operational strength. A
cardiologist and internist, Dr. Tweedy is eager to make THS a model for integrated
health care systems.
Marco Tortello, PhD, is the chief information officer and has worked at both private
and nonprofit organizations. Tortello joined THS in 2011 and has focused on innovation
and technologies that are patient-centered while increasing the organization?s efficiency
through technology, modernization and business process improvements. He is the
driving force behind THS?s acquisition of EMRs as he believes it will help minimize
errors and inefficiencies. Tortello has his doctorate in information technology and a
master?s in public management.
Virginia Pavini, MD, is an anesthesiologist and the chief of staff. Dr. Pavini joined
THS in 1995 and is responsible for setting the high standards for staffing as well as
establishing performance evaluation procedures and professional development polices.
Dr. Pavini is a strong leader and many staff members look to her as a mentor. Dr. Pavini
believes the majority of the staff will eventually adopt EMRs but feels strongly that key
staff members should be included in the process, training, and follow-up to help
establish new cultural practices for EMRs.
Gene Rosario, MD, is a primary care physician who has been with THS for 32
years. Dr. Rosario has held management positions in the past but prefers to work in the
clinics. He is very against EMRs because they are very burdensome and feels doctors
would lose autonomy. Dr. Rosario is also worried that costs incurred for EMRs will limit
community and charity services.
Christina Trevor, MD, is a pediatrician who recently graduated from medical school
and joined THS. Having worked at other organizations and facilities with EMRs, she
fully supports EMRs and was actually very surprised that THS did not already have
them in place. She believes that EMRs streamline the process and allow doctors to
spend more time with their patients. Dr. Trevor has been a vocal supporter and has
communicated her own experience with many other staff members.
Todd Birchman, MD, is a dermatologist who has privileges at the hospital but
maintains a thriving private practice with several locations. He uses a very similar
system to the one THS is planning to acquire. He has experienced the challenges
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firsthand, but overall, Dr. Birchman is very satisfied with the switch. Many staff members
have talked to Dr. Birchman about his experience when he is at the facility.
Todd Ramos, RN, is a nursing administrator for the hospice facility. He is
responsible for managing the nursing staff, scheduling shifts, training, managing
medical records, maintaining proper inventory of supplies, and ensuring the highest
quality of nursing care. Facing a nursing shortage, Ramos is worried that his staff will be
stretched too thin with the necessary training for EMRs but believes the shift is
beneficial in the long run.
Frances Hays, RN, is a nursing administrator at the hospital who has been with
THS for 18 years. She too is responsible for managing the nursing staff as well as the
operations of the department. Hays? other responsibilities include nurse orientation and
helping to facilitate team building exercises for new and existing staff. Hays does not
want to use EMRs because she feels it is time-consuming and will cause her staff to
lose interpersonal and communication skills.
John Lieberman, radiology technician, has been at THS for 17 years. He is a strong
advocate for EMRs that will help increase productivity and care while decreasing errors
for the radiology department. Lieberman has a very good relationship with the other
technicians and labs.
Jennifer Kline, monitor technician, assists the nursing department by monitoring
cardiac rhythms. This position requires Kline to work with other teams and specialists
within THS. She is excited for EMRs as she believes they will decrease mistakes and
inefficiencies between departments. Kline has an exceptional reputation and an
excellent rapport with patients.
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