Health Information Services Case Study

Health Information Service Departments
How are the principles of goal setting applied to this case?
Each individual employee’s job tasks contribute to a department’s work, therefore, it’s a manager’s obligation to align their tasks according to the department’s goals. These tasks need to be realigned periodically to acclimate to changing conditions, such as, when a new project is started or new systems are integrated. Once there is need for a task realignment, there are four ways a manager can make the necessary changes, these approaches include re-engineering, restructuring, work redesign, and job redesign. These changes can be applied to a specific department and sometimes an entire industry. (Layman, 2011)
In this case, the Tax Relief and
Health Care Act of 2006 caused Health Information Services (HIS) departments to change abruptly, therefore, realigning their goals accordingly. Some of these new tasks that needed to be integrated were tracking responses and appeals to queries and denials of Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs). If these tasks were not properly integrated, including realigning job tasks in the most efficient way, employees would become overloaded with work, consequently, enduring unnecessary stress. (Layman, 2011)
There are many other changes happening to Health Information Services (HIS) Departments, in response managers are adding, and reevaluating current roles, to accommodate the changes.
Numerous tasks are being moved to different positions, as a result, employees are wearing many hats. (Layman, 2011)
How are the principles of job enrichment applied in this case?
The principles of enrichment are applied in this case when the 29 new jobs are integrated, there are many factors included in building the Health Information Services (HIS) Departments enrichment. One way the organizational structure, this when positions are adjusted based on specialization, departmentalization, unity of command, and the span of control. When adjusting these factors, the manager hopes to promote unity and fairness within the organization. Although, sometimes this can lead to boredom, inattention, and stress for employees. (Layman, 2011)
What are the outcomes of job enrichment in the HIS
Departments?
Since there are new tasks to be completed and also a rearrangement of older tasks, job enrichment in Health Information Services (HIS) Departments provides employees the chance to finish their work in their own way, it gives them control to perform in a way that personally works best for them. There positions will be redesigned and allow them some room to find more efficient, time effective ways to finish their work. Getting a fresh perspective on processes allows for elimination of steps that are unnecessary, and implementation of new shortcuts. Job enrichment’s purpose is to off-set tedium, this can be done in multiple ways, such as, adding new tasks into the mix or rotating tasks at the same level. The authority to make one’s own decisions provided job satisfaction to many employees, although, in some cases, it can add to the stress in others. (Layman, 2011)

What was the impact of job enrichment on motivation and communication in the HIS Department?
Job enrichment was meant to improve employee motivation, in some cases that may be been the outcome, but others found it added to their stress, as they were feeling overloaded.
There are many circumstances where job enrichment has been able to positively affect employee’s actions. Such as, adding enrichments to an employee that is bored, making careless errors, tardy, absent, or with low morality, they may become motivated, therefore, change their actions to adjust to the new tasks. Sometimes increasing accountability will also motivate them to improve, as they will feel their position has meaning and purpose. (Layman,
2011)
Job enrichment can impact communication as employees may be reporting to a new leader. They will need to develop a new personal relationship with their manager, as well as co-workers. If job enrichment involved new tasks, then they will need to communicate with a new team or personnel to work out the bugs and ask questions. (Layman, 2011)
If their new position involves increased responsibilities at a higher level, they may need to lead to communicate as a leader to their employees. (Layman, 2011)
References
Elizabeth J. Layman, (2011), Job Redesign for Expanded HIM Functions, http://library.ahima.org/doc?oid=105300#.WAauxiQ78UI