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HSA-3000 Management Principles in Health Administration

Week 5 Resources

Chapter 6: Organizing and Staffing
Liebler, J.G., & McConnell, C.R. (2020). Chapter 6: Organizing and staffing. In Management principles for health professionals (8th ed., pp. 117-146).  Jones & Bartlett. eISBN-13: 9781284183511

Chapter 7: Committees and Teams
Liebler, J.G., & McConnell, C.R. (2020). Chapter 7: Committees and teams. In Management principles for health professionals (8th ed., pp. 147-168).  Jones & Bartlett. eISBN-13: 9781284183511

These are your Redshelf texts found in the Course Resources tab on the left side navigation bar. These chapters will provide the you with an understanding of how organizations are structured and describe how hierarchies function and the role of the administrator in assuring that the organization functions well. Additionally, the readings address the challenges administrators face when things do not go well, and unanticipated events arise.

In any situation, the greater clarity an individual has, the better they can function. Tools like organizational charts and job descriptions help employees understand their specific responsibilities and how they contribute to the organization as a whole. Readers will become familiar with organizational charts (referred to as “org” charts), which are graphic illustrations of reporting structures. Organizational charts help employees understand their role in the organization, the relationships between various units, and how these units fit together. Job descriptions provide clarity as to responsibilities and provide a framework for evaluation of performance.

The readings also address working as part of a larger group, whether it be a committee or team. Committees are usually considered to be “short-term” entities with a specific charge, and teams tend to be given a longer-term mission, and they typically operate over a longer period and are more permanent than committees. However, each of these groups bring their own challenges in terms of efficiency of time and clarity of mission. The readings provide concrete guidelines for how administrators can help workgroups stay focused, operate efficiently, and achieve stated goals. The readings also cover how to effectively manage/lead during times when all is not going well. When unexpected events occur (and they always do), employees look to leaders for how to respond and how to act. The readings provide actionable strategies on how to plan for unexpected events and how to respond. The importance of critical reflection after the event is also considered; after a crisis, administrators have an opportunity to consider the outcome of events, review actions, and evaluate what actions were valuable or not.