Implementing Immunizations Essay

Implementing Immunizations Implementing immunizations into the clinics can be challenging for the facility and the staff. There are several methods that have been implemented to monitor the methods used by the staff to give the immunizations to the patients in the clinics. There have been several obstacles and challenges that the staff and leaders have faced. As with any changes that take place in patient care within an organization methods must be set up to monitor those changes. Changes promote challenges not just to staff leaders but the organization as a whole. Communication with any changes can be challenging for the leadership and staff (Surdu, 2010). Methods to Monitor Change In implementing changes there needs to be methods to monitor those changes. The first method is to monitor the reimbursement value units per visit associated with the immunizations. The need to monitor the increase of visits, the percentage of increase of the reimbursement value units now that the immunizations that are given in in the clinic since they are ordered immunizations ordered directly by the physician and not given on protocol (Surdu, 2010). Another method to monitor the change of implementation is to survey the patients to see how they have responded to immunizations being given directly in the clinic. This can be done in a survey form either via email or sent in the mail so patients can voice their opinion on the changes that have been implemented (Helfrich, Blevins, & Smith, 2011). The leaders in the clinic can sit down with the staff to get their opinion and suggestions on how the changes of giving immunizations in the clinic are affecting their time management with patients. This can be very helpful to  leaders in adjusting the change that have been implemented because no change should never be set in stone. The input of the staff can be crucial when monitoring changes that have been implemented to determine whether they are successful or not (Helfrich, Blevins, & Smith, 2011). The final method used to monitor that immunizations are properly being implemented in the clinic setting are going to be chart audits by the leadership. This will be used to ensure that the proper immunizations are given to the patients and that patient care is not being compromised (Helfrich, Blevins, & Smith, 2011). Of all of the monitoring methods mentioned above the main issue is patient care. The â€Å"Patient Medical Center Home Model† consists of modeling the care around the patient. Ensuring that patient care is at the forefront of the facility, monitoring the changes is one way to ensure that this takes place. The quality control standards of the â€Å"Patient Medical Center Home Model† consist of upper management performing quality control chart checks on a monthly basis. These chart audits are done to ensure that the standards are being met which are determined by the Department of the Army. This is one of the main differences that a military treatment facility is held to as a standard versus a civilian facility. Therefore this can be seen to some as has bureaucratic red tape in some instances, whereas in others it does have its advantages (Marshall, Doperak, & Milner, 2011). Organizational Relationship The relationship between organizations process systems and professional roles on a staff can be essential to the success of an implemented change. The Department of the Army has specific protocols when implementing changes such as implementing immunizations into the clinic setting. Organizational process systems will provide how changes will be implemented in the facility. In the facility changes come from Western region then trickle down from the Command or another words upper management. The changes are then implemented throughout the clinics in the facility. The responsibility falls on the clinic officer in charge to implement the changes throughout each clinic (Marshall, Doperak, & Milner, 2011). In a military treatment  facility changes are implemented differently than in the private sector. In the organization upper management solely consists of military personnel while leadership within the clinic is a mixture of military and civilian personnel. The process of changes is not set in stone but guidelines are set forth from Western region. The actual written standard operating procedure for the facility is implemented and brought to the forefront by upper management. Then upper management delegates the implementation down to the clinic officer in charge for actual rollouts into each clinic (Marshall, Doperak, & Milner, 2011). The roles of the leadership in the clinics are essential to the success or unsuccessful implementation of change. The attitude of the leadership carries weight on how well the rest of the staff receives the change. Leaders on the clinic level have to accept changes whether good or bad and expect staff to challenge them. Leaders have to be strong and accept the change themselves and to support upper management. There are problems dealing with changes when issues arise between created civilian and military personnel. These issues are not easily dealt with and when changes are ensuing within a facility this causes undue stress within the organization. This is one reason that leadership needs to bring forth and implement changes within an organization as all one team because staff is well suited at picking up any rift within the management team (Marshall, Doperak, & Milner, 2011). Communication Techniques Communication techniques are one of the mainstays in addressing any issues when implementing changes in any organizational plan. There are several ways in an organizational plan change that communication can take place such as talking directly to leadership on the front lines who deal with the change or all the way up the chain dealing with upper management. Without communication problems with the changes that have been implemented will not be resolved and the changes will not be successful (Marshak. & Grant, 2011). One communication technique that can be used is that leadership can address staff that seems to have issues with the changes that have been implemented. They can speak to staff on an individual basis using a closed-door setting to try to alleviate any issues that are affecting any of the employees work.  Employees may feel more comfortable speaking with a member of the leadership team on a one-on-one basis to voice their concerns with the change. Sometimes most of the issues dealing with an employee that have issues with changes that have been implemented, the staff member has questions or does not understand why the change has been made. This issue is best addressed in a one on one sit down conversation with the employee in a closed-door situation (Marshak. & Grant, 2011). Another communication technique used to address any implementation issues with the changes can be providing specific emails to a particular person. By addressing issues to one particular person within the organization instead of problems associated with the change can be addressed centrally and immediately if necessary. If issues cannot be handled by this one person than the contact person can go to their resources and take care of the issue or issues at hand. Emails are the preferred method of communication unlike phone calls at a military treatment facility. Phone calls should only be used for emergencies, where there is an immediate response that is needed. In other words the majority of the issues dealing with the implementation of the changes that occur can be dealt with through emails. These issues are not needed to be dealt with in an immediate time frame and can be dealt with and a normal work week depending on the issue that have arisen (Marshak. & Grant, 2011). Without proper communication, the need to communicate and how the communication is to take place the change implementation may well as not have ever taken place. Communication for a successful organization does need to take place in several forms; this is in the hands of a successful management and leadership (Borkowski, 2005). Conclusion In implementing changes there needs to be several methods to monitor how those changes are affecting the organization on the clinic level and as the organization as a whole. Many times staff along with the patients; both whom are giving input on the change in which the organization is trying to improve care on how the changes are taking place. The organization must be  willing to change its process in its systems whether or how management runs a certain part of their business develops a new process or because of a change implementation downsizes a facility. In order for the change to be successfully implemented communication is essential for this to take place. There are many techniques that organizations can use to accomplish this task. The communication technique will depend on the change implemented and the structure of the organization. Staff leaders whether at the clinic level or upper management are still the main key whether the organizational plan that has been set forth if the changes that have been implemented will be successful. Reference Borkowski, N. (2005). Organizational behavior in health care. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database Helfrich, C., Blevins, D., & Smith, J. (2011, July). Predicting Implementation From Organizational Readiness for Change: A Study Protocol. Implementation Science , 6(76). Marshak., R., & Grant, D. (2011, Sep). Creating Change by Changing the Conversation. OD Practitioner, 43(3), 2 – 7. Marshall, R., Doperak, M., & Milner, M. (2011, Nov). Patient-Centered Medical Home: An Emerging Primary Care Model and the Military Health System. Military Medicine, 176(11), 1253 – 1259. Surdu, G. (2010, Winter). Organizational Change- Different A. Romanian Economic and Business Review, 5(4), 48-54.