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Background:
Middlefield Hospital is a 450 bed tertiary care facility in a major urban area in the Northeast. The hospital is an integrated health system that provides the fill array of inpatient and outpatient services. The Hospital has a reputation for quality care in the area.
Problem:
The Hospital’s turnover rate exceeds 20% and there are over 100 nursing vacancies. Factors that may contribute to the turnover is that a new hospital has recently opened in our market area that has produced competition for Middlefield, employee morale has deteriorated over the past 12 months, and Essex University is considering eliminating its nursing degree program because of the difficulty recruiting quality instructors.
Strategy:
In order for Middlefield to strive and serve our patients with quality care and motivate our staff to stay employed with us long-term, we must change our operational strategy. First and foremost, we must invest in our employees. We have to offer our employees incentives and motivate them to stay and grow within our organization. Next, we must improve our community relations and form an alliance with Essex University to ensure the pipeline of new recruits continues to come through our doors for careers in nursing and other healthcare fields. And last but not least, we need to develop a triad of care, provide our patients with the best possible care at an affordable price.
Recommendation:
As the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Middlefield Hospital, I have the following suggestions that I hope will improve our organization and better accommodate our patients’ needs and employee satisfaction. (1) Invest in technology and equipment that will make the experience more productive and cost effective. (2) Expand our services to include preventive counseling and education. (3) Possibly become a teaching