The health care manager
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The health care manager · Jul 2011
ReviewAdvanced practice nursing, health care teams, and perceptions of team effectiveness.
This article summarizes the results of an extensive review of the organizational and health care literature of advanced practice nursing (APN) roles, health care teams, and perceptions of team effectiveness. Teams have a long history in health care. Managers play an important role in mobilizing resources, guiding expectations of APN roles in teams and within organizations, and facilitating team process. ⋯ The concepts of teamwork, perceptions of team effectiveness, and the introduction of APN roles in teams have been studied disparately. An exploration of the links between these concepts may further our understanding the health care team's perceptions of team effectiveness when APN roles are introduced. Such knowledge could contribute to the effective deployment of APN roles in health care teams and improve the delivery of health care services to patients and families.
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The health care manager · Apr 2011
Electronic health record project initiation and early planning in a community health center.
Community health centers exist to help their constituents become proactive in addressing their own health care needs and to improve the overall well-being of the community. However, they pose a different set of challenges when implementing an electronic health record system. This article applies 2 project management principles, initiation and early planning, to the electronic health record implementation in a community health center. Issues such as planning, financial considerations, and quality improvement are discussed.
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Given the current operating climate, organizations are coming under pressure to develop and implement sustainability programs and projects, yet few managers truly understand what is meant by sustainability and its implications for managing organizations. This article examines the concept of sustainability and provides a broader definition of the term than going "green." Using a puzzle metaphor, the authors outline and explain the different components of sustainability and provide a checklist for achieving sustainability goals. In addition, resources such as guides and tools are reviewed and offered to assist managers in gaining more insight into the challenges and complexity of sustainability.
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Burnout has damaging effects on physicians. This research reveals how outstanding doctors avoid burnout. Winners of the American Medical Association Foundation's Pride in the Professions Award were interviewed to learn how they manage burnout. ⋯ The data were categorized through content analysis. The results showed that techniques for avoiding burnout varied and included setting limits, sharing issues with family and friends, physical exercise, cultivating relaxation, and humor. These doctors have become skilled at recognizing the signs of burnout and countering its effects while maintaining the highest standard of care and demonstrating leadership in their vocation.
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The health care manager · Jul 2010
Patients are not always rational: the leadership challenge to improve patient satisfaction scores.
Health care managers today are faced with the awesome challenge not only of meeting patient and guest expectations in health care but also in achieving competitive patient satisfaction scores. With the move toward increased transparency in health care quality along with regular reporting patient satisfaction scores, health care managers must confront the many challenges and expectations of patients and guests. Health care managers also need to know that patients and guests are not always rational in their expectations and perceptions of health care services and therefore may report invalid and unreliable experiences in a patient satisfaction survey. This article addresses these challenges and provides recommendations for improving patient satisfaction.