Mgt 350 - My First Assignment as Executive Assistant

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MGT 350

October 2, 2002

Let it Pour:

My First Assignment as Executive Assistant

Faith Community Hospital has a religious heritage that believes in satisfying the needs of the community. The CEO reports to a diversified board of directors that is the Faith Foundation. The hospital has a mission statement that is suppose to lead the hospital successfully into the future. The mission statement states: "With the foundation and commitment of our spiritual heritage and values, our mission is to promote the health and well-being of the people in the communities that we serve through a comprehensive continuum of services provided in collaboration with the partners who share the same vision and values." (Let it Pour 36). Unfortunately, the mission statement is not being used for what was intended to do. Staff members at Faith Community Hospital are defining the mission statement to fit their personal feelings, beliefs, and morals. This has cost the hospital a loss of revenues, ethical standards, customer service, and lower patient flow.

The nine decision-making steps have been decided on to solve this mission statement problem. The goal of the hospital is to define the mission statement in a clear and concise manner and to increase awareness of it. The definition must be easily understood by a diverse group of people. Also, it must include most of the main scenarios that occur at the hospital. Professionalism will be kept in mind when defining the mission statement.

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The objectives of the mission statement is to provide medical services to the community, reduce the amount of unnecessary cost, increasing the amount of revenue, improve staff communication, and improve customer service and satisfaction.

There are many effects that are occurring due to the mission statement problem. Some hospital staff members are only applying certain medical services that fall into their range of values, morals, and beliefs. Patients' rights and requests are being ignored or disrespected. Staff is refusing medical services to people who do not have insurance; in turn, putting the hospital in the path of a possible lawsuit if the patient dies due to not providing services. Doctors are requesting unnecessary procedures for terminally ill patients. Legal lawsuits and criminal charges are possible. The hospital staff is providing/not providing medical services to patients, even though family members request or deny the services. Medical staff is conducting unauthorized pro-bono services to patients who are low income. The hospital is in the red when it comes to their finances because of high cost and low business. These are some of the effects of the problem.

The cause of the problem is that the mission statement is ambiguous. Hospital employees are defining the mission statement to fit their personal beliefs and morals. There is a lack of communication throughout the chain of command. The hospital lacks a consistency throughout the entire business. Protocol is being ignored. Critical decisions are being made at the lower chain of command without referring to management for approval. For example: employees are taking it upon themselves to refuse service to people without insurance. The main cause of the problem is that the mission statement is vague.

There are several alternatives that can be used to deal with the problem. The problem can be ignored and hope it goes away. We can rewrite the mission statement. Defining the mission statement can help the problem. Adding guidelines that go along with the mission statement

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could make the mission statement more clear and concise. Enforcing the mission statement will give it mission statement more authority and prestige. Implementing continuous awareness of the mission statement is a good idea. Forming a think-tank can help define and come up with more ideas on fixing the mission statement problem.

The impact of the alternatives is many and some are more useful than others. We can go ahead and ignore the problem. This would possibly cause the hospital to go bankrupt due to loss of control of the hospital's costs. Lawsuits and criminal charges could be brought against the hospital and staff if services were denied or provided. The death of a patient due to the negligence of the hospital could be bad for business. The mission statement can be rewritten;