Maricopa County Regional Hospital has recently completed negotiations to purchase St. Andrews Hospital. Maricopa County Regional Hospital has long been known as the preferred hospital in the area because of its high level of quality of care. St. Andrews does not rank as highly in quality of care however it does provide several inpatient and outpatient services that Maricopa County Regional Hospital does not provide. During the course of the sale of St. Andrews Hospital to Maricopa County Regional Hospital, it was indentified that the working relationships of the employees of two facilities would need special attention.
The management of Maricopa County Regional Hospital and St. Andrews Hospital identified several key areas that will be impacted during the merger. As a middle manager at Maricopa County Regional Hospital, my job is to ensure that the combined staff will work together without taking on a competitive stance. Taking into consideration the key areas that will be impacted in the merger, new hierarchies and job descriptions will need to be made for many of the employees.
This essay will discuss the transition of the employees and the impact the merger will have on the culture of the new combined organization and will address how systems will be developed as the new organization takes shape. Impact of Sale on the Culture of the Organization The culture and working conditions for the employees of both organizations will be impacted during and after the merger. Each organization currently has its own way of doing business. Employees are used to the way their organization currently works.
As the two organizations merge employees and management will possibly need to get used to a new set of policies and procedures as well as new expectations and a new order of business. The job descriptions and roles of many of the employees will change. Many of the employees of St. Andrews Hospital will now be managed by staff members from Maricopa County Regional Hospital and, due to the fact that St. Andrews has inpatient and outpatient services that Maricopa County Regional Hospital does not have, many of the employees of Maricopa County Regional Hospital will be managed and trained by St. Andrews Hospital employees.
Management has already identified that the current relationship between the two organizations has been competitive and adversarial in the past and the flow of communication in the new organization will likely be hindered. Allegiance to one manager or team member may be preferred versus working with another manger or team member. Two employees may now have identical job descriptions but one will have to move into a new or changed position to accommodate for changes in the new organization. Job analyses and classifications will have to be rewritten or new job positions added as well as a new hierarchy of order and management.
Some current jobs within each of the hospitals will be absorbed into the new job analyses which will serve as a ‘master” for a family of jobs in each department” (Liebler & McConnell, 2008, p 199). Some employees may resent the changes in the new organization or having to transfer to a different job within the organization. Team work among the newly formed units could be hampered. With new job descriptions some employees will find they will have to physically move to the other hospital leaving their formed relationships and possibly have longer commuting times to work.
This could be difficult for some employees and may require a period of adjustment. Ensuring the Combined Staff will Work Together without a Competitive Stance Communication between all the members of both organizations will be key to a smooth transition among the staff. Because the organizations currently have different hierarchies of management and processes, communication needs to be made uniform between the two organizations so that all members have equal access to instructions, memos, policies, procedures and regulations (Liebler & McConnell, 2008).
Along with receiving communication, management needs to be effective in delivering communication. Different forms of communication need to be used during this transition to ensure all staff members understand the new organization’s policies and procedures. Different forms of communication include written, such as memos and policies, as well as verbal, such as individual, team and staff meetings. During verbal communication each person needs to engage in active listening and active participation in the meetings (Liebler & McConnell, 2008).
Clear job descriptions and hierarchies will be developed so that every employee is sure of their role in the organization and who their manager is. The revised job descriptions along with “mental, physical, and technical” qualifications will be used to determine employee suitability for the new positions within the organization as well as possibly eliminating positions (Liebler & McConnell, 2008). Using these criteria for placement of employees in positions within the new organization will “foster a positive climate of compliance with nondiscriminatory practices” (Liebler & McConnell, 2008, p. 204). Orientation and training programs tailored to specific job duties” (Liebler & McConnell, 2008, p. 204) will be implemented for all employees even if their job description has not changed. This is to ensure that the expectations of the new organization are conveyed to each employee as well as overall compliance with “legal, regulatory, contractual, and accrediting mandates” (Liebler & McConnell, 2008, p. 204). Unit managers will ultimately be responsible for their team once it has been placed; making sure that each member of their unit is compatible and competent to handle the demands of the job.
The unit manager will determine if an employee will need to be transferred or reconsidered for a position within the new organization. In order to make all staff enjoined in the success of this merger, each person needs to feel as though they have a role in that success and a benefit in the outcome. When employees are engaged in their organizations and continually learning in their jobs they are more likely to work toward the success of the organization. According to Peter Senge (1990), “… in situations of rapid change only those that are flexible, adaptive and productive will excel.
For this to happen, it is argued, organizations need to ‘discover how to tap people’s commitment and capacity to learn at all levels” (Peter Senge and the Learning Organization, p 2. ). “Building a shared vision” (Senge, 1990, p. 6) through teams and teamwork will be vital to the success of the new organization. As Peter Senge points out, when on a team with a shared goal, “people talk about being part of something larger than themselves, of being connected, of being generative” (Peter Senge and the Learning Organization, 1990, p. 3).
Job satisfaction among physicians and staff will be vital to employee retention. The Organization Systems and Shape Implementing systems of communication and teamwork during the transition faze of the merger will shape this organization as one of shared responsibility toward the organization’s success. The staff will be continually engaged in learning, especially those who have taken new job descriptions and management. Exchange of ideas and thoughts will be encouraged throughout the organization in order to create a learning environment. Management will be engaged in active support and appreciation of staff.
The systems that will be implemented will make the organization adaptable to rapid changes in the future. The main objective through this merger of Maricopa County Regional Hospital and St Andrews Hospitals will be to help the employees be as adaptable as possible with little or no impact on the patients or community. Through a new culture of team work and cooperation the staff can be involved in an environment that encourages learning, communication, and job satisfaction. The main challenge indentified in accomplishing a smooth merger will be effective communication. References Cameron, P. J. Este, D. C. & Worthington, C. A. (2010, January/February). Physician retention in rural Alberta: Key community factors. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 101(1). Retrieved from http://www. ecampus. phoenix. edu Castaneda-Hidalgo, H, Acevedo, G. , Garza, R. , Melendez, C. , Rangel, S. , Aguilera, A. (2009). Translation and adaptation of an instrument to measure nurse job satisfaction. Hispanic Health Care International. 7(3). Retrieved from http://www. ecampus. phoenix. edu. Liebler, J. G. & McConnell (2008). Management Principles for Health Professionals (5th ed. ). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Ch. 6,13) Retrieved from http://www. ecampus. phoenix. edu. Morgan, G. B. , Sherlock, J. J. , Ritchie, W. J. & Righi. (2010, January/February). Job satisfaction in the home health care context: Validating a customized instrument for application/PRACTITIONER APPLICATION. Journal of HealthcareMmanagement 55(1). Retrieved form http://www. ecampus. phoenix. edu. Smith, M. K. (2001). Peter Senge and the learning organization. The encyclopedia of informal education. www. infed. org/thinkers/senge. htm. Last update: September 03, 2009. Retrieved from http://www. ecampus. phoenix. edu.
