A health services organization serves the patient population by providing a multitude of health services in the form of medical expertise for diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care for sustained positive health outcomes. However, as much as health services organizations are a service organization providing care and health service delivery, they too must meet business bottom lines, ensure positive account balances, and adhere to healthcare policies and law. What potential challenge might healthcare administration leaders face when balancing legal, ethical, business, and service obligations of a health services organization?
While a health services organization has as its client the patient population it serves, and the medical and healthcare staff engaged in healthcare delivery, it too must respond to and work within the guidelines of the board in day to day operations. In this way, healthcare administration leaders truly engage in a juggling act to balance the needs and interests of several stakeholders while delivering health services.
Reflect on the role of the board in resolving internal conflict between compliance, ethical obligations, and business needs. Think about how healthcare administration leaders might balance these conflicts and potential challenges for effective health services delivery.
Explanation of the role of the board in resolving internal conflict between compliance, ethical obligations, and business needs. Then, describe how you, as a current or future healthcare administration leader, might address these challenges for a health services organization. Be specific and provide examples. (3-4 pages)
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Introduction: The healthcare industry is a complex field that requires healthcare administration leaders to navigate multiple challenges. One of these challenges is balancing legal, ethical, business, and service obligations of a health services organization. This essay will discuss the potential challenge healthcare administration leaders face in achieving this balance, the role of the board in resolving internal conflict between compliance, ethical obligations, and business needs, and how healthcare administration leaders can address these challenges for effective health services delivery.
Answer: The potential challenge healthcare administration leaders face in balancing legal, ethical, business, and service obligations of a health services organization is the conflict of interest that arises between these obligations. Healthcare organizations must always deliver healthcare services within the requirements of the law and policies. They must also maintain ethical obligations outlined by codes of ethics while ensuring that the organization is profitable. The challenge, however, is that delivering healthcare services is expensive, and at times, the cost of services exceeds the organization’s financial resources, threatening the organization’s bottom line.
The role of the board in resolving internal conflicts between these obligations is crucial. Boards are responsible for developing policies and making strategic decisions that impact the organization’s operations. They serve as a governing body that ensures ethical behavior, compliance, and effective management of the organization’s resources. Boards resolve conflicts by developing policies that balance these obligations and align the organization’s objectives with each obligation.
As a healthcare administration leader, I would address these challenges by adhering to the organization’s values, strategic goals, and policies. First, I would develop a culture of transparency and accountability. Healthcare staff should be aware of the organization’s policies, objectives, and the ramifications of non-compliance. I would encourage healthcare staff to report violations, and the organization would develop a mechanism to address the staff’s concerns.
Secondly, I would develop a balanced scorecard that aligns the organization’s objectives with each obligation. The balanced scorecard would comprise measures and indicators that reflect the organization’s performance in finance, customers, operational processes, and learning and development. The measures would provide a snapshot of the organization’s performance and enable healthcare leaders to make effective decisions.
Finally, I would develop strategic partnerships with other healthcare providers, payers, and other stakeholders. Strategic partnerships would enable the organization to share ideas, knowledge, and resources. Collaboration would enable the organization to achieve economies of scale, reduce redundancies, and improve the quality of services delivered to the patient population.
In conclusion, healthcare administration leaders must balance legal, ethical, business, and service obligations of a health services organization. The role of the board is to resolve internal conflicts between these obligations. Healthcare administration leaders can address these challenges by adhering to the organization’s values, strategic goals, and policies, developing a balanced scorecard that aligns the organization’s objectives with each obligation, and developing strategic partnerships with other healthcare providers, payers, and stakeholders.
