Discuss the importance of healthcare organization values.
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- Discuss the impact personal skills have on the workplace.
4.1 Analyze the role that cultural competency plays in effective healthcare administration. - Discuss the importance of healthcare organization values.
5.1 Evaluate how communication skills support organizational culture, mission, and philosophy.
Course/Unit
Learning Outcomes
Learning Activity
4.1 Unit Lesson
Unit V Article Critique
5.1
Unit Lesson
Chapter 8 Reading
Article Reading
Unit V Article Critique
Reading Assignment
Chapter 8: Communication Within an Organization
Additional Reading Assignment:
In order to access the following resource, click the link below.
Gupta, A. (2015). To analysis the role of group dynamics in organization. International Journal of
Multidisciplinary Approach and Studies, 2(3), 170–175.
http://ijmas.com/upcomingissue/22.03.2015.pdf
Unit Lesson
In reflecting back over his talk with Jane last week, José has started wondering whether there is a situation
where there can be too much talking and not enough listening. He knows that Jane has addressed this before
in helping him identify the nonverbal communication that accompanies his words, but he knows that her
points about listening—really listening to what the other person is saying—are important as well. Therefore,
José goes to Jane to ask her about how he can listen better.
Jane is pleased that José is interested in learning to listen better. She explains to him that there are generally
three things that can keep a person from hearing what is being said, which are listed below.
• Truth triggers: These are comments that we feel are not fair or true and make us want to immediately
respond and defend ourselves.
• Relationship triggers: These are sender-related comments where we may have positive or negative
feelings about the person sending us the message.
• Identity triggers: These are hot-button items that set us off because they take a hit at our sense of self
(Stone & Heen, 2014).
Jane points out that these triggers play a large role in communication within any healthcare organization, and
the healthcare administrator has to be able to identify these triggers, help others recognize them, and turn off
UNIT V STUDY GUIDE
Communicating Values
BHA 3202, Standards for Health Care Staff 2
the triggers before all communication is affected between the healthcare organization’s employees. She tells
José that understanding the organizational chart can help improve communication and aid in listening to what
is being shared.
Jane explains to José that communication can occur upward or downward in an organization as well as
horizontally and diagonally (Colbert & Katrancha, 2016). She also explains that communication can occur
between individuals and within groups and that groups can communicate through reports, policies, and
procedure directives. The organizational culture and the mission or philosophy statement of an organization
are clear forms of communication about how the organization operates and what it expects of its employees.
José is very aware of another and more hidden layer of culture and communication: formal and informal
groups. In fact, he has seen how informal groups in his department can undermine what the department is
doing formally.
José does some research and finds that group processes are based on the social identity and the importance
of the group. Communication within the group is determined by the motivation each member has and how
valued the members feel. He discovers that there are different types of groups, which are listed below.
• Command groups: These are formal groups reflected in an organizational chart.
• Task groups: A task group is one set up with one purpose or goal in mind and often disbanded when
the goal is reached. This group has a timeline to meet the specified goal.
• Functional groups: This group is similar to a task group but has no timeline to meet and may continue
when the goal is reached.
Consider This!
It is important to understand who reports to whom in any healthcare organization. There are chains of
command, and going through the proper channels is important to ensure that organizational values are
maintained. This helps ensure appropriate actions are taken based on the communication and message
that needs to be shared.
José decides that he needs to make his own organizational chart to better envision where he will fit into
the organization should he be hired as the healthcare administrator. He lists the major department heads
and will need to create a chart to show the reporting structure.
General Administration
• Chief Executive Officer/President (CEO)
• Chief of Medicine (CMO)
• Chief of Nursing (CNO)
• Chief Operations Officer (COO)
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Chief of Support Services/Human Resources (CSS)
Healthcare Administration
• Healthcare Administrator (HA)
• Office Manager (OM)
• Medical Staff (MS)
• Nursing Staff (NS)
• Ancillary Staff (AS)
How does your organizational structure compare based on the departments and department heads José
has identified?
Can you identify the reporting structure in your organization? As you think about the organizational
structure, consider who reports directly to whom and who may report to whom informally or unofficially or
across departments. Make your own chart to better visualize the structure.
