Health Management 101

Recently, I spent some time researching how to have a successful non-profit board of directors when working in a healthcare organization. A non-profit board is known to uphold an organizations mission, vision and values, while serving the public of the community ( NOLO ). It is pertinent that the board implements plans, stratigies, and programs in order for the non-profit organization to be successful. There are a few key factors when it comes to having a successful board of directors. In most cases, directors of the board have common traits and/or qualities that qualify them to oversee and lead the non-profit organization and its affiliates ( NOLO ). In order to have an exceptional non-profit board, it is pertinent that members of the board have strong ties to the community, are willing to support efforts to raise money for the organization, share a passion for the mission of the organization, and most importantly are willing to work ( NOLO ). Along with these important traits and...

Currently, I work on an Alzheimer's unit in Dover, New Hampshire. As a nursing assistant, I try to view things from a managers perspective during my shift in order to "put myself in their shoes". I find that most of the time, it's a difficult task, especially when it comes to dealing with family members and staff. There is no current cure for Alzheimer's disease but, luckily there are facilities that take care of those who suffer with Alzheimer's. According to a medical management article I read, the goals of treatment are to "maintain quality of life, maximize function in daily activities, enhance cognition, mood, and behavior, foster a safe environment, and promote social engagement" ( Alzheimer Management ). The nursing staff, including nursing aids, are to focus the care they give off of these goals in order to ensure the best possible life for the residents in their facility.  But, as a manager, how can you measure the care the residents ...

In health care organizations, it is important to not only care about patient satisfaction, but employee satisfaction as well. It is vital for employees to feel wanted, needed, and valued in their organization. After reading an article titled Best Ways to Improve Employee Satisfaction and Engagement, I was able to learn how engaging employees in the work place, is able to improve employee satisfaction.  According to the article on The Balance, a survey was taken in order to indicate the overall satisfaction of employees. From this survey, it showed that the most important parts of employee satisfaction and engagement, is having a positive relationship with coworkers in the work place, and the ability to use skills that relate to an employees work. The third most important factor of employee satisfaction, is the meaningfulness of the job. The work itself falls to fourth place in the list of important factors.   The list goes on and the factors vary for each organizat...

Success. How is it measured? Can success be measured in healthcare organizations? If it can be, what is the best way to measure it? Is it a tangible measurement, or is it abstract? According to an article written by  HealthCatalyst , the main goal for healthcare facilities is to follow a known trifecta, which is otherwise known as the Triple Aim of Healthcare, which includes improving the patient experience, improving the health of populations, and reducing costs ( HealthCatalyst ). Although the Triple Aim of Healthcare is important, it is also important to recognize specifically how these healthcare goals can be measured and how it is tied to an organizations overall success. According to the article, things known as outcome measures are used to define how progress is being measured within a healthcare organization ( HealthCatalyst ). These outcome measures are "motivated" by the triple aim of healthcare and are able to measure the success of an organization by revealing w...

On Friday, a group of health management and policy students attended the NNEAHE Annual Meeting. At the beginning of the day, public speaker Dr. Josh Luke spoke to everyone about healthcare and prominent issues in the business. A large portion of his talk was focused on generational change and the issues that arise in healthcare regarding the subject. Because of my age, I am known to fall under the “millennial generation”. During his speech, Dr. Luke referenced how millennials don’t just “do”, but instead, ask “why”. According to Dr. Luke, older generations are known to simply do what they are told, with no questions. But, millennials are different. They tend to search for new and improved ways to do things. They tend to be innovative. They are the future of healthcare according to Josh Luke. So, how does an organization stay up to date? How do they thrive in the changing times? According to Dr. Luke, if an organization does not make the switch to the millennial thinking, the b...

Long-Term Care facilities, although are part of the healthcare world, have different issues than places such as hospitals. Hospitals struggle with keeping patients safe for a small extended amount of time, while long-term care facilities must focus on patients well-being for months, and in most cases, years. It is a known fact that the population is becoming older each year. In the year 2050, 88 million Americans will be older than sixty five, which means there will be an even larger demand for long-term care facilities across the country ( Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ). Although long-term care facilities are necessary, they are also expensive and require a great deal of upkeep. In 2011, the total amount spent on long-term care was around $210.9 billion dollars ( Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ). Although the government currently pays for the cost of long-term care facilities, what will happen in the future? Since the aging population is growing, this can only mean that the cost...