Culture, HRM Quality and Service Delivery in Arabian Healthcare - Research Proposal Example

The Element of Culture Impact the Human Resource Management Quality and Service Delivery of Saudi Arabia Health Care System Introduction This brief research proposal explores the element of culture as it impacts on the human resource management in the Saudi Arabian health care system, especially as regards the delivery of quality and service delivery. To begin with, the proposal explores some background information on the relevance of culture in the provision of health care. Thereafter, the proposal presents some aims of the study and then the objectives that will guide the research study. The proposal proceeds to offer a justification in terms of the significance of the study in view of the objectives identified. The conceptual framework of the research is then presented as the background on which a review of relevant current literature then takes off. Before the termination of the proposal; the methodology to be adopted in the research is exhaustively reviewed and a tenable conclusion drawn. Background Information Culture has a very central role to play in the provision of culture (Luna 1998, pp. 8-14). It is almost impossible to separate culture from the provision of health care cultural indifference has great and always regrettable effects in health care provision (Luna 1998, pp. 8-14). Culture plays out in two levels in a health care system namely, from the patient’s perspective where their cultural background predispose them to expect and only receive health care as prescribed by their culture and secondly from the health care provider’s perspective where their ability cultural to provide care with a multicultural understanding (Luna 1998, pp. 8-14). Research has established that health care delivery depends on how culturally diverse the providers are in their accepting and respecting the cultural conditioning of their patients. The lack of such a diversity policy in a health care system renders it culturally indifferent. Cultural indifference refers to the disregard of the significant cultural differences existing between a patient and care providers (Miklancie 2007, pp. 413-417). Such indifference can be gleaned from the way care providers approach all patients as equal and same despite cultural differences, or the way a health care institution lacks any policies governing care provision to culturally diverse patients. If the institution and its staff have no regard for the differences existing in the provision of care to patients with different cultural backgrounds, then that is cultural indifference (Goicoechea-Balbona, 1997). In most instances when the care provider differs from a cultural respective with the patient, there is miscommunication or absolutely no communication. There is no way that a care provider can provide effective care when he or she cannot communicate with the patient (Luna 1998, pp. 8-14). A good example is where the patient is a Muslim woman, a HIV positive patient, who due to her religious beliefs cannot talk openly about how many times she has sex with her husband and whether they use a condom (Goicoechea-Balbona, 1997). Those questions will be of valuable if answered well if the care provider is to help the woman protect herself and her husband from secondary infections (Goicoechea-Balbona, 1997). These answers will only be forthcoming if the care provider understands; respects and considers the cultural background of such a women (Goicoechea-Balbona, 1997). Indifference on the other hand will mean that the woman is not given the best care possible (Labonte et al., 2004). Aims of the Study This study will investigate how the element of culture impacts on the human resource management in the delivery of quality service within the South Arabian health care system. To begin with, the study will aim at identifying in which ways the cultural environment of a particular health care system determines the delivery of services and care in such a system. In this, the research will aim at facilitating an identification of the role that cultural background of the human resource of a health care system plays in the operations of the health care facilities they work in. Having established that there are elements of cultural background in health care human resource of an establishment, that impact the delivery of services and care in such a system, the essay will proceed to identify the particular facets of the Saudi Arabian culture that may influence delivery of quality health care service. This will be the second aim of the study, targeted at establishing the components of the Saudi Arabian culture impacts on the operations of a hospitality establishment (Mwaura, Sutton and Roberts 1998, pp. 212 – 220). The third aim of the study will be to establish ways in which the South Arabian health care system can incorporate the requirements of the contextual culture in the human resource policies adopted as a means of amplifying their health care quality delivery. This will incorporate ways in which the contemporary Saudi Arabian health care system has positioned itself and or is intending to, for optimal delivery of quality health care service. Finally, the study will aim at consolidating the cultural influences that the health care management functions and protocols must incorporate in their strategic management of health care establishments. This aim will attempt to consolidate ways in which the Saudi Arabian health care system must develop the human resource towards culturally intelligent practices as part of the larger organisation management theory. Objectives of the Study This study to list the culture impacts on the human resource management in the delivery of quality service within the South Arabian health care system. Further, the research will identification of the role that cultural background of the human resource of a health care system plays in the operations of the health care facilities they work in. The research will also identify the particular facets of the Saudi Arabian culture that may influence delivery of quality health care service. Another objective of the study is to establish ways in which the South Arabian health care system can incorporate the requirements of the contextual culture in the human resource policies adopted as a means of amplifying their health care quality delivery. Finally, the research will also consolidate ways in which the Saudi Arabian health care system must develop the human resource towards culturally intelligent practices as part of the larger organisation management theory Significance of the Study This study will be of great importance and value to the available body of knowledge in human resource management of the Saudi Arabian health care system, especially as regards the delivery of quality and service delivery. This study will for instance facilitate an identification of ways in which the contemporary Saudi Arabian health care system can position itself in such a manner as will enable optimal delivery of quality health care service. This will be a crucial addition to the available guidelines on improving the quality of care in the Saudi Arabian health care system. The results projected by the study will also be very relevant to the practitioners of health care delivery, to adopt culturally intelligent behaviours as they deliver their services. Doctors, nurses, allied health care workers and other health care professions will benefit from the findings of this study since they will learn how they can provide the best care to the patients who come to them in context of the Saudi Arabian culture. Finally, the findings of this study are applicable globally and not just in the South Arabian context. The findings will reflect how cultural environments impact on health care systems in their service delivery, especially as regards their human resource. The same will be applicable in such other cultural contexts as Australia, India, Saudi America, etc. It will thus add to the available body of knowledge in the discourse of culture in health care management. Conceptual Framework The research study is based on assumption that the quality of health care services delivery relies on how qualified and apt the human resource employed are. Based on this assumption the research seeks to establish whether the cultural element of the human resource in health care systems has any role in the delivery of quality health care services. From that background the research them inspects the dynamics of the Saudi Arabia culture relevant to the provision of health care. These facets of the Saudi Arabia culture are then contextualized to the human resource requirements of the health care system in the country. The foregoing progress help to identify several things including the relevant Saudi Arabian cultural components played out in its health care system vis-à-vis ideal human resource management practices that would assist in optimizing quality health care service delivery. This is the process that helps the research to consolidate ways in which the Saudi Arabian health care system must develop the human resource towards culturally intelligent practices as part of the larger organisation management theory (Taheri 2008, pp. 128 – 139). Literature Review Maggie Mahar as quoted by (Miklancie 2007, pp. 413-417) says, “The behaviour of health care professionals is inextricably linked to the health care system in which they work”. This statement captures the vital role that the personal convictions of a care provider play in his or her provision of care. For new employees who join a culturally sensitive organization, there is an urgent need to induct such a provider or health care leader into the cultural sensitivity of the institution (Miklancie 2007, pp. 413-417). The challenge here is that if the new leader is to change his or her thinking towards cultural accommodation appreciation and understanding demanded in health care, the change must come from within and not simply as a surface coat (Mwaura, Sutton & Roberts 1998, pp. 212 – 220). This process must first start with helping the patient know why such a cultural compatible perspective is ideal in the practice of health care. Dr. David Nash was quoted by DR. Manoj Jain in a special article for The Washington Post carried on 16 September 2008 saying, “Cultural strife leads to errors, and the number of errors shows the size of the cultural rift”. If a new health care system is to progress in the path of cultural awareness, it must first appreciate the importance of such awareness. Secondly, the system and or establishment should introduce policies, procedures and frameworks that facilitate cultural compatible health care provision. Understanding the protocols observed in the system as regards health care will help the human resource act in accordance with the cultural sensitivity requirements expected out of him (Miklancie 2007, pp. 413-417). Having understood how cultural issues are handled in the national system and or establishments, the next step is to expose the human resource to the specific cultural scenarios such as treating women who come from the largely strict Muslim context of the Saudi Arabian nation (Al-Shahri and Al-Khenaizan 2005, pp. 432-436). This will inform the human resource a new, to the dynamics of culture (Al-Shahri & Al-Khenaizan 2005, pp. 432-436). One effect of cultural indifference in care provision is that it leads to marginalization, segregation and unequal treatment of some communities (Al-Shahri & Al-Khenaizan 2005, pp. 432-436). If the care providers treat everyone equally, without any regard to the cultural differences of the minority, then the minority who will be inflicted with unequal treatment (LaVeist, Diala & Jarrett, 2000). A woman patient in Saudi Arabia might never return to a hospital where she is asked such questions by a male clinician (Goicoechea-Balbona, 1997). That means she will be adversely affected by her condition (Goicoechea-Balbona, 1997). A care provider would appreciate her cultural orientation and thus provide a female culturally perceptive Allied Health Worker to talk with the patient and offer relevant help to avoid such discriminatory treatment (LaVeist, Diala & Jarrett, 2000; Goicoechea-Balbona, 1997). Methodology The study will rely heavily on a qualitative research design that will quantify the impacts and or effects of culture on the Saudi Arabian health care system as far as its human resource is concerned. A qualitative method of data collection and analysis will help quantify the research findings of the study in a valid, credible and applicable manner (Miklancie 2007, pp. 413-417). The research will employ questioners and interviews as the instruments of data collection. The population of the study being the entire Saudi Arabian health care industry, the sample of the study on which the data collection instrumentation will be conducted will include 30 representatives of the management and health care providers of the health care institutions within the south Arabian health care industry and 10 patients. The sample will be selected randomly using a random sampling method that will enable the sample to be representative of the larger population. Conclusion The research proposal has detailed the integral components of a research study focused on exploring the element of culture as it impacts on the human resource management in the Saudi Arabian health care system, especially as regards the delivery of quality and service delivery. The proposal explored some background information on the relevance of culture in the provision of health care, specifically focusing on why cultural awareness among health care providers is relevant in the provision of quality health care services. Thereafter, the proposal presented some aims and objectives that will guide the research study. Chief among these aims included identifying ways in which the cultural environment of a particular health care system determines the delivery of services and care in such a system, identifying the particular facets of the Saudi Arabian culture that may influence delivery of quality health care service, establishing ways in which the South Arabian health care system can incorporate the requirements of the contextual culture in the human resource policies adopted as a means of amplifying their health care quality delivery and consolidating the cultural influences that the health care management functions and protocols must incorporate in their strategic management of health care establishments. The proposal proceeded to propose the significance of the study in view of the objectives identified. According to the proposal, the study will be of great importance and value to the available body of knowledge in human resource management of the Saudi Arabian health care system, especially as regards the delivery of quality and service delivery while also posting findings applicable globally and not just in the South Arabian context. Finally, the proposal has briefly discussed the methodology to be adopted in the research namely a qualitative method of data collection and analysis so as to quantify the research findings in a valid, credible and applicable manner. The research will employ questioners and interviews as the instruments of data collection for a randomly picked sample of 30 representatives of the management and health care providers of the health care institutions within the south Arabian health care industry and 10 patients, representative of a population of the entire Saudi Arabian health care industry. References Al-Shahri, M and Al-Khenaizan, A 2005, Palliative care for Muslim patients, The Journal of Supportive Oncology, Vol. 3 (6), pp. 432-436. LaVeist, T., Diala, C. and Jarrett, N 2000, ”Social status and perceived discrimination: Who experiences discrimination in the health care system, how and why?” In Hogue, C, Hargraves, and Scott-Collins. (Eds). Minority health in America, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, pp. pp. 194-208. Luna, L 1998, Culturally Competent Health Care: A Challenge for Nurses in Saudi Arabia, Journal Transcultural Nursing, Vol. 9 (2), pp. 8-14. Goicoechea-Balbona, A 1997, Culturally Specific Health Care Model for Ensuring Health Care Use by Rural, Ethnically Diverse Families Affected by HIV/AIDS. Health and Social Work. Vol. 22 (2), pp. 67 – 75. Mwaura, G, Sutton, J and Roberts, D 1998, Corporate and national culture - an irreconcilable dilemma for the hospitality manager?, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 10 (6), pp. 212 – 220 Miklancie, M. A 2007, Caring for patients of diverse religious traditions: Islam, a way of life for Muslims. Home Healthcare Nurse, 25 (6), pp. 413-417. Taheri, N 2008, Health Care in Islamic History and Experience, Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, Vol. 2 (1), pp. 128 – 139, Available Read More