Week 1 Discussion 1
After reviewing all of the theories, there are several that can be applied towards a healthcare setting. However, the one I feel that I can most relate to and can be applied best is the contingency theory due to the fact that it is based upon several different aspects of an organization and is not too generalized or to specific like I feel some of the other theories are.
Since healthcare is such a dynamic field, there cannot just be one specific area where healthcare administrators and leaders focus on. The contingency theory focuses on aspects such as size, technology, geography, and uncertainty (Johnson, 2009). In a healthcare setting, there are so many unforeseen problems that can occur, but I feel with the contingency theory, a manager can use their own perspective and experience along with other successful contingency theories to best develop their own healthcare organization.
The organization that I work for, Kaiser Permanente in the Northern California region, has several different hospitals on one region. Although these hospitals have the same mission and goals, I have seen that what works best in one facility does not work necessarily work in another. There are two hospitals that are about 30 minutes apart, however, one hospital constantly has a higher patient census, has a very different patient demographic, and one hospital is a level two trauma center, while the other is a level three. The contingency theory is applied to these different hospitals and takes into account all different aspects to ensure that each facility operates as best it can. One hospital needs more staffing than the other since there is a higher patient census while the other has to have less staff, but who have higher training since they are a facility that cares for higher acuity patients.
Johnson, J.A. (Ed.) (2009). Health Organizations Theory, Behavior, and Development. Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett,
Since healthcare is such a dynamic field, there cannot just be one specific area where healthcare administrators and leaders focus on. The contingency theory focuses on aspects such as size, technology, geography, and uncertainty (Johnson, 2009). In a healthcare setting, there are so many unforeseen problems that can occur, but I feel with the contingency theory, a manager can use their own perspective and experience along with other successful contingency theories to best develop their own healthcare organization.
The organization that I work for, Kaiser Permanente in the Northern California region, has several different hospitals on one region. Although these hospitals have the same mission and goals, I have seen that what works best in one facility does not work necessarily work in another. There are two hospitals that are about 30 minutes apart, however, one hospital constantly has a higher patient census, has a very different patient demographic, and one hospital is a level two trauma center, while the other is a level three. The contingency theory is applied to these different hospitals and takes into account all different aspects to ensure that each facility operates as best it can. One hospital needs more staffing than the other since there is a higher patient census while the other has to have less staff, but who have higher training since they are a facility that cares for higher acuity patients.
Johnson, J.A. (Ed.) (2009). Health Organizations Theory, Behavior, and Development. Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett,