Strategic Health Leadership and Management

This article discusses the importance of strategic health leadership and management in improving healthcare service delivery. It explores the concept of clinical process redesign and its impact on staff and patients. The article also highlights the role of senior management and clinical leaders in implementing strategies and achieving goals. The case studies of Flinders Medical Centre and NSW Health in South Australia are used to illustrate successful implementation of clinical process redesign.

Strategic Health Leadership and
Management

Table of Contents
Author’s central arguments and conclusions.............................................................................2
Article lacking information or argumentation............................................................................3
Integrate the author's conclusions and discuss the implications for health leadership and
management...............................................................................................................................3
References..................................................................................................................................5
1

Author’s central arguments and conclusions
The author depicted the stress in public healthcare hospital, the application and methods of
clinical process redesign and achieving substantial improvement through a redesign for staff
and patients. The article clearly explains the key criteria for successful use of the clinical
process redesign in sustaining and implementing improvement. It is being found that the
clinical process redesign projects were undertaken by Flinders Medical Centre and NSW
Health in South Australia since November 2003 and August 20041. The variations in the
redesign projects can be seen as per the local conditions and needs. The evidence was used
for supporting the topic which is particularly from the Institute for the Health Improvement in
the United States and National Health Service in the United Kingdom. It is being depicted
that the leadership of senior management and chief executive plays a significant role in the
healthcare organization. The senior management is responsible to set standards for driving
the change process and service delivery. At FMX, an experience highlighted the importance
of having an executive group at organization involved directly in the redesign. The executives
and clinicians involved in tracking clinical work and patient journeys.
Clinical leaders are also considered to be important for the successful implementation of
strategies and achievement of goals. The clinicians should be engaged by implementing their
strategies. The involvement of clinicians in examining issues and finding issues need to be in
a manner that meets the needs of healthcare professionals. The workgroup also redesigns the
work processes. The author has stated that the implementations of solutions are considered to
the toughest part of the whole process and managers should be provided with required change
management skills2. The journey of the patient should be taken into account during the
process of clinical redesign. Understand the needs of the patient can assist to redesign the
process. Carers and patients should be involved in both solving and defining problems. The
redesign process consists of seeking the views of the stakeholders on the issues and their
causes. The utilization of evidence ensures that the solutions would have a high probability of
success.
The author has depicted that both FMC and NSW Health have developed a central group for
managing the redesign programs. FMC has a single medical centre and NSW consisted of
1 McGrath, Katherine M, Denise M Bennett, David I Ben Tovim, Steven C Boyages, Nigel J Lyons, and Tony J
O’Connell. 2008. "Implementing And Sustaining Transformational Change In Health Care: Lessons Learnt About
Clinical Process Redesign". The Medical Journal Of Australia 188 (6): 32-35.
2 Clarke, Paul. 2010. Business Studies. (3rd ed. Harlow: BBC Active), 25-88.
2

several hospitals all across the state. The staff of FMC attended external courses for learning
the redesign principles and the staffs of NSW Health are engaged with an external consultant.
There is an increase in the return on the investment due to the decrease in the length of
staying for the patients in NSW. The clinical process redesign techniques are considered to be
work best at the local unit or hospital level3. The article shows sustainability consists of an
ongoing improvement process. The process needs to be continuous for reviewing and
improving health service delivery. The new processes should be documented and different
roles made explicit and defined with temporary and new staffs. The author has stated that
technological change and increasing demand need continuous improvement for maintaining
the standards.
Article lacking information or argumentation
The author would have collected more data and information for explaining the study. The
article does not explain in a detailed manner about how the leaders would use the strategy for
managing the work processes and staff members. The author would have explained each and
every step which need to be considered during the redesigning the clinical process. However,
the author has tried to cover all the aspects of explaining the study in an appropriate manner4.
Integrate the author's conclusions and discuss the implications for health leadership
and management
The leaders and managers play a significant role in bringing changes and implementing
strategies for increasing the efficiency of the work process. The author has clearly explained
that the clinical process redesign is considered to be a powerful tool to improve the systems
that support healthcare service delivery. The method has provided benefits for staff and
patients by enhancing the flow of patients and increased safety as well as improving the
health outcomes and experience for patients5. The management is mainly responsible to
implement changes as per the needs of the organization and set a framework for providing
quality healthcare services. The management has to challenge and engage the employees with
stretch goals which means beyond their current goals. The management also set parameters
3 Sikdar, Arijit, and Jayashree Payyazhi. 2014. "A Process Model Of Managing Organizational Change During
Business Process Redesign". Business Process Management Journal 20 (6): 971-998. doi:10.1108/bpmj-02-
2013-0020.
4 Zuckerman, Alan M. 2012. Healthcare Strategic Planning. 3rd ed. (Chicago: Health
Administration Press), 169-210.
5 Daft, Richard L, and Patricia L Lane. 2015. Leadership. 3rd ed. (Stamford: Cengage Learning), 144-159.
3

for accepting the solutions, monitor performance, reward success and ensure strategies are
being implemented within set budgets and timeframes. The staff members would see that the
program is considered to be very much important for the chief executive officer. The senior
managers have to keep the momentum and resilient in order to succeed in the face of setbacks
and obstacle, failure or resistant from certain components of the project.
The senior executives and clinicians at FMC are found to be tracking the clinical processes
and journeys of the patient. It assisted to redesign the project as per the needs of the staff. The
management at NSW Health is also found to be a powerful motivator and effective for the
staff members. The clinical leader also plays a significant role in implementing the solutions
that are being developed by the staffs. The implementation of the solution assists to gain the
trust of the staff members6. The management should set criteria for the development of
solution in advance and explain what resources are being available. Safety is considered to be
very much important during redesigning the clinical process. The clinical leaders invest their
time for simplifying the clinical processes and eliminating wastage. The leaders and
managers should coordinate in order to carry out the work as per the needs of the
organization and patients. It is being found that the success depends on the leadership of
senior executives and problem-solving approaches focusing on the journey of the patient,
ambitious targets, access to data, the process to maintain improvement and strong
performance management7.
The leaders can only determine and evaluate when an organization is being ready for the
redesign. The understanding of the needs and works processes are considered to be important
for the implementation of the redesigning frameworks. The solutions need to be implemented
which is considered to be the most significant part of the process. The managers have to be
provided with the required change management knowledge and skills8. Training can assist the
managers to understand how the change management process can be implemented as per the
necessity of the organization. The use of data and information can assist to increase the
probability of getting successful. The process develops confidence in management and trust
among staffs as well as ensures that time is not being wasted for any inappropriate solutions.
6 McTeer, Maureen. 2014. "The Imperative For New Approaches For Managing And Leading In Healthcare For
The 21St Century". Canadian Journal Of Nursing Leadership 27 (4): 33-43. doi:10.12927/cjnl.2015.24141.
7 Young, Mona Au. 2013. The Impact Of A Practice Redesign To Improve Self-Management Among Obese Safety
Net Patients. 3rd ed. [Los Angeles]: University of California, Los Angeles.
8 Peate, Ian. 2011. "Implementing Excellence In Your Health Care Organization – Managing, Leading And
Collaboratingimplementing Excellence In Your Health Care Organization – Managing, Leading And
Collaborating". Nursing Standard 25 (35): 30-30. doi:10.7748/ns2011.05.25.35.30.b1201.
4

Data is needed for redesigning the process in an appropriate manner. The information
technology systems providing significant information to the managers are necessary to
achieve efficient and high-quality patient journeys.
The managers and leaders in FMC and NSW Health have depicted to be contributing their
efforts for redesigning the whole program. The leaders and managers should be involved in
both solving and defining issues. The leaders have the capabilities to direct the staffs towards
their objectives by providing them appropriate direction. The staff members would be able to
understand the significance of bringing and implementing the changes9. The needs and safety
of the patient are considered to be very much important because it is the main goal of any
healthcare organizations. Healthcare professionals should have a proper understanding of
how they would carry out the work process and how it can be done. The managers are
responsible for setting standards for the leaders and other healthcare staff members. The
standards would assist to measure the performance of each and every individual. The
management should provide all the necessary resources and facilities that can support
healthcare professionals to carry out their work processes. Human resource is the most
significant asset for an organization. An organization cannot run without the efforts of
managers and leaders10. Clinical process redesign has the required potential to support the
objective of an organization. The success of the organization depends on how the team
members are implementing the process. The clinical redesign process has provided a
significant improvement in the healthcare service delivery in elective surgery programs and
emergency departments in FMC and NSW in South Australia. The evidence has clearly
depicted that the process can provide huge benefits to the organization. The leaders and
managers used their skills and knowledge in order to manage and implement the process as
per the needs of the organization and patients.
9 Popejoy, Michael W. 2017. "Leading The Global Healthcare Organization". MOJ Public Health 5 (3).
doi:10.15406/mojph.2017.05.00127.
10 Roth, George. 2011. "Sustaining Lean Transformation Through Growth And Positive Organizational
Change". Journal Of Enterprise Transformation 1 (2): 119-146. doi:10.1080/19488289.2011.579228.
5

References
Clarke, Paul. 2010. Business Studies. (3rd ed. Harlow: BBC Active), 25-88.
Daft, Richard L, and Patricia L Lane. 2015. Leadership. 3rd ed. (Stamford: Cengage
Learning), 144-159.
McGrath, Katherine M, Denise M Bennett, David I Ben Tovim, Steven C Boyages, Nigel J
Lyons, and Tony J O’Connell. 2008. "Implementing And Sustaining Transformational
Change In Health Care: Lessons Learnt About Clinical Process Redesign". The Medical
Journal Of Australia 188 (6): 32-35.
McTeer, Maureen. 2014. "The Imperative For New Approaches For Managing And Leading
In Healthcare For The 21St Century". Canadian Journal Of Nursing Leadership 27 (4):
33-43. doi:10.12927/cjnl.2015.24141.
Peate, Ian. 2011. "Implementing Excellence In Your Health Care Organization – Managing,
Leading And Collaboratingimplementing Excellence In Your Health Care Organization
– Managing, Leading And Collaborating". Nursing Standard 25 (35): 30-30.
doi:10.7748/ns2011.05.25.35.30.b1201.
Popejoy, Michael W. 2017. "Leading The Global Healthcare Organization". MOJ Public
Health5 (3). doi:10.15406/mojph.2017.05.00127.
Roth, George. 2011. "Sustaining Lean Transformation Through Growth And Positive
Organizational Change". Journal Of Enterprise Transformation 1 (2): 119-146.
doi:10.1080/19488289.2011.579228.
Sikdar, Arijit, and Jayashree Payyazhi. 2014. "A Process Model Of Managing Organizational
Change During Business Process Redesign". Business Process Management Journal 20
(6): 971-998. doi:10.1108/bpmj-02-2013-0020.
Young, Mona Au. 2013. The Impact Of A Practice Redesign To Improve Self-Management
Among Obese Safety Net Patients. 3rd ed. [Los Angeles]: University of California, Los
Angeles.
Zuckerman, Alan M. 2012. Healthcare Strategic Planning. 3rd ed. (Chicago: Health
Administration Press), 169-210.
6