The increasing rate of daytime robberies in City X requires an urgent response. The first step in the said direction is the creation of a strategic plan outlining the key components of the intervention. The following paper presents a draft of a strategic plan including the required analysis and synthesis processes, the list of units involved, and the description of equipment necessary for the project’s success.
Investigative Steps
To deal with the robberies effectively and produce a lasting effect, it is necessary to outline a plan that would include the key areas of activities. The most feasible place to start is the existing bulk of data. Therefore, the first step would be the examination of the reports available from the nearby police departments. This move will provide the investigation with a list of the key stakeholders as well as an approximate picture of the issue at hand.
Second, the available video footage of the crime scenes should be requested and reviewed to obtain first-hand information. Simultaneously, selected witnesses and victims from the recent robberies need to be contacted and interviewed to obtain the comprehensive accounts for the cases with inconsistencies. Fourth, the forensic evidence should be requested for analysis whenever the initial findings are considered incomplete.
After the consistency of the data is ensured, the fifth recommended step is to contact the police organizations within the city and locate the data on the robberies, which would make it possible to spot the similarities in the cases. Once enough data is collected, the sixth step would be to systematize it into a meaningful report outlining the main trends of the crimes (e.g. location and time of the day). Seventh, the report will be converted to visual format via mapping tools.
Eighth, the local agencies and impacted stakeholders will be contacted based on the information derived from the map. Ninth, the findings should be corroborated by contacting the organizations from the neighboring cities and inquiring about the similar increases observed in their areas. Finally, as a tenth step, the possible indirect influences on the rise in robberies will be analyzed and invited for collaboration if necessary.
Technological Assistance
The success of the plan depends largely on the quality and relevance of the technology used by law enforcement in the investigation process. The technology necessary for assisting the campaign in question can be grouped into four categories. The first category includes advanced forensic tools necessary for obtaining high-quality data from the crime scenes. Fuming kits for cyanoacrylate fingerprinting as well as vapor wands fall into this category.
The second group involves tools that log and store evidence. The most common example is a video surveillance system such as a traffic camera that may offer footage from the scene of the crime. The third, and possibly the most important category involves tools for processing and synthesizing data (Wyllie, 2013). This group includes mapping tools for aggregating data on robberies and converting it into a meaningful geographical summary, and various databases of forensics (e.g. Combined DNA Information System utilized by numerous law enforcement organizations) (FBI, 2017).
The computational capacity of the modern data analysis platforms can significantly decrease the time required for the analysis and produce more reliable findings. Finally, communication technology will be necessary to successfully conduct an investigation, both for internal use (to establish communication among the police officers) and to obtain information from outside sources (e.g. anonymous reports of criminal activities from citizens) (United States Government, 2017). The recent advances in encryption of data would allow for more secure storage and transfer of data and decrease the possibility of security breaches.
Analysis Measures
The most apparent measures that can be used in the analysis of the criminal activity in the city are the reports of the police departments within the area. While the reports contain limited information on robberies, the most important data for the initial analysis (the location of each robbery and the list of victims and witnesses) should be available in all cases. Once this initial data is retrieved, the next step would be to examine the evidence collected at the scene (including video footage) to gain additional insights wherever appropriate.
Once a satisfactory profile of the majority of crimes is formed, the data from the neighboring zones can be requested and matched to the findings of the analytical department to verify the implications of the results. Simultaneously, the historical data on robberies will be located and examined for consistency with the newly found trends so that any apparent similarities or anomalies could improve our understanding of the issue.
Data Synthesis
Once all of the potentially valuable data is retrieved from the identified sources, it will be possible to synthesize it into a unified picture. This can be done quantitatively (by processing numerical data) and visually (by mapping the results).
The quantitative aspect would require the robbery data to be distributed on a certain timescale (e.g. annual basis). In this way, it will be possible to understand the rate of change in criminal activities in the area and express it in an accessible form (Santos, 2017). Next, the incorporation of historical data can be added to the synthesis. This move may account for the possible anomalies in data and further improve the validity of data since it will allow for a comparison of the results to those from the previous years.
Once the data is processed, it can be added to the database where it can be filtered and sorted based on one of the several parameters such as the date of the event, the number of individuals involved, the geographical location of the robbery, and the approximate time of the day. The formation of the database will also allow for generating charts and graphs of the entire dataset as well as its selected segments. To assist the process, it will also be necessary to transfer the data onto a map of the city to visualize the per-region activity of the crimes. The most appropriate tool for this task is the Geographical Information Software (GIS) which is commonly used by law enforcement entities for similar tasks (ArcGIS, n.d.).
Investigative Unit Types
The effective facilitation of the plan would require the involvement of several types of units. First, a primary investigation unit needs to be formed from the officers of the city’s police departments. It is also recommended to collaborate with the organizations from the surrounding jurisdictions to create investigative divisions outside the city’s jurisdiction. Next, the handling and analysis of the evidence collected from the scenes as well as the collection of new evidence in the future necessitate the introduction of a forensics unit. To prevent the challenges associated with the complexity of the sophisticated technological tools it is recommended to form an analytics unit. Finally, if the number of patrol officers in the city is determined insufficient, it might be necessary to introduce additional patrolling units.
Necessary Supplies and Equipment
Aside from the standard equipment issued to police officers, it will be necessary to ensure the availability of the data analysis tools. Depending on the diversity of the variables involved, these tools may be in the form of simple spreadsheet suites or statistical data analysis software. Next, the advanced forensics equipment should be available to the investigators such as fuming kits for fingerprint collection.
Next, the GIS suite would be necessary to produce and update an interactive map of the robberies. Finally, a database solution will be needed that would ensure a sufficient level of accessibility for the investigators and security for minimization of the likelihood of the data breach. Finally, if the scope of the project would require the hiring of the additional staff, the patrolling units will need to be equipped with vehicles.
Since most of the listed equipment is relatively expensive, application for grants may be required to ensure an adequate supply of the project. The Community Policing Development Program offered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services is one of the viable directions to pursue additional funding (COPS, 2016). The program assists in the local efforts to reduce criminal activities.
Conclusion
Addressing robberies on a city-wide scale is a task that requires consistent planning. The suggested plan focuses on the analysis of the available evidence intended to facilitate a coordinated community-wide response to the issue. The reliance on statistical data and mapping is expected to contribute to the validity of the obtained data and eventually result in the apprehension of the individuals responsible.
Monitoring of the implementation phase in strategic planning
The implementation phase involves translating the plans identified in the strategic planning process into specific policies that are implementable at functional units such as marketing, human resource, finance among others. It also involves identifying the resources that would best suit each functional unit and also allocate them accordingly. The implementation phase may become problematic if it is not well monitored. Monitoring is an essential stage in the implementation phase because it is involved in identifying whether the intended changes in the strategic plan are going as expected (Dusen, 2010).
The strategic plans of the Homeland Security Department in the United States in the implementation phase are likely to face some huddles. The strategic plan that is most likely to experience the highest number of problems in the implementation phase will be that of ensuring that there is no entry of dangerous people in the United States. The challenges that are probably to arise in this strategic plan include the fact that terrorists are mostly disguised as United State’s citizens as they did during the September 11th attack. This could pose a problem in the identification of the actual terrorists within or outside the US territories. This calls for a continuous re-evaluation of the strategic plan to conform to the ability of the enemy to change.
For the Homeland Security Department to monitor the effectiveness in the implementation of this strategic plan, the following pertinent questions must be answered by its management: How will the Homeland Security Department implement this strategic plan? In case there is a problem in the implementation process, how is it going to be resolved? What precisely is required in the implementation process (Bryson, 2011)? If the above questions are addressed it will be easier to monitor the implementation of this strategic plan and effect the necessary changes that are required in case of any shortcoming that may be encountered.
References
Bryson, J., M. (2011). Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening and Sustaining Organizational Achievement. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Several strategies change an organization’s position about a strategic plan. One strategy is to motivate an organization to adopt a strategic plan to inform the organization of the potential benefits and actual benefits of the plan. The second strategy is to convince the organization to sell the idea of a strategic plan as an opportunity for the organization to rethink its overall objectives, review its mission and vision and create a launching point for new positive initiatives. Moreover, the strategic plan convincing process will note that the organization can use the opportunity to evaluate its current activities and discontinue those that are not in line with its core vision (Bryson, 1988).
The last possible strategy would be to inform the organization of the need to have a strategic plan as a mandatory implementation to ensure that it does not become a victim of irrelevancy in its respective industry.
Going with the motivational strategy is the best choice. This strategy allows one to convince the organization using existing examples and provides room for extra customization. Using the motivational strategy uses the organizational mandate for service to its community. It allows one to present the organization as a bridge of national priorities and specific local priorities of the community it serves (Bryson, 1988).
A motivational strategy is structural. One starts with an analysis of the amount of information available in an organization about a strategic plan. Next, the organization is approached with a sensitization program to educate it on the importance and benefits of strategic plans (Robinson, 1983). Moreover, the convincing party ensures that the focus remains on the benefits to be accrued with the adoption of a strategic plan. Thus, this strategy allows one to use other organizations that have successfully deployed strategic plans as prototypes.
Strategic Planning of Department of Homeland Security
The subject organization is the Department of Homeland Security. It has more than 80 staff both in management and junior levels. The organization has the mandate of ensuring that the American homeland is secure. When the organization is not handling border security, it handles disaster preparedness through its Emergency Preparedness and Response Division. The organization coordinates the activities of the government while responding to disasters.
The strategic issues for the organization are that the organization has to use the military in carrying out its mandate of defending the homeland. The use of military raises policy issues. The organization needs principles to guide it in engaging the military in the modern conditions facing the US (Cornforth, 2001). Therefore, there is a need to identify the present security threats facing the US and develop proper guidelines for the organization on how it engages other governmental departments and the military.
The Department of homeland security now faces the task of being ever responsive, as traditionally defined threats appear more frequently (Strategic Issues, 2011). Another strategic issue that arises from the reorganization of the American military is to serve the role of preventing attacks rather than quelling already existing attacks. The organization relies on its senior leadership and leaders of its partnering departments and the Department of Defense and the Army, to make important military strategy that will eventually advance the cause of the organization (Boyd, 1991).
The determination of the strategic issues affecting the organization forms part of the first step of getting ready to develop the strategic plan (Robinson, 1983). During this first part, an implementing committee is set up and roles defined for each party in the implementation. The next step is the development of the organization profile and identifying the information that would be mandatory and beneficial for decision making during the next steps (Buckmaster, 1999). In the subject organization for this case, the organization formulates a work plan as the product of the first part (Armstrong, 1982).
The second part is the formation of a vision for the organization. At this stage, the mandatory programs and goals that the organization must run and strive to reach respectively are examined; thus, a review of the organization objectives. The definition of the mandate of the organization ensures that they are realized. Furthermore, the mandates give the organization operational boundaries. In summary, the organization came up with a redefined mission. It contained the specific purpose for the existence of the organization and the daily business that the organization carries out. Lastly, a vision of the ideals that the organization strives for was crafted. The result of this part was the drafting of the mission statement containing the above issues (Gottron & Shea, 2010).
The third part of strategic planning for the organization was the assessment of the current situation of the organization. This part gave rise to an information database for reference in decision-making. In this regard, the Department of homeland security has developed a Key Strategic Issue list (KSIL) as a reference material for the Army Department and the Defense Department. The KSIL identifies critical issues that should influence key decisions by top leaders in the military (Strategic Issues, 2011).
On step four, the question of what to do with the results of the last three stages was answered. The organization came up with an outline of its strategic goals. The organization also formulated specific measures for dealing with critical issues identified in the organization. During this part, there was considerable referencing on the results of the previous steps to ensure that the best plan is reached. In the fifth part, the strategic plan for the organization was finally realized (US Department of Homeland Security Handbook, 2010).
Key results for the strategic planning process were the formation of a research dedicated institution to provide research and analytical information that will guide policy formulations that affect the Department of Homeland Security and any other related organization. The institution now plays a key role in influencing military leadership, change and transformation to eliminate any conflict that may arise with the use of the military in defense against civilian groups (Sharp, 1985).
References
Bryson, J. M. (1988). “A strategic planning process for public and non-profit organizations”. Long Range Planning, 21(1), 73-81.
Robinson, R. B. (1983). “The impact of formalized strategic planning on financial performance in small organizations”. Strategic Management Journal, 4(3), 197-207.
Armstrong, S. J. (1982). The value of formal planning for strategic decisions: Review of empirical research. Strategic Management Jounal, 3(3), 197-211.
Boyd, B. K. (1991). Strategic planning and financial performance: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Management Studies, 28(4), 353-374.
Buckmaster, N. (1999). Associations between outcome measurement, accountability and learning for non-profit organisations. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 12(2), 186-197.
Cornforth, C. (2001). What makes boards effective? An examination of the relationships between board inputs, structures, processes and effectiveness in non-profit organizations. Corporate Governance: an International Review, 9(3), 217-227.
Gottron, F., & Shea, D. A. (2010). Federal efforts to address the threat of bioterrorism: selected issues for Congress. Congress Research Service.
Sharp, G. (1985). National security through civilian-based defense. Omaha, NE: Association for Transarmament studies.
Strategic Issues. (2011). Web.
US Department of Homeland Security handbook. (2010). Washington, DC: International Business Publications.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection seeks to prevent terrorists and weapons from getting into the heat of U.S. while facilitating efficient flow of legitimate goods and people in and out of the boarders. The body believes that the stake of international security and prevention of terrorism tendencies are significantly linked. Therefore, the success of international trade is in its ability to limit terror and facilitate free and effective flow of goods and people.
The core business of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection protection trade strategy is to enforce the U.S trade laws and ensure a free trade flow into the country (U.S. Customs and Border Protection 6). By fostering a secure and fair trade process that interdicts unsafe and inadmissible goods and people, and providing protection to the economic security of the industry, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection endeavors to strengthen the nation’s ability to deal with national and international trade security challenges and promote support trade (U.S. Customs and Border Protection 12).
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Strategic Trade plan for the financial years 2009 and 2013 was developed to address the increasing volumes of trade. The U.S. continues to witness a substantial growth of imports due to global economic integration. During 2007, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection department registered entry of goods worth $2 trillion and 10 million consignments represented by 810,000 importers. These statistics indicated that the trade had grown by 65% as compared to 2001. Analysts have suggested that the volume of trade would triple by the end of 2015 (U.S. Customs and Border Protection 6).
This eminent growth and the inherent risks associated with it challenge the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The department should develop strategies to align with the impending security risks of unfair trade, illegitimate imports, and ensure the safety of the nation’s economy. Therefore, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection focuses on the development of effective trade facilitation mechanisms among all the priority trade issues that expose the U.S. economy and security of its customers and trade stakeholders.
Strengths of the CBP Trade strategic plan
The direct collaboration with other government agencies, such as the homeland security, has enabled the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to deal with complex security challenges through information sharing approaches. Similarly, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has embraced quality monitoring by proposing regulatory requirements aimed at managing risks beyond its borders and before entry of goods and people. This includes disclosure of vital cargo and individual data in advance before transiting.
Weaknesses of the CBP Trade strategic plan
Non-compatible automation systems of data collection, management and monitoring do not allow for real time transaction. Another weakness facing the U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the focus on border intervention rather than on developing a strategy that goes beyond its borders (U.S. Customs and Border Protection 12; Schied 94).
Recommendations for improvement of the strategic plan
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection must seek out ways of modernizing its data management systems that will ensure real time collection, storage and dissemination of trade and security data (Schied 94). It must embrace integrated information shared with other security and trade agencies via a single-window interface system.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection must also undertake to train its workforce to adapt to the changing risk and law environment as presented by the impending security and trade risks. These skills should include risk assessment, database knowledge, and audit.
A survey of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection department reveals that the body must be prepared to resolve its infrastructure constraints, which have failed to cope with the ongoing explosion in trade volume transactions. For instance, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection should improve its current bandwidth Internet connectivity and monitoring stations (U.S. Customs and Border Protection 12).
Works Cited
Schied, Eugene. U. S. Customs and Border Protection: Performance and Accountability Report: Fiscal Year 2009. New York: DIANE Publishing, 2010. Print.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP Trade Strategy. Fiscal Years 20089-2013. 2009. Web.
Incorporating strategic planning and a well defined and elaborated financial planning are indeed one of the best and most important ways health service organizations (HSOs) can perform. This will make sure that their budget distributions are properly targeted to ensure long-range results. When one considers the strategic financial planning, with great assurance of a long series to its success, yearly budgets need to be clearly analyzed to serve a long period in regard to the organizational perception.
This paper discusses a gradual approach to strategic financial planning and its elaborated use to the healthcare industry by explaining further the amalgamation of these processes in order to accomplish a successful structure for the health service organizations’ missions and visions. Pacific Clinic is an appropriate organization that I will use to show how it has successfully strategized its financial planning to achieve its objectives.
Introduction
Strategic planning is a well-explained structure that helps any business organization to reach its success for a long period of time without experiencing failures. This plan only occurs after a unified commitment by the senior managers with an objective to follow a set of aims that are developed to promote the company’s vision and mission. Financial planning, if explained in a wider depth, would mean the progression of scrutinizing financial opportunities of the organization by carrying out a choice of these opportunities that will ensure the success of the organization. This is indeed one of the best ways of making your business successful among the organizations that provide healthcare services (Soyka, P. A. 2012).
Creating a multi-year estimation for that particular organization provides the financial reality that will entirely support the organization without problems in order to achieve its vision and mission.
The company’s mission and vision statement
For a company to achieve successful strategic financial planning, it is very essential that a mission and a vision statement of that particular organization are established in an appropriate planned manner. After the mission and vision statements have been made, then it means that there must be a long-range plan to ensure that these statements are put into effect (Khosrowpour, 2000).
The next step within the structural development of the vision and mission statement will be giving out the necessary support and responsibilities by each specific department in order to achieve the goals already established. In addition, each specific department must give support to the statements established. However, it is significant to note that before a long-range plan is created and these departments develop supporting goals, there should be coordination among the departments responsible for finance to develop a strategic plan that is in line with the assets and capital of the organization. All these strategic plans will never work if there is no capital to carry out during the implementation of the plan (Khosrowpour, 2000).
The mission of the Pacific Clinic is to provide empathetic healthcare of the required quality in its setting of education and matters pertaining to research. The vision of Pacific Clinic was indeed established with leaders of high integrity and personality who on the same note are visionary. They came up with the following core values and principles, compassion. All the members of the organization are required to be committed to compassionate care which include high level of respect for the patients’ and their supporting families.
The second principle was a guarantee of quality services; a commitment to achieve high quality has greatly made Pacific Clinic’s legacy of achievements and innovations which results to effectual and exceptional care of the patients (Olsen, 2012). The core value number three is collaboration; the organization’s staff work collectively as a team in order to share their experiences which in turn creates and enhances professionalism in regard to matters pertaining healthcare. Our delivery of services also depends entirely on matters of high integrity.
Members are also trained on matters pertaining general ethics within the organization. This will absolutely promote the provision of high level of healthcare services. The last core value of Pacific Clinic is general commitment. Pacific Clinic as an institution recognizes its strong accountability to the society in which it dwells, and even to the trustee members who in turn do oversee the necessary management resources (Olsen, 2012).
In fact, most healthcare organizations do associate their healthcare organizations’ mission and vision statements with the core values just the way Pacific Clinic company does. These values do provide a common direction for the whole organization. Once these statements have been established in conjunction with the core values, the organizations will always reach its set of goals and objectives. Pacific Clinic has mission statements which have been created by its major departments. Each department must support the major mission statements of the entire organization. The trustee of the Pacific Clinic has both the finance and investment committee which helps in matters related to financial management and resources.
Performance of the organization
Before the establishment of financial planning, it is also very essential to know the history of the organization especially during economic depression. In a healthcare service organization, performances will consist of a number of signs that can be able to reflect their mission and vision statements. In the year 2008, the annual report indicated that they have eight enterprise goals that are looking forward their mission and vision statements (Olsen, 2012).
In comparison to the data they reported in the year 2002-2004, there existed a great difference in terms of financial and management improvement. The number of patience being admitted increased in the year 2008 than ever before. This is an indication of how important putting a strategic plan in regards to vision and mission statement. The performances of the organization had greatly changed as new community programs were being developed. The education of the children also got enhanced up to some appropriate level which is worth being desired (Olsen, 2012).
Financial performance in regard to the company’s statements
For every healthcare service organization to maintain its excellent credit performance, it must have long term clinical recognition which will support its credit strength. Pacific Clinic has been rated the first among other organizations as from the time it established strategic financial planning. The organization has managed to achieve an Aa3 rating which also includes a positive outlook (Roussel, 2006). Pacific Clinic has achieved these positive rating due to strategic plans it made. Initially before the establishment of these plans, it was unable to be recognized as far as performance is concerned. In the first three months of the year 2008, their profit of operation was 8.0% as compared to the year 2004 which was 4.2%.
Despite other factors like economic hardships, Pacific Clinic has been able to recognize economic pressures before they really happen by constituting them in their strategic plans. Pacific Clinic has also failed to fill unnecessary positions but instead increased the physician workloads. As result, the patience being admitted was still stable even at the times of hardship or the times of economic recession. Admission rate was absolutely stable at 150,000 annually with general hospital visits increasing to over 4.2 million. Pacific Clinic has also created a method which will help it to restructure its debt.
Evaluation of the external environmental opportunities
An integrated financial planning consists of assessment to prospective market and the existing competitors, The Pacific Clinic leaders do review their financial and external environment which ensures that its strategic plan is in line with the strength of the organization and the competitive environment. Pacific Clinic has developed new strategies to maintain its position as a dominant industry as compared to others. It has always continued with its integration of care to patience. The Pacific Clinic has maintained its reputation over a long period of time (Roussel, 2006).
Pacific Clinic has greatly expanded its service in the surrounding environs. As per the moment, they operate 25 family health centers with their well developed pharmacies and even surgery centers. The company has also carried out a marketing research to open and develop new markets for its administration. This type of research was conducted by means of a questionnaire. So many people were pleased with the operations of the organizations.
Only 1% managed to complain on some areas of the operations of the business. This 1% number claimed that the company had not reached the remote areas. So a step was promised by the organization to expand its services even in remote areas. This only took effect a week later since the company had already established its strategic plans. What remained so far was to carry out the establishment of healthcare centers in the specific remote areas. These establishments are based on general provision of health matters. The highly qualified staff will be expected to be in those centers as soon as they are accomplished (Roussel, 2006).
One of the essential components of making a strategic plan is carrying out external analysis identifying the direct competitors. The Pacific Clinic’s direct competitors include Egerton Clinic in Mississippi, Trizah Hospital in California among others which the organization has identified and is working on. The entire recognition of Pacific Clinic has increased from 20% to 38% after the establishment of the strategic plan.
Based on the recent analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, Pacific Clinic has managed to identify the fact behind its success and has focused on four niche specialists like specialists dealing with matters pertaining the heart diseases, rheumatology, urology and lastly gastrointestinal disorders. Hearts care is ranked the first then followed by the remaining three. These defined specializations have in deed promoted the performances of the organization. Many people have indeed been looking and searching for the location of where Pacific Clinic is. One of our main strength is the company’s name and reputation. The company has entirely been known across the world and therefore we do not need to spend a lot of capital on advertisement (Roussel, 2006).
Maximizing the organization’s return to share holders
Strategic leadership is greatly in concern with matters related to management strategies and processes which will in turn increase the general performances of the organization. If this has taken place, there will be an irreversible increase of value to the shareholders of the company. In order to increase shareholder’s value, those concerned with management must try by all means to pursue the company’s strategies that will highly influence and increase the profitability of the organization. In order to achieve such a goal a company must have a competitive advantageous environment. After the establishment of this strategic leadership, profits will start to grow and grow thereby enhancing the shareholder’s return (Mooij, 2010).
In addition, maximizing shareholder value is the crucial goal of making profit among companies. This risk capital if in any case the company becomes bankrupt, it will not be refunded. Shareholders are the lawful title-holders of the corporation and therefore their shares stand for a claim on the profits the companies makes. Managers on the same note are required to demonstrate ethical behavior by becoming socially responsible in order to maximize shareholder value (Mooij, 2010). Shareholder value is the profits that shareholder gets from buying the shares in an organization.
The company must also know that competition is an endless process therefore they must be ready at all time to outweigh other organizations. The company’s success depends entirely on its objectives and the goals it achieves. The shareholder value will only be defined by the success of the organization (Mooij, 2010).
Merges and Acquisitions
This paper discusses the compatibility on merger and acquisition outcomes. In a detailed analysis, we explore various organizations on their usage and exploitation of mergers and acquisitions specifically the Pacific Clinic Company. In order to carry out a successful merger and acquisition, one needs to know the history of that particular firm in which it wants to combine with (Roussel, 2006).
Mergers and acquisitions involve the coming together of two companies to become a single body. These two organizations might be hostile to each other or friendly. In some cases, these amalgamating organizations might be co-equal to each other while in some instances one organization may completely dominate the other. Mergers involve two firms with the same amount of resources. If it happens that one firm or organization is smaller than the other; this situation is referred to as acquisition (Roussel, 2006).
Compatibility
Pacific Clinical firm always looks forward in ensuring that its engagement in merger and acquisition is compatible to the new organization. Compatibility is greatly important in conflict resolution matters. If there is internal diversity within the firm then it means that the normal functioning of the organization is also at stake (Roussel, 2006). To ensure that the company remains competitive, compatibility must be put into great consideration. So cultural similarity is very essential and will always have a positive effect to the shareholders.
A merger and acquisition are an important tool which needs to be implemented in order to achieve and make the company successful. It will identify the main requirements that should be put into consideration within the company so that it can maximize its profits. It will also be of great use as the company will be able to know various objectives it needs to put in place in order to avoid conflict, for example, complementarities (Roussel, 2006).
Strategies to the success of a merger and acquisition
Structural similarity
Size and structural similarity is essential as it will define how the organization’s members are required to coordinate and divide their responsibilities. If, for example, the organizations have similar structures then would mean that they have no difficulty in working under the new structure since the new firm’s structure is the same as the predecessor. Merger and acquisition created by different structures must look forward in ensuring that it establishes a logical structure for efficient functioning (Williams, 2009).
Familiarity
If members have great tie with each other then it would mean that they will have a similar frame references and cultures. If the organization’s members are familiar to each other leadership and decision making matters will be easy to make since they have similar ideas (Williams, 2009).
Complementarity
Firms that have similar balanced bundles of resources will always perform better. Two organizations that are complementary in terms of resources will do better to maximize their profits. Others which are in line with complementarity include geographical comlementarity, human and social complementarity, prior experiences to mergers and acquisitions (Williams, 2009).
Larger firms
Large organizations have better chances of accommodating people thereby making great profits. This type of firm is also easy to manage as it is spacious and flexible. It allows the storage of surplus goods.
Motivation of employees
Compensation
Compensation can be a tool which will greatly motivate employees to commit themselves to work. There are two types of compensation and they include; monetary and non-monetary. In this case, monetary rewards include health benefits, additional benefit (bonuses), commissions, and salary among others (Manas, 2002). Non-monetary rewards include safe and healthy working environment, equality and fair treatment of workers, recognition of workers’ effort when it comes to matters related to the success of the business. Compensation is one of the main strategies in business that promote, attract and it also on the same note makes you to remain competent as a firm. This should be done by offering salaries that do not appear to be lower that the market rates (Manas, 2002).
Appreciation of the best performers
Those who perform well in the firm should be rewarded and the e-mails should be sent to all the members in order to motivate them so that they also work hard to achieve such a reward. Ranking of members can also motivate the working team. One should given a rank in order to motivate others top work tirelessly hard. When it comes to rewards pertaining increment of salary, the company needs to identify its financial stability. It should put into consideration the profits the company is making. The capital of the company should reach the strategic goals that are put forward in order to achieve the desired goals without depleting the current financial status. Pacific Clinic always has some capital set aside for rewarding its workers. This is deducted from monthly profit from the company (Manas, 2002).
Ethics
This is the acceptable code of conduct that controls people’s behavior in a given organization. Pacific Clinic discourages unethical behaviors by offering training programs before employing any new members to the organization (Beatty, 2010). They are trained by experts. Misconducts are greatly discouraged by the firm and such members can lose their positions of work since it demeans the reputation of the company. Ethical members are also having guarantee to various forms of rewards which makes them to continue with the same spirit (Boyle, 2001).
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Soyka, 2012: “Creating a Sustainable Organization”: “Approaches for enhancing corporate value through sustainability”. Upper Saddle River, N.J: FT Press. 211:3252-45.
Swansburg, 2006:”Management and Leadership for Nurse Administrators”. “Sudbury”: Jones and Bartlett.212:2544-899.
Weaver, S. C2008. “Strategic Financial Management”: “Applications of Corporate Finance. Mason”, OH: Thomson/South-Western.
One of the pillars of quality health care is hygiene, which essential because it helps prevent a lot of health care infections that may turn out to be chronic if discovered late. However, hand washing has been a common hygiene practice that has been improved over the years to help suppress healthcare-based illnesses (Li et al., 2019). Though it is an old method of infection control, hand hygiene can prevent Catheter-Associated Tract Infection (CAUTI). Therefore, the following proposal is an evidence-based strategic plan for The Woman’s Hospital of Texas. The proposal is an effective hand washing technique in preventing CAUTI.
CAUTI is a standard healthcare-based infection caused by indwelling catheters. Indwelling catheters are tubes inserted in the urethra that helps in draining urine from the bladder into a storage bag. These tubes are applied where one is undergoing surgery and is not in the capacity of waking up (Donovan et al., 2018). Since CAUTI and urinary tract infection (UTI) has the same symptoms, they are associated with cloudy urine containing blood, releasing a terrible stench when exposed. CAUTI is also associated with chills, vomiting, unexpected fatigue, and fever.
After assessing the hospital, it came to the attention that the hospital is affiliated to cultural practices that have been approached as potential challenges in integrating the nursing practice mediation (Blanchet et al., 2018). The hospital has diverse working schedules and shifts that would be hard to monitor the hand washing process’s progress. The proposal’s implementation is based on infection control practice whereby the medical practitioners in the hospital would decontaminate their hands on the following circumstances. Before touching a patient, the nurse is recommended to wash their hands. Nurses are to clean their hands before cleaning or executing an aseptic procedure.
The caregivers should wash their hands after fluids from the body are exposed, after touching a patient and coming into contact with the patient’s surroundings (Donovan et al., 2018). However, the compliance to these instances should be monitored by the hygiene resources and health practitioners and should be audited at frequent intervals to improve sustainability.
In this hand washing technique, nurses are expected to put the cleansing agent to wash hands into consideration. The cleansing method would vary depending on the nature of the care intervention provided; they are compatible with the practice at hand (Blanchet et al., 2018). A suitable mode of washing hands would rely on the accessibility of resources close to the spot of medical care. In this case, Alcohol-Based Hand Rub (ABHR) would exterminate transient pathogens making the hands socially clean before and after direct patient contact. Thus nurses should note ABHR’s availability during routine use.
Water and soap are to be used in the following instances when nurses may soil the hands with body fluids or discernibly contaminated. On the other hand, nurses may use the soap before and after handling patients with diarrheal or vomiting complications (Li et al., 2019).
The proposal adopts a three-stage phase of washing hands with soap and water, which include preparation, washing and rinsing, and drying. To prepare the hands for washing means wetting the hands under running water and smearing enough soap. Washing and rinsing involve rubbing hands in different angles and twists to allow the soap to interact with the dirt. Drying would be effective 30 to 45 seconds of drying before and after engagements. To implement these hand washing techniques, it would be essential to train and onboard new nurses. Nevertheless, it would be crucial to shift scheduling and effect of care (Li et al., 2019). In other cases, it would be necessary to increase communication with the patient on their status.
References
Blanchet Garneau, A., Browne, A. J., & Varcoe, C. (2018). Drawing on antiracist approaches toward a critical antidiscriminatory pedagogy for nursing. Nursing Inquiry, 25(1), e12211. Web.
Donovan, A. L., Aldrich, J. M., Gross, A. K., Barchas, D. M., Thornton, K. C., Schell-Chaple, H. M.,… & Lipshutz, A. K. (2018). Interprofessional care and teamwork in the ICU. Critical Care Medicine, 46(6), 980-990. Web.
Li, F., Song, M., Xu, L., Deng, B., Zhu, S., & Li, X. (2019). Risk factors for catheter‐associated urinary tract infection among hospitalized patients: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 75(3), 517-527. Web.
The educational intervention program will be successful in preventing falls only after nurses start to apply the approach. Before implementing the education program, the organization needs to evaluate the needs, set goals, and start preparing for the change to prevent falls (Anaele-Nwogu, 2020). For complete sustenance and implementation of the nurse’s education intervention, there is a need to integrate organizational ongoing operation procedures. The strategy starts by defining the responsibilities and roles of nurses in preventing falls and the requirement to change to execute the best approaches. This will assist in minimizing resistance to the educational intervention by ensuring that all nurses understand why the concept is important (Ayton et al., 2017). The strategy address certain sections of paths and roles of accountability and communication. This paper summarizes the strategic plan for the nursing education intervention program in reducing falls.
The approach considers the delivery of data on fall risks in patient’s hands off to other areas and during discharge of patients. All levels of management are involved in obtaining their support and assisting in improving the educational practices of nurses to prevent patient falls. During the implementation, there is a monitoring system to track the changes in the rates of falls. The program is sustained through constant informing of senior managers on the progress of reducing falls. The top managers are vital as they are the source of resources, communication and assists in removing limitations of the intervention (Boye-Doe, 2017). Pilot testing of the educational approach is essential as it helps identify any challenges in the recommended processes and practices at the early phase hence improving the program in implementation. The data from the pilot test assists the organization in adopting the nursing education in meeting hospital requirements. After completing the pilot study, there will be enough data on sections that need education to improve nurses’ knowledge. Nursing education needs to operate closely with the hospital’s existing understanding of fall prevention experts.
Diabetic management is the current problem in public healthcare due to the spread of this diagnosis among the population. The critical detail is that poor diabetic management can lead to severe aggravation of the patient’s health state and even cause death. Therefore, articulating a practical and easy to implement in practice strategic plan for diabetic management can improve the health state of thousands of people. People diagnosed with diabetes should adopt healthy lifestyle habits and implement them for eight weeks to reduce the risks of aggravating their condition.
Background Discussion
The problem of diabetes management exists mainly because of patients’ fatalist or reluctant attitude to their health. Some people do not try to change their lives after being diagnosed with diabetes. In some cases, the problem is connected with a lack of knowledge about their diagnosis and the absence of an easy-to-follow plan that patients can use. The proposed project supposes that patients with diabetes will participate in the online community where they can support each other and exchange their results. Every person will receive a list of recommendations concerning nutrition, self-examination, and answers to the critical questions about diabetes. They will participate in this community for eight weeks, during which they will develop health habits that will alleviate their health state and prevent aggravation of the disease.
Educating people with diabetes about self-management is a significant concern that this strategic plan addresses. Health care professionals do not always pay enough attention to evaluating the background information about a particular patient. In reality, people might have financial problems that do not allow them to buy only healthy food or have religious beliefs that influence their attitude to diabetes. (Brewer, Cooper, & Patten, 2019). At the same time, self-management and a healthy lifestyle are essential in coping with chronic illness. For this reason, healthcare professionals must provide patients with diabetes with thorough recommendations that are focused on the client’s background and peculiarities.
Regular foot examination is an easy action that all patients with diabetes should perform. It is a sign of the health state, and ulceration, foot infections, and changes in the tissue mark the aggravation of the disease (Mishra et al., 2017). It is possible to state that regular examination of the feet allows the patient with diabetes to control the chronic disease and prevent serious adverse outcomes.
A balanced diet allows people with diabetes to control their health state and avoid changes in the sugar level in the blood. Moreover, a healthy diet might lead to the remission of diabetes, which shows that nutrition is an effective way to minimize the adverse effects of the disease (Forouhi et al., 2018). It is critical to give dietary guidelines to patients with diabetes and ask them to control their nutrition.
Stakeholders
The primary stakeholder potentially involved in my strategic plan is Facility Lafayette Regional Rehabilitation Hospital. Tracy Vanhook will be the preceptor and the project facilitator. It is possible to propose patients with diabetes participate in the group on social media, where they will share their results during the next two months. Moreover, the hospital educates its visitors about their diagnosis using the discussed strategic plan, which is an integral part of giving recommendations to patients.
Outcome Statement Evaluation Plan
The strategic management plan that Facility Lafayette Regional Rehabilitation Hospital curates aims at educating patients with diabetes about their diagnosis, self-management, diet, and daily healthy habits. It supposes that patients communicate in the online group, share results, and learn the necessary information about self-care for eight weeks. It is possible to state that people might develop healthier habits and learn about peculiarities of diabetes management during this period, which might improve their health state and lives in the long term.
It is necessary to use the online diary that allows for tracking the daily habits of people with diabetes to achieve the goals of this strategic plan. Creating an online community where people share their results might make people who participate in this experiment feel that they are not alone. The sense of belonging to a community with similar goals and problems is inspiring, motivating individuals with diabetes to continue implementing healthy lifestyle habits into their daily routine. Creating a group on social media or group chat on a particular messenger is possible. The achievements of all patients will be visible in their diaries, which is the objective way to evaluate the outcomes of the strategic planning and its efficiency.
Conclusion
To conclude, implementing the proposed strategic plan for diabetes management has a positive impact on the future. The main issue is providing patients with diabetes with the necessary information about their diagnosis, which decreases their anxiety and fear of the illness. When people have a detailed plan that describes even minor steps, they should take daily to ensure their condition does not progress, they feel more emotionally stable. Therefore, the positive impact of these changes gives people with diabetes a clear understanding of their health state and allows them to make everything possible to support their health.
References
Brewer, L. C., Cooper, L. A., & Patten, C. A. (2019). Diabetes self-management education for special populations: The social determinants of health matter. Public Health Reports (1974-), 134(3), 313–314. Web.
Forouhi, N. G., Misra, A., Mohan, V., Taylor, R., & Yancy, W. (2018). Dietary and nutritional approaches for prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 361, 1-9. Web.
Mishra, S. C., Chhatbar, K. C., Kashikar, A., & Mehndiratta, A. (2017). Diabetic foot. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 359(1), 1-7. Web.
Implementing Strategy for Staff Involvement and Experience
Staff Involvements in Clinical Governance
Clinical governance should contribute to the capability for patient, public and healthcare professional involvement through creating the environment for interaction, shared strategic care planning, and delivery of care based on shared goals and objectives (Porter-O’Grady, 1994; Donaho, 1984; DoH 1998). In addition, it should provide a basis for staff management, staff performance, and motivation that should be a function of structure and procedures for employee recruitment, workforce planning through training need analysis to ensure right staff identified for training and development (Sirgy and Su, 2000). The organization should demonstrate commitment to staff development through the development of policies and framework for staff education, in-house training, continuous staff professional development, provision of a psychological contract via work-life balance, and capabilities for data protection and management (Kaynak, 2003).
Clinical governance is important towards the development of framework and structures for clinical effectiveness as well as achievement of duty of care which should be supported by capabilities for clinical audit management (Rahman, 2001). In this respect, the Southern NHS Trust should also introduce as a lean operational process, review the quality and effectiveness of care, plan and monitor quality systems, invest in research and development towards determination of mechanism for quality improvement and audit efficiency of operational processes (Gutteridge, 2000; Hart et al., 2006). The clinical governance should define mechanism through which team working and workgroups are structured, enhance internal and external consultation in the healthcare, and advance the framework for promoting clinical and multidisciplinary teams (Oakland, 2003).
Communication Improvement
Lean implementation through clinical governance has capability to improve communication and flow of information material (Lewis et al, 2006), hence lead time improvement as documented by Poksinska et al. (2006)
Through staff communication, physician and nurses are able to prepare admission of a patient and preparation of patient management plan before the patient finally arrives at the concerned department which improves turnaround, lead time, decreases patient hospital length of stay and improves quality of care (Care Quality Commission, 2010). Communication improvement provides information processing that could be integrated into the patient administration system (Slater, 1997).
Staff Education: Elimination of Wastes Through Reduction of Nurse and Physician Interruptions
Lean principles could be implemented towards reduction of time wasted following physician interruption. This could be achieved through “Releasing time To Care” (RTTC) productive ward operational process that ensures nurses and physicians are not interrupted during operational processes for instance medicine administration processes. The process of improving medical administration facilitates in enhancing safety and quality of care hence improving health outcomes (The Good Governance standards for public services, 2004). Non-interruption ensures nurses have a higher time to spend with patients hence capability to provide more direct patient care. Interruptions of nurses or physician process contribute into creation of environment for making errors hence capability to improve on safety delivery of patient care (Halligan, 1999).
Process Maps
The staff ought to meet, periodically in order to review performance gaps based on operational process maps. This forms basis for continual quality improvement that enhances quality control, quality assurance and efficiencies of quality monitoring (Hogan et al, 2007). Through focus discussion, the staff is able to develop trust-wide standard processes as well as implement sharing of ideas towards improving clinical governance. Wards and departments, systems and sub-systems ought to implement reviewed standard processes. Non-interruption of staff results into quicker medicine rounds, improved turnaround and reduced chances of omitted medicines which plays role of increasing quality of care, decreasing hospital length of stay and improving quality of life (Staniland, 2009). Clinical process maps ensures capability to track patient treatment journey which ensured increased capability for departments and wards to share information and decreases patient length of hospital stay through close to real time data and information transfer.
Promoting Transparency and Disclosure Among Staff
Lean principles of management create an environment for management of staff duty handover as opposed to duty handover that is carried out of the ward without standardized procedures that result into reduction of staff in-attendance (Oakland, 2003). Managing staff duty handover ensures staff does not make independent notes or information which increases volume of notes, lead time and turnaround (Hogan et al, 2007). The healthcare facility ought to integrate RTTC productive wards towards shift handovers that are systematic, characterized by uniformity in patient notes and do not create opportunity for less staff to attend to patients which increases safety levels, ensures there is sufficient staff to attend to patient whose medical condition worsen. RTTC productive wards ensure handover is carried out inside the wards as opposed to outside the wards.
The Development of Staff Governance Committee
Each NHS Boart must have a staff governance committee headed by non-executive members. This committee will be accountable for the providing assurance of efficient and consistent clinical governance and insuring patient safety and quality of health care delivery. The committee also plays a crucial role in establishing the high-quality standards and ensuring that those standards are strictly adhered (DoH, 2000; DoH, 1999). Therefore, the members of the clinical governance committee should take control of the way the health care professionals fulfill their responsibilities and demonstrate high level of performance and adherence to the safety and quality of services. The actual implementation of clinical governance strategies is also included into the part of the committee’s duties (Bunch, 2001, p. 535).
With regard to the clinical staff, the committee should primarily focus on the improving the quality of services, enhance the clinical effectiveness, introduce effective risk management strategies and create a favourable environment for advancing professional performance (Bunch, 2001, p. 537). Hence, the quality improvement should be premised on a number of activities aimed at ensuring quality improvement, including the participation into the work out of clinical audit programmes, introduction of evidence-based practice and research, and producing accurate records of clinical information (Koc, 2007; Scally and Donaldson, 1998).
Clinical effectiveness consists in demonstrating and insuring the high outcomes of the established goals in terms of treatment strategies and application of experience to the recently issued research on nursing and clinical expertise (Kotter, 1995). The committee should monitor each practitioner’s level of competence and awareness of recent innovation to the field of nursing and health care. They should also be able to implement the acquired information into practice (Bunch, 2001, p. 537). Finally, the performance problems of the clinical staff should also be taken into the deepest consideration. This will definitely involve a sensitive analysis of the personnel department to define the climate within the organization and identify the risk factors and zones. The clinical staff must know that they can disclose their concerns connected with the work and the organizational environment in general.
Clinical governance contributes into documentation of roles and responsibilities of nursing staff (UKCC, 1992a, 1992b, 1992c). this is vital towards breeding discipline in the sector, through nurse requirement to demonstrate professional competence, performing tasks and responsibilities based on nursing principles of practice, adherence and conformity to nursing ethics of practice, enforcing team player attitudes and advocating for patients at risks hence capability to provide healthcare that is safe, patient supportive and free from abuse (UKCC, 1992a, 1992b, 1992c).
Implementing Sustainability: Shared Governance Model
Clinical governance strategy gains value through shared governance where healthcare staff holds focus meetings and healthcare organization provides nursing staff opportunities for career maturation (Porter-O’Grady, 1991; Jones et al., 1999) through investment in clinical supervision, governance and effectiveness which should meet needs of values of professional competencies. Through shared governance, excellence in healthcare is defined, evaluated and monitored towards achievement of sustainable quality of care (Wan et al., 2009). This has capability to ensure healthcare pathways and protocols are adhered to and complied with which ensures healthcare systems abides by national recommendations and guidelines for clinical governance strategy (Care Quality Commission, 2010; DoH, 1999). Adoption of multi-disciplinary approach in governance ensures system modification could be carried out based on benchmarking analysis and recommendations.
The Lean Management
Lean management is based on capability to implement order winner strategy through structured quick response times, increased lead times, low product cycle times, introduction of new competitive products, reliability of supply chain and delivery (Holweg, 2007). This creates foundation for flexibility of operational processes, quality of outputs and capability to gain value from customization strategy. Lean management utilizes order qualifiers that are characterized by adoption of attribute that enhance competitive advantage. This is subject to adoption of operational processes like functionality, customization, speed, costs and quality, operational process choices, work flow, rate of order processing and capacity management (Jones et al, 2000). Lean management depends on competencies of lean concepts like value stream mapping, 5-S model, Just-In-time strategic tools, Total quality management, six-Sigma model and capacity management. Implementation of Just-In-Time (JIT) should be structured towards waste elimination and continuous improvement by improving on lead time, cycle times and inventory and effectiveness of the supply chain
The 5-S model could be implemented through Sort such that there is elimination of operational processes that could not create value to the quality of product. The organization could ensure that operational processes are supported by systemic arrangement which ensures required materials are easily assessed which also reduced risks and fast personnel movement, reduces time spend searching for components and increases lead time. Lean management (Jones et al., 1999) provides basis for visual controls which creates opportunities for staff to visually identify movement of inventory throughout the manufacturing process. Through visual controls, lean management provides environment for application of error and mistake proofing techniques. This ensures employees are involved in product design process, supply-chain process, production process and delivery process which contributes into capabilities for achievement of quality at the source (Sirgy and Su, 2000). Lean management (Holweg, 2007) is vital towards set-up reduction through determination of individual steps that are involved in set-up processes. It provides capability to diagnose potential to reduce and eliminate equipment downtime. This is based on lean thinking that set-up doesn’t add value to the manufacturing operational process (Slater, 1997). Jones et al (1999) advanced argument that set-up reduction has impact of resulting into decreased throughput, reduction of lot sizes and achievement of consistency of production flow. Lean management provides basis for constraint management which further enhances throughput and strategic yield improvement. As a result, lean management is vital towards utility of process control buffers that reduces constraints in operational processes by reducing bottlenecks in operations. This ensures supply chain efficiencies hence non-delay or possible customer dissatisfaction (Wan et al., 2009).
Six sigma is vital towards determination of operational processes that are responsible for process variations towards achievement of reliable and quality individual operational processes. Employees ought to be trained on lean manufacturing technologies in order to develop competencies in application of six sigma model. Lean management plays a leading role towards strategic tool engineering which results into capability to design and build operational process tooling that is independent of employee. This ensures continuity and consistency of qualified process that pave way for quality products and customer satisfaction. Lean management based on Slater (1997) results into elimination of waste in operational process through determination of inventory that does not add value to a process at a given time or at a given product cycle. This ensures non-value inventory doesn’t create customer dissatisfaction through throughput delays. The capability to identify and eliminate waste ought to be considered as a lean management attitude.
The Reflection Section
Reflective Statements
My experience of working in team for presenting clinical governance strategy was a great challenge for me because I need to conduct researchers and propose solution to the NHS trust with people of different cultural background. While facing different cultural and ethnical context, it was quite difficult for me to conceive the specifics of the UK health structure. However, I have realized later that organizational improvement is just about the same because its main purpose to adjust some new purposes and methods aimed at the improvement of the organizational performance and quality of standards. In this respect, I will divide my experience into negative and positive one.
Positive experience involves:
I received an opportunity to be engaged into clinical expertise and information analysis with people from different cultural and social backgrounds;
I had a chance to understand the way people with different social status approach the problem as well the way it influence the final outcomes of the strategy implementation.
I have found much interesting and helpful information about NHS, their quality standards, which has considerably broaden by experience and understanding in terms of what can be changes and implemented;
I have learned to negotiate and prove my point view to people with different outlooks, though it was a real challenge for me.
Collaborative working is a great contribution to my experience. I have realized that working in team is much more effective than individually because each member of the team is accountable for a particular strategy that can be further negotiated and improved.
I have had a chance to learn more about effective strategies for risk management, patient safety assurance, and the importance of clinical audits.
Finally, I have found out that that patients’ treatment and health care delivery in general should be overviewed from the perspective of cultural diversity and social background, which can contribute greatly to the advancement of staff performance.
Negative points:
Because I was involved into discussion with people from another cultural dimension, I felt a bit isolated from the planning and implementation. Lack of cultural and social awareness prevent me from effective communication and decision-making;
It was quite difficult to meet with my group for building the strategy because the members live in different cities. Therefore, we had to establish online communication, which is not so effective;
Aims and Objectives
This essay reports on lessons learned, challenges encountered, opportunities observed, outcomes of the clinical governance strategy, policy implications and future prospects on clinical governance strategy adoption and implementation
Lessons Learned
After completion of the portfolio on clinical governance strategy that could be adopted towards improving lead times, quality, elimination of system wastes and employee involvement, engagement and participation in clinical governance, I learned that clinical governance is important towards derivation of capabilities of a healthcare organization to improve on quality, reduce costs, eliminate wastes through visual controls, implement management reviews on quality control and quality assurance and improve on turnaround that results into capacity for achievement of task flexibility, and efficient resource utilization through capacity management. I learned that implementation of clinical governance requires adoption and designing of a shared governance model and collaborative model, that ensures all employees demonstrate professional accountability towards continuous quality improvement of healthcare, capability to deliver sustainable quality clinical care and realization of cost reduction.
I learned that clinical governance strategy requires ongoing review in order to determine status of the clinical governance and mechanism governance and leadership supports goals, standards and legislative framework on clinical governance. I learned that implementation of clinical governance strategy is important towards achievement of capability to safeguard standards of care, staff compliance with principles of nursing and duty of care hence capabilities towards achievement of environment that could foster excellence in clinical care practice. I learned that through implementation of clinical governance, it becomes possible to identify deficiencies in quality of care, through quality monitoring, quality control and quality assurance.
I learned that implementation of clinical governance strategy plays a leading role towards improving patient-public-healthcare personnel relationship that enhances patient engagement in healthcare delivery, patient involvement in care planning and patient participation towards determination of quality of healthcare through patient healthcare system satisfaction surveys. I learned that clinical governance strategy provides framework for patient interaction, capabilities to institute shared objectives and goals within the hospital system, sharing of data and information on patient across wards and capacity to deliver care based on strategic goals laid down by NHS trust. I learned that clinical governance should be supported by sufficient planning, communication structures to support strategic planning and structured arrangement of governance and creation of an environment for a learning culture. I learned that clinical governance should provide basis for staff management, staff performance and motivation that should be a function of structure and procedures for employee recruitment, workforce planning through training need analysis in order to ensure right staff identified for training and development. I learned that the organization should demonstrate commitment to staff development through development of policies and framework for staff education, in-house training, continuous staff professional development, provision of psychological contract via work-life balance and capabilities for data protection and management.
My Current Clinical Governance Skills
My current clinical governance skill is at hierarchy leadership level four with ability to carry out system diagnosis, determination of constraints in governance and leadership, development of a leader-governance strategy for healthcare organization, development of governance strategy, ability to identify right quality improvement tool for clinical governance strategy development , implement and develop structure for a web-based information transfer, data management and ability to carry out quality control, quality monitoring through quality improvement tools and development of quality assurance standards. I am able to carry out training needs analysis that is important towards employee professional development. I have governance knowledge to implement right quality controls, implement constraint management and utilize relevant models and theories towards implementing sustainable clinical governance strategy.
Challenges Encountered
I encountered different challenges in conducting the clinical governance strategy planning. For instance, I did not understand clinical governance affects patient hospital length of stay but through information flow and anticipation of a patient into a given ward, the staff can prepare for the admission of the patient which ensures treatment for the patient is planned early enough which reduces patient-nurse contact hours.
Opportunities Identified
Healthcare organizations should develop and implement a clinical governance strategy and planning, implement quality monitoring, quality control and quality assurance towards realization of benefits of clinical governance strategic planning that could contribute into continual quality improvement. The organizations ought to develop structures and frameworks for integrating clinical governance strategies with other organizational strategies. The development of clinical governance strategy needs participation of all stakeholders in order to reduce opportunities for conflicts of interest or failure of the governance strategy.
Outcomes of My Project
The portfolio on clinical governance strategy planning determined that governance strategy should be aligned and structured based on capacity to achieve a quality management system which ensures easier adaptation of quality management system improvement tools, use of lean concepts and lean principles as well as lean based theories and models on governance and leadership. The portfolio identified benefits of governance strategy towards improving quality of care, improving turnaround time, hospital length of stay, patient-nurse relationship and capacity to create environment that can foster principles of nursing practices, duty of care and ethics of nursing. The portfolio determined that participation of employees is important towards clear understanding of governance policy, through communication of variation of governance policies, status of governance policy and strategy and potential to ensure governance strategy is communicated to nurses and employees for implementation.
Project Policy Outcomes
The portfolio on clinical governance strategy planning provided opportunity to determine weaknesses of clinical governance, identify right quality improvement tools for instance lean concepts and lean principles that could help guide governance strategic planning as well as rationale for continual clinical governance improvement through continuity of monitoring, quality assessment and performance reviews. The portfolio will help healthcare organizations to review their clinical governance strategies, identify deficiencies in clinical governance strategy planning and develop appropriate measures to improve their governance strategic planning. The portfolio will help academic community determine mechanism through which Southern Healthcare NHS trust has implemented clinical governance and determine its competencies and capability to be used as a benchmark for clinical governance analysis.
Future Prospects
I look forward to conducting case studies on effectiveness of clinical governance in public and private settings, conduct case controlled studies and retrospective studies on mechanism through which effective clinical governance planning could be implemented in different work-settings. I would seek to determine if similar healthcare providers could implement similar clinical governance strategies and if different wards for instance pregnant women wards, children wards or general wards require implementation of same clinical strategy hence impact of having different strategies for different hospital departments on quality, cost reduction, elimination of wastes and service delivery times and other benefits for instance decreased length of stay, quality of life and quality of care.
I need to develop my clinical governance capabilities so that I could have ability to work as consultant in leadership, leadership policy development, governance and governance policy development.
How to Apply This Strategy to My Workplace
As I worked as a staff nurse for 4 years, I became a nurse educator using my previous experiences. My primary focus was on providing healthcare for patients and educating the ne nursing staff and students. I was not engaged with any meeting and nursing projects with regard to patient feedback and, therefore, I knew little about the actual needs of my clients. In this respect, the development of clinical governance strategy allowed me to gain new understanding of the way the organization should work as well as what strategies it should implement to promote quality standards.
I have also learnt about the concept of human factor, which is often neglected in the reports provided in my organization. I also had written reports when working as a staff nurse and I noticed that had often been questioned about my report, which constituted as the major measure of information security. Certainly, I realized that strict hierarchy often prevents from transparent communication between the health care professional and the patient; at the same time, information security should also be of the top priority. Therefore, the presented project provide me with more understanding concerning which steps should be taken to strike the balance between data transparency and confidentiality.
As I came to the UK from a different country where people did not get used to complaining to the courts when the nurses neglected patients’ rights and needs. But in the UK everything is completely different because the government expresses greater concern with the patients’ rights and welfare. Certainly, the proposed strategy is quite complicated to apply to my nursing environment due to my low position, people’s reluctance to introduce changes and financial problems. Therefore, before resorting to radical changes, small shifts should be introduced first. I think it would be more reasonable to present a summary of suggestions that could be applied to my working environment and that possible to implement in the nearest time:
Place a suggestion box with questionnaires and pens for patients and the staff to feedback the proposed solutions;
Making information more available and transparent for patients. For example, nurses should disclose in detail the stages of treatment for patient to be more confident in receiving the desirable outcomes;
Introducing leadership support and engagement in widening the information exchange between the staff and the patient;
Creating staff governance committee with the specific standards, as presented below:
Appropriate training programs for the staff;
Safe working environment;
Information transparency and exchange;
Active decision making and collaborative working;
Increased responsibility for the quality of services;
Introduction of evidence-based practice
Introduction of the sustainability model is indispensable for improving the organizational performance because it can provide a solid platform for introducing changes and implementing effective plans.
Conclusion
I was able to determine rationale for developing a clinical governance strategy, strategic planning that can support clinical governance, constraints that affect clinical governance, rationale for elimination of wastes in clinical settings, and nature of leadership strategy and leader strategy that can support clinical governance planning. I determined that lean principles and lean concepts are applied in clinical settings and contributes to realization of similar benefits like improved quality of service, reduction of costs, improvement of lead management and turnaround time and elimination of wastes through information flow.
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Healthcare remains a constantly evolving discipline that adapts to the emerging challenges of each stage of society’s development. In this regard, the related organizations are expected to demonstrate a similar growth capacity to meet the changing needs of their communities. In the 21st century, the work of healthcare organizations extends beyond the mere provision of medical services. This age is characterized by the increasing importance of several significant phenomena. First, this is a time of unprecedented technological progress permeating all spheres of human activity. Healthcare organizations are not an exception, meaning they should utilize progress benefits to serve their communities more efficiently. Next, the prevalence of technology facilitates the exchange of information, communication, and transportation. Thus, it becomes easier for healthcare organizations to expand their networks and provide services within a uniform paradigm. However, these paradigms risk inheriting the flaws of the entire system, which is why it is essential to conduct thorough analyses of organizations. This paper focuses on Kaiser Permanente (KP) as one of the leading healthcare providers on the West Coast.
Kaiser Permanente Overview
KP has decades of history in the sphere of healthcare provision. The company was launched in the year 1945 and saw a steady growth since then. Currently, KP’s network includes a range of facilities that mainly encompass the United States West Coast. However, it maintains a certain presence in other states, namely Colorado, Hawaii, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. Currently, K.P. (2021) remains one of “America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans” (para. 1). The range of the networks is extensive, comprising 12.5 million people. K.P. focuses on the concept of total health, which is why it proposes various services to the population of the states in which it operates. The company’s statement relies on the nexus of its team’s professional expertise and state-of-the-art technological solutions (K.P., 2021). The company expects innovations, education, and clinical research to be the primary driving force of high standards of care. This level of quality is embedded in Kaiser Permanente’s mission, which is centered around the communities it proudly serves.
Kaiser Permanente’s Readiness
The upcoming decades will further extend the influence of the currently observed trends, namely globalization and increasing technological superiority. At the same time, another significant component of modern healthcare is the growing emphasis on patients’ individuality and needs. Based on the current observations, this tendency is only projected to increase shortly. This combination will likely create new challenges, which Kaiser Permanente will need to respond to effectively. Currently, the company is one of the most successful organizations of its kind in the United States. Its mission is to serve the communities that put their trust and money in K.P.’s services. The reported reliance on technology is highly beneficial in this regard, as the high quality of care is inseparable from new, advanced solutions. However, the status of nurses in this paradigm remains uncertain. Their role may be highly underappreciated within this paradigm, which is a matter to be addressed strategically. Overall, K.P.’s preparedness is commendable in some respects, but the role of nurses in the upcoming transformations needs to be enhanced.
Strategic Plan for Kaiser Permanente
In order to face the emerging challenges of the upcoming years and comply with the rising standards of care, Kaiser Permanent will have to implement a new strategic plan. It appears vital to make nurses, namely nursing leaders, an integral component of this initiative. Cummings et al. (2021) state that nursing leadership has become a matter of pivotal importance in the contemporary healthcare setting. The current body of knowledge reflects the positive impact of this principle on the quality of care. Murray et al. (2017) concur with the idea, adding that nursing leadership is strongly associated with patient safety and satisfaction. These professionals possess the required expertise to evaluate the needs of patients and promote individual, person-centered approaches to medical services. Thus, an increased emphasis on nursing leaders’ education and their extended role in the decision-making process will form the core of the strategic development plan of Kaiser Permanente. The idea is to make nurses part of all the key committees and boards within the organization, utilizing their expertise to enhance the quality of the services.
Kaiser Permanente’s Issues
Implementing an effective strategy to meet the standards of the future risks facing severe obstacles on the path to success. The critical issue that K.P. may encounter is closely related to the necessity of up-to-date education for all professionals involved in care delivery. More specifically, relying on advanced technology will yield good benefits without the teams’ ability to utilize it. Human resources must remain in line with the technological capacity of the organization. Otherwise, Kaiser Permanente will not be able to reach its full potential. The discrepancies between education and technology are likely to impact such vital factors as patient safety and satisfaction negatively. It appears possible that the more significant role of nursing leaders can mitigate the effect of these issues, thus facilitating the implementation of the strategic plan.
Model
Within the proposed strategic plan framework, it is logical to incorporate the postulates of effective 21st-century leadership into the envisaged procedures. The prominent models of it can be applied in the clinical environment, but the particularities of the setting and its challenges are to be considered. Based on the research provided by Xu (2017), the changeable nature of the healthcare paradigm requires a transformational solid capacity of the system and all its elements. In this regard, the envisaged strategic plan will benefit from an extended role of transformational nursing leadership. This model relies on the principle of shared values and a strategic vision that allows all unit members to stay aligned. Transformational leadership operates on a higher level than everyday tasks and objectives. Instead, it is a good fit for strategic initiatives that will bring Kaiser Permanente closer to sustained excellence in the upcoming decades. Therefore, this theory will support the positive development within this organization.
Conclusion
Overall, Kaiser Permanente remains the leading healthcare network across the West Coast and several other states. The organization refers to high standards of care that provide patients with advanced safe services as its primary mission in the current environment. However, the emerging challenges of the century will likely become severe threats to the organization’s position. Therefore, K.P. must undergo strategic transformations to help it adapt to the new reality. As such, nursing leaders can enable positive changes within the network. Their insight will prove instrumental to developing better, person-centered practices of tomorrow that will maintain the success seen by K.P. today.