Innovation in Prolonging the Working Life of Expensive Technology - Assignment Example

Leadership in Management Name Student Number Institution Course Code Instructor Date Task One: Innovation in Prolonging the Working Life of Expensive Technology The healthcare industry has experienced a creation of innovations that are aimed at enhancing the quality of life, through efficient diagnostic and treatment options. These innovations are put in place to enhance professional competence and bring about cost effectiveness of the healthcare system. However, the need for competent and effective leadership in the embracing and implementing of the changes is fundamental to ensure effective transition (Goleman, 2000). Subsequently, every healthcare practitioner has the fundamental right to be aware of the changes being implemented and the benefits attached in their professional practice. The process of adapting problem solving skills in hospital situations requires innovative strategies, and to achieve this, research ought to be conducted so as to realise areas where errors in the healthcare system occur and apply necessary measures. To ensure dealing with issues concerning motivation of hospital personnel in attending to patient’s health issues in a timely manner so as to avoid high mortality rates and sentinel events; this analysis looks into the innovative ways to address the issue at hand. This will be achieved by highlighting major innovations in the healthcare system that allow for good workmanship, at the same time ensuring the wellbeing of the patients. Ways on how to effect these changes into the system at the same time ensuring the changes have a positive reception from the physicians and nurses will also be discussed. Leadership in the health profession has been taking new shifts with increased innovations and changes in the management and practices being done in the current health systems. The need for effective service delivery and high standards quality outcome is evident with managers or lead physicians being at the forefront in embracing and making change effective (McGuire 2003). In respect to the case at hand, Dr Wong’s concerns on the use of innovative methods to enhance and prolong working life of expensive technology via careful maintenance and repair are crucial for consideration. By understanding the genesis of her concerns, addressing the emotional reactions would be through giving evidence-based practices of examples carried out and have given splendid results. Looking at the Narayana Health case of utilising innovative technology, increased medical cases are attended to improving the overall access to quality health care and treatment among Indians (Govindarajan & Ramamurti 2013). Through incorporation of such strategies in Australia, the quality will not only be maintained, but also, equity to quality health access among all Australians will be realised. Innovation in the organisational context may bring about leadership challenges in the event a manager or leader is not flexible enough to embrace change. Focusing on the health practitioner to do a certain procedure and cost-effective measures allows the hospitals to lower costs while at the same increasing the quality of services offered. The introduction of innovations that prolong the working life of expensive technology via careful maintenance and repair is critical as indicated by the case study of Narayan Health in India (Govindarajan & Ramamurti 2013, p. 118). Although there is the concern of patients’ safety and morale of staff in the Australian context, the innovative aspect is only entrenched in the practice to promote efficiency and enhance overall quality of care to patients. Managers and leaders in hospitals are expected to be the initiators of such changes with innovations aimed at bringing increased performance and access to quality care which promotes equity of health services to all. Taking the leadership role before adopting any changes, it is necessary to ensure that there is an effective communication platform around the healthcare system. McGuire (2003) argues that an efficient communication culture is very necessary during the interactions that occur on a daily basis among healthcare workers. To allow for sharing of appropriate information in a timely manner, health workers ought to learn how to communicate effectively and allow for collaboration in the workplace (Meyer 2014). Improvement in healthcare delivery may be achieved by maintaining low operation cost so as to make the healthcare affordable to all members of society either poor or rich. Take the case of The Narayana Hrudayalaya Heart Hospital which reduces cost by increasing volume. The hospitals perform eight more surgeries than the Indian average maximising the use of its infrastructure (Khanna et al. 2006). The hospital also utilises technologies that are cheaper and less economic: it uses digital X-rays which are cheaper than film reducing inventory and processing times. Cross subsidisation is the situation where wealthier customers in a health care system pay a larger amount of money for services and therefore allows for generation of sufficient revenues to allow for provision of discounted or free services to the poor (Govindarajan & Ramamurti 2013). However this system ought to be taken precaution when being utilized since identifying a sustainable mix of profitable and subsidized customers is a key challenge. The other challenge is looking for effective ways to assess financial need so as to see who should receive subsidies. Operating strategies are also significant in looking at how we deal with difficulties that come up in the healthcare systems (Goleman, 2000). They deal in detail with how the organization operates on a daily basis. These strategies include knowledge development, human resource and facilitation of geographical and temporal access. In the area of dealing with the human resource, improvement of staff quality is necessary and this may be achieved by encouraging for continuous learning or increased research among the existing care providers with the purpose of improving the quality of care and allowing for its availability (Brugha and Zwi 1998). Increased and continuous learning through research enhances evidence-based practice which not only promotes quality of care, but also improves the standards of skills entrenched in a health practitioner. In the knowledge development aspect, new technologies are developed, processes improved and performance evaluated with the aim of improving efficiency, affordability and quality of care. To facilitate access of health care services, introduction of programs where healthcare providers go to rural areas using mobile camps and vans caters for the wellbeing of the patients who are not able to reach healthcare providers (Brugha and Zwi 1998). To increase the availability of services, devising methods that would ensure services are offered around the clock and opening hours extended for particular groups is critical. With increased efficiency and maximum utilisation of available technology and effective utilisation of skills, high quality practice and of greater quantities is realised. Change in the health care practice is necessary, but there is need to discern the essence of leadership role in realising effective change. The key to overcoming challenges facing the health systems is nurturing a culture of ensuring delivery of continuously improving quality of care that is safe and compassionate (McGuire 2003). Leadership plays a critical role as a very influential factor in shaping organisational culture, and hence there is need for embracing leadership behaviours, strategies and qualities that fundamentally geared towards enhancing organisational performance. In the case of medical professionals, embracing transformational leadership ensures that physicians, nurses as well as other medics are guided in line with the right procedures to strategically effect change that will enhance standard of quality (Govindarajan & Ramamurti 2013). The main task of a leader as in the case of Dr Wong is to provide direction, alignment and commitment to the team of medics and thereby bring about improved results. Thus, the need for a leader to embrace change and have the benefits of innovative technology in medicine is fundamental. Fundamentally, leadership is critical in focussing in the development of effective collaborative relationships via support and task delegation (Cuddy, Kohut & Neffinger 2013). This brings up the basis of improved implementation of the shared leadership model within a healthcare setting through enhancing of governance, continued practice learning and development of effective working relations. The key aspect of leadership involves influencing a team in its activities, as well as coping with change. This is aimed at not only improving their morale, but also ensuring that as professionals, new professionals practice skills are embraced and developed in the course of change (Govindarajan & Ramamurti 2013). The concept of leadership is a dynamic attribute that continues to change with time. Situational and contingency models recognised the importance of considering workers’ needs, tasks to be performed and situation of the environment. The current form of leadership supports these attributes and embraces supportive leadership skills of a leader to the follower to promote change for overall improved performance of the group (Brugha & Zwi 1998; Goleman 2000). Supporting and building relationships with team members; in this case for lead physician or nurse involves other nurses and medics brings about the likelihood of influenced and motivated practice towards achieving the set goals entrenched in the change process. Generally, having a strong sense of leadership and cohesive relationship at work, health professionals will not only ensure the innovative changes are effective, but also will be able to come up with more innovations based on their environment. Basically, innovations are triggered by challenges facing a certain surrounding and coming up with solutions in the most affordable process. Thus, creating innovations based on the needs and ensuring affordability is crucial in the realisation of improved healthcare delivery in the Australian context and promotes equity of health access. Task Two: Innovative Method of Managing the Logistics of Operations Innovative methods in the management of logistics during delivery of care bring about time effectiveness and enhance quality. Nevertheless, lack of the will to embrace change among nurses may hamper the need for innovative logistical operations. In the Indian context, dramatic and effective changes have been done by re-thinking the health practitioner doing specific tasks during clinical tasks like in surgery (Govindarajan & Ramamurti 2013). This enhances time efficiency increasing the quantity of clinical procedures conducted within a day. This section of the study evaluates the utilisation of new and innovative methods of managing logistics and operations in the clinical settings and the input made by the nursing professionals. It is apparent that the realisation of success in the implementation of managing logistics of operations mainly depends upon the cooperation and commitment of nurses within a clinical setting. The need for lead nurse or charge nurse to take the responsibility of effectively embracing the innovative changes and leading others is fundamental for the realisation of success in the eventual healthcare delivery. Organisational changes and innovations though prominent in the corporate world, appear to have not gained grounds in the health care systems (Khanna, Rangan & Manocaran 2006). This analysis outlines the need for lead nurses in being confident to embrace change and instil commitment and cooperation to the team members to promote nursing professional practice. With effective evidence-based practices, lead nurses and charge nurses can greatly acquire confidence and skills on how to effectively influence and increase changes for improve healthcare delivery among all nurse members. Effective leadership in the evolving healthcare settings have found great cognisance with the need guidance to embrace improved quality of practice among health practitioners. Leading in nursing practice is aimed at introducing competency, professionalism and enhance quality of care (McGuire 2003). Thus, the aspect of leadership being a business concept is unfounded since without effective guidance and control, every professional practice is bound not to make effective organisational development. Leadership and learning are two indispensable attributes and nursing being practice that involves continuous learning with utilisation of evidence-based practice, there is need for embracing effective leadership for change (Govindarajan & Ramamurti 2013). A good nurse leader inspires the other nurses in their practice through working together and promoting quality in pursuit of set goals. Although leadership may not be a concept greatly entrenched in the training of nurses, there is need for nurse leaders to embrace change and lead with effective leadership skills that promotes quality of care. The initial step in realising collaborative efforts in working together and enhancing logistical changes in nursing practice is to promote cohesiveness and effective communication. The coordination required in the sharing of tasks among nurses working in critical care, surgical wards or the general wards requires effective communication and delegation of duties from the nurse leader (Kim & Mauborge 2003). Lack of effective communication strategies may hamper overall realisation of efficient working processes. Communication failures have long been cited as the root cause of sentinel events that compromise the wellbeing of the patients, as well the overall quality of care. Being in a managerial position it is important to hold the task of creating a collaborative environment by allowing for a democratic mode of leadership where every individual member of the healthcare force is free to communicate ideas on how to go about dealing with problems that rise up in our hospital (McGuire 2003). This way barriers to effective communication such as conflicting roles, hierarchy differences and power struggles are dealt with effectively so as to create a workplace that boost the motivation and satisfaction of healthcare workers. Effective communication between nurses and other caregivers is the most important factor that ensures patient safety. This enhances a culture of connectedness in the workplace (Meyer 2014). The measures put in place by a leader influence the overall outcome of a task. To implement an initiative in communication, there is need for an organised approach that involves all practitioners involved in a given task or procedure within the healthcare settings. This initiative should be based on a cultural shift where structured communication tools would be utilised to allow improvement in patient handoffs, as well as collaboration among the workers. These tools may include briefings which are short discussion between all healthcare practitioners across departments where notes are shared, objectives set and resources necessary identified (Govindarajan & Ramamurti 2013). This is evident among the Indian case studies where specialists in hubs and specialised hubs of healthcare settings share information or offer specialist opinions to medics at the most rural health facilities within their set ups. Govindarajan & Ramamurti indicate that in the ward settings, group rounds where healthcare workers dealing with the same patients come together to discuss on the way forward in care giving is also an effective communication tool that reduces occurrences that may be caused by miscommunications that put the patient at risk. These engagements reduce occurrences of medication or procedure errors in the treatment and care of the patients. By positively influencing the work environment and fostering organisational commitment among health care practitioners a manager stimulates the organizations competitive advantage. This promotes a culture of working in a cohesiveness and result-oriented practice (McGuire, 2003). Therefore, transformational leadership behaviours are necessary to allow for organisational commitment. Transformational leadership introduced the shift needed to embrace innovative ideas in the logistical clinical procedures and promote efficiency. Innovation is defined as applying new ides to the products, processes and other activities of an organization so as to add value (Khanna, Rangan & Manocaran 2006). By putting up innovative ways in the delivery of healthcare services, there is a high probability of improved gains on the organisations side, as well as the patient. Technology such as computers are offering innovative ways of storing and retrieving resulting in reduced workload allowing for nurses to feed in information about a patient, as well as also retrieve the patients’ health data in a flash of a second (McGuire 2003). Having ease of access to patients history allows for fast care giving, as well as reduces occurrences of sentinel events that occur in situation where patients are served by several care givers. Having situation that force the patients to check with the information’s offices for their health cards before being checked by physicians has turned out to be a problematic issue in healthcare delivery. Information technologies have played a vital role in the improvement of care giving. Innovations should bring about a superior customer benefit where they offer a clear and better solution to problems. Saving the patients time and effort is a common benefit of innovations (Amabile, Fisher, & Pillemer 2014). Service innovation begins with a change in culture enhancing progressive change in the overall organisation working and eventual performance is impacted. To achieve implementation of these changes a culture that supports workforce performance and innovation has to be adopted. The quality of patient interaction with heath care practitioners is critical (McGuire, 2003). The patient’s perception of the health care provider’s effort in ensuring his or her wellbeing has a strong impact on the patient’s satisfaction and trust in the system. Therefore to be a successful innovator of service delivery it would be important for a leader to invest in the healthcare practitioner’s willingness and capability to perform at high levels (Kim & Mauborge 2003). Here motivating nurses and doctors by offering rewards for health issues dealt with is important. Leading from the front ensures that a nurse offers guidance to others (Cuddy, Kohut & Neffinger 2013). Nevertheless, for one to be able to be a good leader in making effective change; there is need for understanding the change itself, the process of implementing the change, impact to the professionals and overall outcome to the patients care (Goleman 2000). This fundamentally enhances the overall realisation of success by ensuring that all issues arising are addressed competently by a leader who is aware of the dynamic nature of the change in place and the eventual outcome. Inclusion of all nurses in the change process is fundamental for the overall process of implementing change. Introduction of new working schedules would require the cooperation of all nurses and health practitioners involved to enhance efficiency of the new procedures (Govindarajan & Ramamurti 2013). Further, making the nurses aware of the new development and the innovative technology put in place to enhance change for quality promote working efficiency. This is necessary for making the nurses to own the entire process and equip themselves with necessary knowledge and skills through evidence based practice to make the process success. Govindarajan and Ramamurti (2013) also stipulate that with the growing improvements in network security, healthcare practitioners have taken the opportunity to revolutionise the industry with information technology. Therefore, increasing technology in the process of change to enhance nursing practice is necessary. This also brings out the fact that nurses are not IT specialists but have to embrace the change to be able to work effectively. The overall need for embracing change is to ensure reduced time in procedures, care delivery and eventually recovery of a patient. Coming up with procedures that promote efficiency to promote quality of care for the benefit of patients is the fundamental goal of every health care practitioner and system. Conclusion In conclusion, innovative strategies allow for improved and effective methods of solving problems that occur in healthcare systems. Lately there have been a growing interest in strengthening health systems so that they work better for those not in a position to afford healthcare. The innovations that allow for enhancing of the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the healthcare system are facilitation of access, cost reduction strategies and knowledge development. Communication also plays a vital role in streamlining health care services as well as reducing errors that occur in the process. Effective communication between nurses and other caregivers is the most important factor that ensures patient safety. Reference List Amabile, T., Fisher, C.M. & Pillemer, J., 2014. Spotlight on Talent and Performance: IDEO’s Culture of Helping. Harvard Business Review, January-February, 54-61. Brugha, R., and Zwi, A., 1998. Improving the Quality of Private Sector Delivery of Public Health Services: Challenges and Strategies. Health Policy and Planning, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 107–20. Cuddy, A.J., Kohut, M. & Neffinger, J., 2013. Connect Then Lead: Is it better to be Loved or Feared? Harvard Business Review, July-August, 55-61. Goleman, D., 2000. Leadership that Gets Results. Harvard Business Review, March-April, 78-90. Govindarajan, V. & Ramamurti, R., 2013. “Delivering World Class Health-Care, Affordably.” Harvard Business Review, November, pp. 117-122. 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