Critical Thinking Case Study: Let It Pour

The case study of the Faith Community Hospital presented several issues that are affecting the success of the hospital. The nonprofit organization has developed a negative rapport with its community, patients, and stakeholders. According to the Chief Executive Officer, the staff's misinterpretation of the company's mission statement is one of the primary reasons the hospital is experiencing problems. Other issues that have a negative impact on the hospital include the actions of the staff, the company's economic and moral standards, financial status, and performance issues. The Chief Executive Officer of the hospital hired Chris; a recent University of Phoenix graduate to assist him with providing an overview of the situations that are occurring at the hospital. He has also asked Chris to make suggestions on what can be done about the problems and his recommendations on how management should address the problems. The CEO will use the information that Chris provides to develop a speech that will be made to the hospital administration and the public.

The issues that the Faith Community Hospital is facing include:

* Misinterpretation of the mission statement.

* Medical staff making decisions regarding patients that are against the wishes of the patient and their families. The staff is also breaching hospital policies and legal guidelines by providing services for free.

* Unclear policy on the treatment of patients without healthcare insurance.

* An increase in the cost per patient.

The Faith Community Hospital services a diverse number of patients with different backgrounds and religious beliefs. The mission statement indicates that the hospital is committed to the spiritual heritage and values of its patients. The staff's misunderstanding of the mission statement at Faith Community Hospital pose a problem for management and its patients. The company's mission statement is the description of why the company exists. The mission statement also communicates the company's purpose to the community as well as the organization. The study indicated that several members of the staff were performing their duties based on their personal and religious beliefs. The relaxed atmosphere and misinterpretation of the company's mission statement leads employees to believe that it is appropriate to exercise their beliefs and values at work.

The staff at the hospital is described in the case study as being caring and wonderful medical providers. Although caring and compassionate to the patients, the staff allowed their personal beliefs to dictate their actions. For example, the staff initiated a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order against the wishes of the patient and in another case; the staff chose to ignore a request to resuscitate the patient. The hospital is also facing charges from Child Protective Services for failure to provide adequate services to an infant in the Neo Natal unit at the hospital.

The medical staff at Faith Community Hospital is providing charitable services that have not been authorized by management. The pharmacists are offering payment plans for prescription refills to customers that cannot afford their medication. The counselors are providing therapy pro bono as well. On the other end of the spectrum, employees are refusing to treat patients that cannot verify health coverage.

There are three major problems hindering the success of Faith Community Hospital. The first problem is the mission statement. The mission statement uses spiritual heritage and values as its platform. The mission statement is broad and has led to individual interpretations of the mission statement that are incorrect. The diverse mission statement's lack of clarity created an organizational culture that enabled each staff member to make up his or her own rules based on their individual beliefs.

There are a few alternatives that can be used to correct the problem with the mission statement. The mission statement should be explained to the stakeholders, staff, and hospital administration to ensure that all employees understand the organization's mission. The correct interpretation of the mission statement will help employees govern themselves in a professional manner without implementing their own values, ethics and beliefs as the basis for making decisions. Another alternative would be to hold each employee accountable for his or her actions. A code of conduct should be implemented and each employee should be notified that compliance with the new policy is mandatory.

The unprofessional behavior of the staff resulted in a negative public image at the hospital. Additionally, the staff has broken laws, taken liberties with patient care that could possibly lead to litigation. Management needs to take control of the staff and develop a set of rules and regulation as well as guidelines for the staff to follow. The organizational culture thus far has allowed each employee to operate as a sub-contractor instead of an employee.

The inconsistent treatment of patients without healthcare is another problem

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