Introduction
Over the years, the health care management industry has been growing mainly in its relevance and its magnitude. The main drivers to this growth are technology and the healthcare setting where they improve the delivery and provision of care to the patients. In this case, healthcare management has played a great role in embracing these changes in the system without having to interfere with the provision of care (Muller, Bezuidenhout, & Jooste, 2006).
It is worth noting, healthcare management handles most of the healthcare system activities such as finances, relationships with the government, overseeing employee performances, and making decisions on technology improvements. These management responsibilities greatly affect the quality of care at every level of the system; therefore, it is a matter of concern to establish an appropriate management style that can be adapted in the healthcare system. The main management styles as outlined by Dunn & Haimann (2010), include evidence-based, scientific, integrative and utilization management styles.
Management Styles
First, an evidence-based management style is used by managers where they have regular meetings with the employees. In these meetings, appropriate interventions plan for the patients are discussed where the management makes decisions and set the required guidelines using the suggestions (Muller, Bezuidenhout, & Jooste, 2006). The integrative management style seeks to improve the quality of healthcare while reducing the costs incurred and increasing effectiveness. This is achieved through helping the employees adapt quickly to changes and implementing technology that can advance the services provided to the patients (Muller, Bezuidenhout, & Jooste, 2006).
On the other hand, the utilization management style revolves around managing and tracking how services are exploited in the healthcare system. The main objective of this style is to minimize costs through alleviating unwanted measures and hospitalizations. Finally, scientific management styles, introduced by Fredrick Taylor, initiate the aspect of making simpler jobs, therefore, increasing output and efficiency. In this management style, he proposes that employers and employees need to work together to achieve effectiveness in the services provided.
Evaluation of Personal Experience
Evidence-based management style, as a care provider, helps develop a person’s skills since it instils the needed motivation to carry out the needed responsibilities. Integrative style, on a personal level, helps a care provider embrace changes in the system and it helps take personal responsibility in achieving the objectives of the organization. Lastly, the scientific management style is one of the most embraced styles. It has me as a care provider open up to what I love doing most, which is taking care of patients since it outlines guidelines where, as the care provider, I am assigned to the duties that I am skilful.
Justification of Scientific Management Style
In this case, Scientific Management would be the best to use in the healthcare system. In this kind of system, not only common sense is needed but also a scientific approach is required to deliver the best quality of services to patients. The main principles outlined in this management style theory ought to work perfectly in the health care system (Dunn & Haimann, 2010). One of the principles the theory outlines is examining employee performance through providing regulations and guidelines in making certain that the employees are making use of the most appropriate approach in providing care.
The other principle is assigning employee responsibilities matching their qualifications but not assigning them just any other job. This ensures that there is maximum productivity since what motivates employees most is the fact that they are enjoying doing what they do best. Lastly, the style also provides the replacement of using common sense by use of a scientific approach in studying their tasks and determining the best way to perform those responsibilities (Dunn & Haimann, 2010).
Advantages and disadvantages of Scientific Management style
The main advantage of this management style is the idea that employees are provided with much independence in their responsibilities. In this case, employees are given independence to use the best strategy according to their qualifications in dealing with the issue at hand. According to Fredrick Taylor, this is enough incentive to motivation, even though there are guidelines and procedures, employees are happier when working under their judgement (Taylor, 2004). On the other hand, the scientific management style is also criticized in that it leaves no room for employee inclination of initiative ideas. In addition, the management style also puts more emphasis on measuring the productivity and performance of the employees and forgets or pays less or no attention to various soft factors that also lead to productivity and efficiency (Taylor, 2004).
References
Dunn, R., & Haimann, T., (2010). Dunn & Haimann’s healthcare management. Chicago, Ill: Health Administration Press.
Muller, M. E., Bezuidenhout, M., & Jooste, K. (2006). Health care service management. Juta and Company Ltd.
Taylor, F. W. (2004). Scientific management. New York: Routledge.