Annotated Bibliography: Leadership in Healthcare

Al-Sawai, Abdulaziz. (July 2013). Leadership of Healthcare Professionals: Where Do We Stand? Oman Medical Journal, 28, 285-287. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3725246/

This article explains the importance of leadership within the healthcare system, and how professionals understand it and can utilize it. Leadership deals with influencing group activities and handling change. Using basic leadership theories within the healthcare industry is a little difficult because most theories were developed within the business field. This article points out that within the healthcare industry, the leadership must be able to deal with the many different groups within the system. The author points out that there are a number of different approaches to leadership within healthcare. Transformational leadership emphasizes that people work more effectively when they have a goal or a mission. Collaborative leadership is when people are working together toward a mutual benefit. Conflict Management is a very important part of all leadership, especially since conflict can be a very big force within a healthcare system. There is also the theory of shared leadership, which promotes collaboration. This type of leadership can result in individual staff members learning and developing leadership skills. Distributed leadership requires the ability to understand a changing system, working well with others, the ability to envision what you what the end goal to be, and creating new approaches and ideas to solve problems. Ethical leadership is also a very important, team-building part. This article lists and explains all those forms of leadership and helps them be understood the context of the healthcare industry.

American Society of Clinical Oncology. (2009). Strategic planning: Why it makes a difference and how to do it. Journal of Oncology Practice. Retrieved from http://jop.ascopubs.org/content/5/3/139.full

This article points out that strategic planning does not have to create more paperwork or reports. A strategic plan is a tool that can be used to move a healthcare organization toward a goal. One of the most important reasons to have a strategic plan is how quickly the healthcare industry is changing. The whole organization needs to be on the same page, and aware of the goals in order to be effective. There needs to be long term and short term goals set out, and those goals need to be revisited often when issues arise. The article points out that all of this needs to be done through a meeting where who, when and where are determined. A mission statement and the values and ethics of the organization need to be established. To make an effective plan, everyone needs to be involved and aware of where the organization is headed. The healthcare organization also needs to be aware of its internal strengths and weaknesses, in order to create an effective plan. External opportunities and threats also need to be understood. In the end, an action plan needs to be formulated that covers the priorities of the next 12 months. The action plan and goals need to be clearly presented throughout the entire organization so that everyone can work towards them. This article goes through all these steps and explains the importance of planning and strong leadership within and effective healthcare organization.

Bennet, Kevin E., Varkey, Prathibha. (2010). Practical techniques for strategic planning in health care organizations. Physician Executive Journal. Retrieved from http://www.himss.org/files /HIMSSorg/content/files/ Code%2039-Practical%20Techniques%20for% 20Strategic%20Planning_ACPE_2010.pdf

This article points out that developing a strategy in a healthcare organization is important in sustaining a working, economically sound system. The authors note that strategic planning is not used as much as it should be. In this article, strategic planning is defined as a set of organizational processes for identifying the desired future of the organization and developing decision guidelines. It is important in creating effective teams and having a leadership that knows what to do and how to run the healthcare organization. There must be a sense of urgency, a vision statement, developing tactics, formulating strategy, and creating an action plan. There will be challenges dealing with the staff, timing, and the process. But strategic planning will help to develop a sense of purpose and alignment within the healthcare organization and make it more effective. This article outlines the importance of using strategic planning to create an effective healthcare organization.

Carmichael, Matt. (Mar. 26, 2012). Health-care marketing in for overhaul as consumer attitudes shift. Advertising Age: American Consumer Project. Retrieved from http://adage.com/article/special-report-american-consumer-project/health-care-marketing-overhaul/233683/

This article deals with the fact that healthcare marketing needs to be focused on what people in the community are most concerned with. Specifically, in the case of this article, the people in multi-generational families are concerned with the cost of healthcare. Therefore, healthcare marketing needs to be focused on the cost-effectiveness of the system, and not as much on the overall worth and effectiveness of the care. Healthcare organizations are missing the mark when they market to that because in that area the population is more concerned with how they are going to afford the care that they may need to get. Studying the surrounding attitude of the population, and understanding your market is very important when creating a healthcare marketing strategy.

Foster, Mary K., Shortell, Stephen M., Taplin, Stephen H. (June 28, 2012). Organizational leadership for building effective health care teams. Annals of Family Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.annfammed.org/content/11/3/279.full

This article points out that leadership within a healthcare system needs to support the medical teams in order to create an effective environment. Creating effective teams in the medical profession will help with patient care. In healthcare management, the leaders need to be willing to manage many types of teams, in order to interact with each other, perform tasks, and to reach common goals. They also need to be able to recognize the differences in teams and create harmony. The article shows that an effective plan needs effective leadership to succeed, and effective leadership needs an effective team.

Stensberg, Katie. (July 30, 2013). 10 steps to a successful health care marketing plan. Ragan’s Health Care Communication News. Retrieved from http://www.healthcare communication.com/Main/Articles/10_steps_to_a_successful_health_care_marketing_pla_9450.aspx

This article outlines the ten basic steps to creating an effective healthcare marketing plan. First, you must assess the business, the market, volume surveys, and other important business information. Then you must make an analysis of the competition. You have to have a clearly defined strategy and vision for your individual organization. You also have to create interest through the media and other public engagements. Your team must be behind you, and be enthusiastic and supportive. You have to consider your target audience. A budget must be clearly outlined and followed, and then you must create a unique and creative idea to support the vision of your business. Time things correctly and then constantly keep track of how your marketing plan is affecting your business.