Essay about Difficulties in Healthcare Organizations

Healthcare organizations are often susceptible to various problems related to the effective work of healthcare professionals since the needs and demands of patients are growing to be more and more complicated due to the progress of the modern medicine to the extent that healthcare professionals are viewed as almighty beings able to treat effectively all existing disease, but, in actuality, it is far from reality. Nevertheless, such an attitude to healthcare organizations may cause serious problems related to their human resource management. In this respect, it should be said that the high level of responsibility and the high demands often lead to the lack of healthcare professionals but, at the same time, the lack of attention to the proper financing and support of perspective IT specialists working in the field of healthcare also causes the problem of the lack of such specialists though new technologies being professionally applied in the healthcare organizations could be much more effective than they are, if are at all, applied in healthcare organizations.

On facing these problems, different healthcare organization attempt to solve them in different ways having a different level of success. In this respect, it is possible to refer to examples of Mount Carmel Health System in Columbus, Ohio, and the Tucson Medical Center, healthcare organizations that have chosen relatively similar ways of development and solution of the problems defined above. First of all, it should be said that, unlike many other healthcare organizations, Mount Carmel Health System and the Tucson Medical Center pay a lot of attention to the employment of a large number of healthcare professionals which are board certified. Naturally, such a status provides the personal with the self-assurance and strong belief in the stable and permanent work in the future (Clarke, 2000). As a result, the effectiveness of their work increases while the turnover of the personnel is low, especially compared to other healthcare organizations.

Furthermore, it is necessary to underline that these healthcare organizations pay a particular attention to their patients. To put it more precisely, the physicians work closely with nursing and other hospital staff to ensure that every patient receives quality care (Notorantonio, 2006). This means that every professional realizes his responsibility but, at the same time, he/she perfectly understands that he/she is really significant not only for the normal functioning of the healthcare organization but also for the life of patients they take care of. This fact is very important because it may be viewed as a serious stimulus for the long-term work of the personnel in Mount Carmel Health System and the Tucson Medical Center.

Finally, it should be said that both organizations pay a particular attention to the implementation of the latest equipment and technologies that naturally attracts IT professionals working in the field of healthcare (Keener, 1999). At the same time, they have some unique facilities and technologies. For instance, the Tucson Medical Center has the region’s only emergency department dedicated specifically for children and the only hyperbaric chamber in Southern Arizona.

Thus, it is possible to conclude that the problems of human resource management such as the lack of professionals may be solved by means of the implementation of the latest technologies and employment of the sufficient number of professionals which could provide the essential healthcare services of the highest quality.

References

• Anonymous (1994, May). New technologies will impact HR departments. HR Focus 71 (5), 11. Retrieved on August 13, 2007 from Proquest. Technology Impact
• Clarke, R. L. (2000). Investing in the human resource. Healthcare Financial Management 54 (2); 16. Retrieved on August 13, 2007from Proquest. Investing in the human resource.
• Keener, R. (1999, May). Problems for everyone in IT staffing needs. Healthcare Management Technology 20 (4), 10. Retrieved on August 13, 2007 from Proquest. Mount Carmel
• Minehan, M. (1997, December). Technology’s increasing impact on the workplace. HR Magazine 42 (12), 168. Retrieved on August 13, 2007 from Proquest. Workplace Impact.
• Notorantonio, R. (2006). Going Once, Going Twice… Health Management Technology 27 (2), 30. Retrieved on August 13, 2007 from Proquest. Tucson Medical Center.
• United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (2003). Employment & Unemployment. Retrieved on December 8, 2003, from http://www.bls.gov/.