Do you have an understanding of body language gestures and posturing?

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Course: Leadership in Healthcare Organizations
Course Textbook: Organizational Behavior in Health Care
Author: Nancy Borkowski
ISBN: 9780763763831 —

Assignment Readings —
• Online reading: See “Online Reading” below
• From your course textbook, Organizational behavior in health care, read the following chapters:
o Workplace communication
o Stress in the workplace and stress management
o Decision making
o Conflict management and negotiation skills —
Assignment Instructions —
• Use your course textbook as your primary reference source as much as possible, then the internet and online reading as secondary sources of information. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format. —-
Topic: Self-assessment of Communication Skills –
See Added Files for template provided to document all your answers for this assignment. —
In this assignment, you will develop an understanding of how good listening is crucial to effective communication and career success. In addition, you will perform a personal assessment of your communication skills and style. —
As a student studying healthcare administration and leadership in healthcare, you should be developing your own personal development plan to include a personal assessment of your communication skills. —
Listening is an integral part of the communication process. Communication in the healthcare setting is vital. This includes communication between doctors and patients, doctors and nurses, clinicians and administrators, and so on.–

Based on your learning, create a 3- to 4-page Microsoft Word document that includes answers to the following questions (use template to document all your answers):
• Which topic of conversation makes you uncomfortable? What is the topic? Do you know why you find it difficult to talk about this topic?
• What do you do when you become uncomfortable during a conversation? Do you withdraw? Do you try to change the topic? Do you speak louder or softer? Do you begin to gesticulate?
• Have you had an occasion to talk to a very persuasive or very aggressive person? If you and this person hold different opinions, can you hold to your position? Are you easily “led” in a conversation?
• Are you flexible in a conversation? If a comment made by someone takes the conversation in an unexpected direction, can you adjust quickly? Can you assimilate new information, reassess your position, and continue the conversation?
• When entering into a conversation, do you attempt to eliminate potential distractions and interruptions?
• Do you consciously avoid having important conversations in high traffic public areas where environmental distractions are likely possible? Why?
• Do you put your cell phone in the silence mode when you are likely to have conversations? Why?
• Do you listen without interruption and sufficiently control the conversation to minimize interruption? Why?
• When engaged in a conversation, do you give your undivided attention to the matters being discussed? Why?
• When engaged in discussion, do you develop reflective questions pertinent to the conversation? Why?
• When engaged in discussion, do you make conscious eye contact? Why?
• When involved in conversations, are you cognizant of body language, both the individual you are conversing with and your own? Why?
• Do you have an understanding of body language gestures and posturing? —
In a self-assessment summary, provide a list of your communication strengths and weaknesses. Also, provide a plan to address the weaknesses identified. —
Support your responses with examples.
Cite any sources in APA format. –
To receive maximum points for this assignment, cover ALL areas in grading criteria below. –
Assignment Grading Criteria Maximum Points
Presented an analysis and assessment of your communication skills and style. 15
Met the criteria for the correct responses to each of the questions assigned. 15
Provided a self-assessment summary, listing your communication strengths and weaknesses, and a plan to address the weaknesses identified. 15
Used correct spelling, grammar, and professional vocabulary. Cited all sources using APA format. 5
Total: 50
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“Online Reading” —

What is the government’s role in regulating healthy and unhealthy behavior?

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Write a 2- to 3-page paper. Your written assignments must follow APA guidelines. Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Pocket Guide to APA Style to ensure that in- text citations and reference list are correct. Submit your assignment to the Dropbox by the end of this Unit.

In 2007 San Francisco began its Healthy San Francisco Plan designed to provide health care for all San Francisco citizens. In 2007, it was estimated that San Francisco had 82,000 uninsured citizens. Under the plan, all uninsured citizens residing in San Francisco can seek care at the city’s public and private clinics and hospitals. The basic coverage includes lab work, x-rays, surgery, and preventative care. The city plans to pay for this $203 million coverage by rerouting the $104 million the city currently spends treating the uninsured in the emergency rooms, mandating business contributions, and requiring income-adjusted enrollment fees. The plan requires all businesses with more than 20 employees to contribute a percentage toward the plan. Many business owners consider this a burden and warn they will not stay in the city. The Mayor sees universal health access a moral obligation for the city.

Take one of the following positions.

  • San Francisco has an obligation to provide its citizens with health access.

    -OR-

  • San Francisco does not have an obligation to provide its citizens with health access.

Discuss the following in your assignment:

  1. What is the government’s role in regulating healthy and unhealthy behavior?

  2. Has the balance between personal freedom and the government’s responsibility to provide health and welfare of its citizens been eroded? Why or why not?

Would the US be able to transit to the British style of national healthcare?

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Private vs. Public Control

The major payers in private healthcare (other than government programs) are employers, and this has been true since the inception of health insurance programs. There are several reasons why this is so, but one of the main reasons is employees are a defined risk pool based on the work performed for the company. Healthcare insurance companies are able to predict the financial risk (as in an experience rating) taken by the type of employees. If, for instance, the work is dangerous or injury prone, such as direct care in a nursing facility, then the cost to insure that group would be higher than for employees working at a telecommunications office. Government healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, do not measure the cost of healthcare by the experience ratings.

Based on your understanding of the topic, answer the following:

  • Can programs like Medicare and Medicaid adopt such methods to defray costs? If yes, how would they implement such methods? If no, what suggestions would you make to defray costs?

Most of those receiving Medicare and Medicaid benefits are not employed.

  • How the recipients of these programs be categorized into different risk pools? Explain.

The aging population is a force in healthcare continuing to have a dramatic effect on the direction of healthcare services. Many have discussed the aging population as the reason for the rising cost of healthcare. The pre- and baby-boomer generation (1946–65) were less knowledgeable and informed regarding the health risks and, therefore, engaged in risky behaviors that increased their susceptibility to chronic healthcare issues later in life.

  • What does that mean to the viability of Medicare and Medicaid?

Regardless of how many changes are made to Medicare to try to keep it solvent, aren’t the sheer numbers of eligible recipients versus the ever decreasing number of people paying into Medicare the real reason why Medicare will cease to exist in its present form?

  • Do you agree with this question? Why or why not?

The British national healthcare system owns many hospitals and directly employs workers. General practitioner salaries are set by the British government. The funding for healthcare services comes mostly from the government. This is significantly different from the US healthcare systems. Consider the issues with government healthcare programs in financing and administration.

  • Would the US be able to transit to the British style of national healthcare? Why or why not?
  • In comparison to the British system and US system, what would be some of the challenges the US would face in adopting a national healthcare system? Discuss at least three challenges.
  • Employer-sponsored healthcare benefits should be maintained or done away with in favor of a government sponsored healthcare program? Why or why not? Think through this situation as representing both an incentive and a hindrance. If it is a hindrance, then what is it hindering in the way of government-sponsored healthcare programs?

Explains why quality and patient safety are important, particularly for this health care setting.

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For this Application Assignment, you will consider quality and patient safety efforts for a particular type of organization.

To prepare for this Application Assignment:

  • Select a health care setting such as an acute care hospital, long-term care facility, or private clinic.
  • Consider the importance of quality and patient safety in this organization.
  • Consider the challenges to providing quality and patient safety in this organization.

To complete this Application Assignment, write a 2- to 3-page paper that:

  • Explains why quality and patient safety are important, particularly for this health care setting.
  • Identifies the key challenges regarding quality and/or patient safety for this setting.
  • Describes at least two strategies for improving and assuring quality and patient safety in this setting and explains why you chose these strategies.

Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct.

 

Required Resources

Media

  • Video: Dentzer, S. (2006). National campaign aims to curb hospital mistakes, saves lives. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/july-dec06/lives_08-18.htmlThis video presentation includes an interview with Dr. Donald Berwick discussing the 100,000 Lives Campaign. There is also an option to download the audio only.

Readings

  • Course Text: Jonas & Kovner’s Health Care Delivery in the United States
    • Chapter 11, “High Quality Health Care”

    This chapter defines quality of health care and how differing definitions of quality care are influenced by the perspective of different stakeholders. Chapter 11 also addresses basic strategies for managing quality within the inherent complexity of health care organizations.

  • Article: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2008). The current state of health care quality. Retrieved from http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=30711

This article provides an overview of three key concerns in quality health care: underuse, overuse, and misuse of resources. The full article is available for download by scrolling down the page to the Publication and Resources section and clicking Download to view “The Current State of Health Care Quality Overview.”

  • Article: Wharam, J. F., & Sulmasy, D. (2009). Improving the quality of health care: Who is responsible for what? JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 301(2), 215–217. Retrieved from http://jama.ama-assn.org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/cgi/reprint/301/2/215?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=1&andorexacttitle=and&andorexacttitleabs=and&fulltext=measuring+quality&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=10&sortspec=relevance&fdate=7/1/2005&resourcetype=HWCIT

This commentary provides definitions, obligations, and implications of quality health care. The article also provides an overview of pay-for-performance and general quality improvement measures.

  • Article: McFadden, K. L., Stock, G. N., & Gowen, C. R. (2006). Exploring strategies for reducing hospital errors. Journal of Healthcare Management, 51(2), 123–135. Retrieved fromhttp://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=20416533&site=ehost-live&scope=site

This study explores strategies for reducing hospital errors such as (1) partnership with stakeholders, (2) reporting errors free of blame, (3) open discussion of errors, (4) cultural shift, (5) education and training, (6) statistical analysis of data, and (7) system redesign. Focus your attention on the “Executive Summary” section within the first three pages and the “Discussion” section of the study.

Answer