Organizational Structure Assignment: Critical Analysis on Chifley District Hospital
Question
Task: Read the case study of Chifley District Hospital and develop a short report on organizational structure assignment critically discussing the strengths and limitations of the current organizational structure in relation to the vision, missing and goals of the Chifley District Hospital (CDH).
Answer
Introduction to the case of organizational structure assignment
The Chifley District Hospital (CDH), a 130 bedded community hospital located in the suburban region of Sydney caters to the medical, surgical, and emergency services among the individuals of the local community. However, with the passage and the increasing requirements of the individuals, it has been found that the hospital has improved its specialty services by providing improved health experiences. Presently, it has been found that CDH follows a functional bureaucratic structure. The management committee of the hospital is not satisfied with this functional structure and they consider the service line structure to be appropriate for the effective operation of the hospital. This study will carry out a critical analysis of the organizational structure of CDH.
Literature Review and Discussion
In the initial days of operation of CDH, it has been found that the functional organization structure followed by the hospital could be considered effective. This is because the staffs of the hospitals were grouped by specialty in case of functional structure and almost all the staffs possessed the capacity to handle the task that was more or less similar. When the employees within each department work together, they try to act as a team with more focus on the achievement of specialized goals (Neis et al., 2018). This goal-oriented mindset can be considered to be positive and thus it establishes a connection between the different departments in the organization. According to El Talla et al. (2018), it has been found that the organizations that follow the functional structure are affected by the decision-making process and thus it hinders operational efficiency. The decision-making process in CDH during those days was made centrally in the hospital because all the functions converged at the top-most level in the organization. In CDH, it has been found that the healthcare staff involved in CDH had to face excessive work pressure because the patients suffering from varied diseases flocked to the same team members. However, an advantage that can be considered in this case is all the team members of the hospital possessed knowledge on almost all types of tasks and thus this has assisted in the improvement of co-ordination and co-operation among the team members. This is likely to minimize the cost of operation of the employer thereby assisting in the development of skills of the team members. The decision-making process in this functional organizational structure can be considered to be centralized on the single manager even though the individual does not possess adequate knowledge on the broader organizational aspects. On the other hand,Topchiy&Tokarskiy (2018) have opined that the employees who operate within this functional system of hierarchy often demonstrate a higher level of productivity and are likely to receive quick promotion. Due to the higher level of experience of the team members, it becomes easier for them to educate the other members who have joined the organization recently. This can be considered to be visible in CDH hospital, however, the hospital requires specialized units due to the rising number of patients with time.
As the management team of the CDH hospital was not at all satisfied with the functional structure, it can be said that the service-line structure can be considered to be effective and efficient in such a situation. Further, most healthcare organizations prefer to adhere to this service line structure so that they can try their best to provide integrated service to patients. Antonopoulou et al. (2017) have opined that the service-line functional structure improves the service value of the hospital thereby increasing the competitive advantage of the organization. This includes the reduction of hindrances between the executives and the clinicians. In the case of CDH Hospital, it has been found that the management committee has restructured the vision of the hospital so that it becomes easier for them to respond to the needs and the requirements of the patients. Moreover, with the help of this new vision, the staff involved in the hospital can also provide high-quality and patient-centered care that is efficient as well as effective to tackle the changing needs of the organization. The most crucial advantage of the service line structure of CDH hospital is created through the service lines of the ongoing and the symbiotic association between the physicians and the non-physicians involved in the hospital.
Tajeddini et al. (2017) have highlighted that the implementation of the service line structure can be considered to be a response against the competitive threats in the organization. The effective and smooth implementation of the service line concepts is likely to strengthen the brand of the healthcare organization to a great extent. In CDH hospital, it has been found that with the increase in the competition and the growing needs of the patients, the hospital authority has decided to expand its service line with the effective co-operation of the staff. These specialized services have also assisted in the formation of the brand image of the organization thereby creating a facilitative edge in this competitive health care sector (Harmath, 2019). For example, when CDH hospital will conduct marketing of the heart service line, it will be easier for the patients to associate themselves with a broader category of medical care rather than with a general physician or procedure. This will also assist in the development of a strategic competitive edge through branding in the competitive health care sector.
According to Siregar (2020), it has been found that the service line functional structure is generally impacted by poor or ineffective implementation, the anchoring of its culture as well as the completion of all the crucial steps for the effective functioning of the organization within a period of three to five years. It is the responsibility of the management committee to carry out systematic research as well as planning before the effective implementation of the service line organizational structure. In CDH hospital, it has been found that due to the inexperience or the poor level of organizational knowledge in any specialized unit, it has become difficult for the staff to carry out the task through improved ways. Moreover, it also becomes difficult to gather the inputs from different participating constituencies to ensure cooperation and the quality improvement process in the delivery of the model of care.
Modenov&Vlasov (2018) have opined that backlash is also likely to occur in the areas of service line organizational structure which can be used as an effective marketing tool. The care providers who are associated with this market-driven process can try their best to tackle the bottom line or the volume of the patient without accompanying any further change in the approach or the resources. In CDH hospital, it has been found that the new specialized units that have been setup in the hospital did not require any such marketing because of its large number of patients who visited the hospital with different types of complex health problems. The patients have understood the strategic planning of the management committee and this also made the physicians be in a well-suited position to become the organizational leader with an improved level of clinical expertise(Rynkevich, 2020). Further, it has been found that the physicians who were involved with CDH hospital demonstrated a higher level of competency of clinical care for tackling the system management that is necessary for the enhancement of organizational efficiency. This is likely to assist the healthcare staffs to maintain clinical quality while providing the services to the patients.
According to Mo?teanu (2020), it has been found that the service line organizational structure also assists in the improvement of planning as well as optimization of the investment in the specific operational areas. It can be considered to be appealing to the staff because it allows the entire system to concentrate and carry out an investment on the limited resources that are considered to be essential in the short term and long term. On the other hand, it has been found that the management also allows the entire system to access the vulnerable areas by following this line of organizational structure (Siregar, 2020). It will also be easier for the staff of the CDH hospital to control the accountability and the cost that is required to required for strategizing as well as planning to fulfill the organizational benchmarks and the goals. The data that is associated with the cost and the quality in the service line management approach must also be communicated to the external shareholders of the organization so that it becomes easier to enhance the health system or the position of the hospital.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be said that the service line organizational structure can be considered to be more effective than the functional organizational structure in the case of CDH hospital. This will also assist in the improvement of planning as well as optimization of the investment that is essential for the smooth operation of the organization. With the help of this service line functional group, there will also be the creation of a strategic edge in the organization for the enhancement of brand awareness of the hospital. ?
References
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