The purpose of this paper is to analyze and discuss the organizational structure of Orlando regional medical Centre. The analysis of the organizational structure will include a discussion on the quality of the patients' safety and communication effectiveness within the hospital. The paper will also analyze the hospital's response to the patients' care guidelines and how it has embraced them in its culture. The flow of information and the essence of effective communication between departments will also be discussed.
Overview of the Organization
Orlando regional medical Centre is one of the largest in the area. Notably, it is an 808-bed level one trauma hospital and a tertiary hospital located in downtown Orlando, Florida (Orlando Health, 2017). The hospital offers the most advanced services in all specialties including emergency care, medical, surgical and rehabilitative services. Orlando Regional Medical Centre also includes the Lucerne Pavilion which was formerly referred to as Lucerne hospital (Orlando Health, 2017). It is quite an important facility because it is the only level one trauma hospital found in central Florida. Besides, it has an air care team with an advanced ambulance service. Founded in 1985, the air care team is comprised of three medical helicopters that serve a radius of 90 miles which includes ten counties in Central Florida. Since the inception of the program, the helicopters have flown about 1.8 miles transporting over 28000 patients (Joint commission, 2010).
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Quality and Patient Safety Movement
The quality and patient safety movement were founded in the early 90's after a report on the errors that occur in the medical facilities day in day out (Newman-Taker, & Pronovost, 2009). It was observed that the rate of deaths reported due to preventable causes had risen to alarming rates. As it is referred to the Institute of Medicine, patient safety is the patient's' freedom from accidental injury' (Newman-Taker, & Pronovost, 2009). The discipline is involved in reporting, prevention, and analysis of events within a facility in a bid to reduce errors that result in undesired results to patients. Some of the errors in a medical facility include health care acquired infections, wrong site surgery, errors in communication and poorly coordinated patient care (Newman-Taker,& Pronovost, 2009). Certain organizations have been in the forefront in making sure that most health facilities embrace this movement for their safety and that of their patients. One such organization is the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) which researches to determine the main areas that errors occur and develop recommendations to reduce such errors (Watcher, 2010). Another agency is the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) that came up with evidence based quality and safety improvement strategies to save more lives (Watcher, 2010).
Quality and Patient Safety and the Organization
Influence on the Organizational Culture
It has always been the culture of Orlando regional medical center to keep customers satisfaction as its main goal and protect the health workers and patients from any harm while at the hospital premises (Orlando Health, 2017). Therefore, the hospital has always carried out research to determine events that might cause harm to its inhabitants and there after come up with strategies to prevent the events. The quality patient and safety movement has been a positive influence to the hospital to help it achieve its goals (Orlando Health, 2017).Importantly, there have been several guidelines that have been developed to ensure they are in line with the recommendations of the movement. However, only a few improvements have been made since it has always been the goal of the facility to protect its patients
Organizational Response.
The hospital has responded quite positively to the movement. For instance, research indicates that patients in the ICU might develop blood infections due to the central line inserted into their body making them more susceptible to infections (Graban, 2011). The hospital came up with guidelines that be followed by those inserting the central line to prevent the infection. Another strategy is the thorough cleaning of hands by nurses and physicians after handling a patient to avoid transmission of bacteria (Graban, 2011).
Effective Organizational Communication
Effective organization communication entails a safe and coordinated transfer of information from its source to the intended audience. Information can come from those in higher position going down the hierarchy, or it can escalate upwards. There should be a proper use of available resources to ensure effective communication (Joint commission, 2010). Also, information should be well coordinated to avoid misinterpretations.
Leaders and Organizational Culture and Communication
Leaders are the primary drivers of effective communication since they set the pace for the rest to follow. One way that they can achieve that is by proper use of available resources to pass information (Joint commission, 2010). Leaders should ensure that they learn how to pass information using the available resources instead of seeking new ones because those in the organization are already accustomed to them. Secondly, they should coordinate information to make sure that it gets to the right person at the right time and as it was intended (Joint commission, 2010). One way is by avoiding using channels that might be easily hacked to pass sensitive information.
Organizational barriers to communication
In almost all organizations there are hindrances to effective communication. An example is having a complex organization such as the Orlando Regional Medical Centre. Passing information in such a big organization is tricky, and some information may be altered with in the process or even delayed (Weller, Boyd, & Cumin, 2014). Another barrier is diversity where in such a facility there are people from diverse backgrounds (Weller, Boyd, & Cumin, 2014). The different backgrounds make people communicate in different languages and forms.
Summary
Summing up, it is evident that the Patient Quality Safety Movement has been of great help in ensuring that patients are protected from harm while in a health facility. The Orlando Regional Medical Centre has embraced the program, and it has helped it achieve its goals in attaining patient’s satisfaction as it is in its culture. Further, effective communication which is mainly determined by good leadership is essential in ensuring information is duly passed on through the facility to avoid misinterpretation and loss of information.
References
Graban, M. (2011). Lean hospitals: improving quality, patient safety, and employee satisfaction . CRC Press.
Joint Commission. (2010). Advancing effective communication, cultural competence, and patient-and family-centered care: A roadmap for hospitals . Joint Commission.
Orlando Health (2017) ., Orlando Regional Medical Centre. Retrieved from www.orlandohealth.com/facilities/orlando-regional-medical-centre
Wachter, R. M. (2010). Patient safety at ten: unmistakable progress, troubling gaps. Health affairs , 29 (1), 165-173.
Weller, J., Boyd, M., & Cumin, D. (2014). Teams, tribes and patient safety: overcoming barriers to effective teamwork in healthcare. Postgraduate medical journal , 90 (1061), 149-154.
Newman-Toker, D. E., & Pronovost, P. J. (2009). Diagnostic errors—the next frontier for patient safety. Jama , 301 (10), 1060-1062.
