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 Peers # 1 For this week’s discussion, I chose to focus on my current employer, Crystal Run Healthcare

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•  Peers # 1

For this week’s discussion, I chose to focus on my current employer, Crystal Run Healthcare. Crystal Run Healthcare was presented with the opportunity to merge with a large health system out of New York City, Monetfiore. This merger would allow Crystal Run Healthcare the opportunity to provide cutting-edge care to their patients that they cannot get locally. Leaders of both health systems stated that the merger is an efficient way for Crystal Run to work with a prestigious research institution to deliver advanced care that is unavailable locally (Axelrod, 2018). Even though the merger was meant to be a great opportunity, it had conflicting effects on Crystal Run Healthcare.

           The merger negatively effected Crystal Run Healthcare because seven doctors filed lawsuits against the organization in regards to the merger. Crystal Run physicians claim that Crystal Run patients seeing Montefiore doctors is one of the deal’s problems (Axelrod, 2018). The merger would require Crystal Run doctors to refer all patients to Montefiore even if the physician does not believe such a referral to be in the patient’s best interest (Axelrod, 2018). Tensions rose between doctors at Crystal Run because the merger also stated that physicians had to provide three years’ notice before leaving the practice. Other health systems weighed in on the merger and stated that the treatment of Crystal Run physicians under the deal was disrespectful and potentially unethical. The merger led to a gray cloud floating over Crystal Run and tensions between physicians, and ultimately the merger did not go through. Instead, Montefiore purchased a 33 percent interest in a Crystal Run holding company (Axelrod, 2018).

           If the merger were to go through, I think many doctors at Crystal Run would be angered at the new regulations that the deal would have put into place. I also think Crystal Run patients would receive lower quality care. The merger would have required Crystal Run physicians to refer all patients to Montefiore health system locations, most of which are outside of the area. Patients would be forced to travel to the referred location even if it was not in the patient’s best interest.

Peers # 2

My former employer was Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (HPMC) in Los Angeles and it really was a great organization to start my nursing career. I had the opportunity to do a new grad program at HPMC in the Telemetry department and it was quite the learning experience that opened many doors for me. HPMC is teaching hospital and I learned that firsthand during my new grad program. I knew how valuable that new grad program was and I took every learning opportunity I could. Before I was selected into HPMC's new grad program, I was a nursing student there during my BSN clinicals. Being a nursing student there, I had the privilege to see how the organization worked and how the nurses were treated and the patients. I remember being in awe of how the staff was so supportive of each other and always teaching and giving advice to one another.

As a nursing student, I had an amazing nurse to shadow and I really made a good connection with the nurse and made an effort to create a good professional relationship. In creating that professional relationship, I had good references in applying to the new grad program after I graduated with my BSN. From the charge nurse to the supervisor, they were all very approachable and always making sure we were helped when needed and very supportive. "Our dedicated team of healthcare professionals works together to plan and coordinate every level of your care. We want to make sure you understand your care plan and feel comfortable, that’s why we ask that you communicate with your nurses, physicians and other members of your care team" (Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, 2021). HPMC's effect on myself and other employees there was proof that it was adding positive value to the organization through its way of treating employees and patients.

Peers # 3

According to Langebeer & Helton (2016), it has been suggested that the chance of a complex project surviving and achieving all of the benefits it established early on is around 50%. Successfully managing a project from start to finish requires certain key skills (Joubert, 2020). The two risks that I perceive to be the greatest threat to successful project completion are poor communication and lack of formalized documentation or procedures.

           Poor communication poses a great threat to successful project completion because without everyone being on the same page, no one is working towards the same end goal. Without strong communication skills, project managers would find it incredibly difficult, if not nearly impossible, to effectively manage their teams and coordinate efforts in order to bring about a project’s successful resolution (Joubert, 2020). Think about doing a group project for school. If there is poor communication between the group, parts of the assignment may not get done or parts may be duplicated, and the project would not be successfully completed. This is what would happen in the healthcare industry without proper communication, just on a much larger scale.

           The lack of formalized documentation is also a great threat to the successful completion of a project. Documentation must lay the foundation for quality, traceability, and history for both the individual document and for the complete project documentation (Verma, 2021). Formalized documentation allows for the project to move forward at a speedy pace and ensures that all stakeholders are as informed as possible (Verma, 2021). Having formalized documentation helps all members of the project remember the goals and objectives at all phases of the project. If an issue were to arise during a project, formalized documentation would provide traceable data back to where, who, or how the issue originated.

Peers # 4

I have chosen these two risks that I perceive to be the greatest threat to successful project completion: poor communication and lack of financial resources.

Poor communication: In my opinion, communication is the key to moving forward in any type of relationship. This includes work relationships where the leader is trying to meet a goal with their subordinates. In this case, that could apply to a project manager trying to reach the finish line with the employees involved to complete the project. A way a healthcare administrator could combat this is by creating routine meetings with direct reports. The meetings should be at least weekly and have structure to them, such as an agenda with the expectations of the meeting given beforehand. “Continuous communication also helps to reinforce the concept that the project is important and that there is no hidden motive or purpose” (Langabeer & Helton, 2016).

Lack of financial resources: I chose this threat as one of the most impactful because if the project isn’t supported with enough money, the project will undoubtedly fail or never finish. Like communication, sufficient funds keep the project moving forward toward completion. To keep the funds secured, a good idea is a sponsorship and promotion. “Projects require sponsorship to secure financing approval and to ensure the commitment of the right people on the project from the outset” (Langabeer & Helton, pg. 182, 2016). Another idea could be to cushion the project with extra funds. Meaning have the project cost less than the budget allotted or reserve more money than the cost of the project. Excellent project managers need to leave room for error, as this will most likely happen.  

According to the textbook, there is a problem within hospitals centered around power (Langabeer & Helton, 2016). This is no surprise, as most businesses have similar issues when management comes into play. For example, physicians are an example of a general department that clashes with the administration department. Seeing as physicians are the ones who have “medical expertise and control of the customer,” they often act entitled to influence the decision of the project manager or at least make sure their voice is heard (Langabeer & Helton, 2016). A department well suited for handling issues such as this is the Human Resources department. They are the “lawyers” within the hospital, making sure the employees’ voices are heard as well as their managers without crossing an unprofessional line, or even worse—a harassment line.