Decision-Making Case Study Health Care Management Essay

Stoddard County Public Health Clinic is located on Highway 25, North of Bloomfield, Missouri. The clinic imparts services to infant and tiddler young and middle aged adults older adults environmental services and group/community services. When the 2009 compute cuts were distributed among the varied departments, the manager of the issue and center(a) Aged self-aggrandising division noted a 15% budget cut. This paper is a case study of how the Young and Middle Aged Adult Department motorbus will decide what faunas she will use to decide which clinical service should be eliminated or introduced to enlistrer serve the Medicaid population at while at the same time grant a 15% cut in its budget.Clinic Services Avail able-bodied and StaffingThe services available for the Young and Middle Aged Adult Department includes breast and cervical screening project, anemia screening, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy testing, immunizations, livelihood education, W.I.C, womens hea lth screenings, high riskiness pregnancy counseling and case management for prenatals (Stoddard County, 2008). Staffing for the department includes Department bus 2 full-time LPNs to perform screenings, draw blood samples and administer immunizations 1 full-time nutritionist for the nutrition education and 1 RN Case manager to manage the womens health screenings, high risk pregnancy counseling. The clerical staff is shared among the entire clinic.The Department Manager looked at the year-to-date information for distributively service provided under her department with the thought of possibly eliminating a service to make up for the 15% budget cut. Upon reviewing the all statistics concerning frequency of use and after surveying all staff members within the clinic, it was set that each service was very important to the Medicaid recipients of Stoddard County. One suggestion from a staff member was to turn one of the full-time LPN positions to a part-time position and starting a c linical provide program.Another position that could be mixtured from full-time to part-time is the Nutritionist. Statistics have shown that her services are only ask 4 hours a day instead of the full 8 hours. The volunteers would be clinically proficient and could uphold the screenings that are very popular within Stoddard County. In order for the determination to be made, the DepartmentManager will need to make a decision to use a decision making epitome tool.The Informed Decisions tool chestOne option for the department manager can use to make a decision on how to manage a 15% budget cut for her clinic, is to use The Informed Decisions Toolbox developed by Thomas G. Rundall, PhD and his associates (University Of Phoenix, 2008). The toolbox is divided into six move to help managers make an informed decision. The six steps include tonicity 1 shape the interrogative behind the decision stones throw 2 determination sources of information Step 3 Assessing the accuracy of information Step 4 Assessing the applicability of information Step 5 Assessing the actionability of information Step 6 Determining if the information is adequate (University Of Phoenix, 2008).Step 1 Framing the Question Behind the DecisionBefore making an informed decision, the manager must formulate a explore gesture out of the management question. In this case study the management question is How will the Young and Middle Aged Adult Department operate with a 15% budget cut? The research question is What clinical services should be eliminated or added to allow for the 15% budget cut within the Young and Middle Aged Adult Departments and how will it affect the profitability and quality of contend outcomes during the 2009 budget year within the Medicaid population? (University Of Phoenix, 2008).Step 2 Finding Sources of InformationStep 2 of The Informed Decisions Toolbox discusses different avenues of researching the management question. These avenues include, but are not limited to healthcare organization libraries, webmasters intranet information and in-house promote systems and the Internet. Step 2 also describes search tips that were very useful (University Of Phoenix, 2008).Step 3 Assessing the Accuracy of InformationStep 3 call fors the user to asking the following questions to help ascertain whether the information is accurate Is the information valid and authoritative? Is the information comprehensive? Am I missing important perspectives or aspects of my decision? (University Of Phoenix, 2008).Step 4 Assessing the Applicability of InformationThis step guides the user to decide if all the information accessed was applicable to making a decision.Step 5 Assessing the Actionability of InformationStep 5 will guide the user to determine if the information collected will provide useful recommendations to be implemented, what the expected set up may be of the decision and what are the possible effects that were not expected (University Of Phoenix, 2008). Step 6 Determining if the Information is AdequateThis last step will guide the user in making the determination as to when there has been enough information gathered to make a decision (University Of Phoenix, 2008).After reviewing the information on The Informed Decisions Toolbox, the Department Manager decided this tool wasnt useful for the type of decision that needed to be made.There are four learn strategies that have been recommended for use that affects an organization when the toolbox is used1. strategy One Recognize and Respond to the ontogenesis Demand for Accountability as a Strategic Issue (University of Phoenix, 2008).2.Strategy Two Establish organizational Structures and Processes for Knowledge Transfer (University of Phoenix, 2008).3.Strategy Three Build a Questioning Organizational Culture (University of Phoenix).4.Strategy Four Build Organizational Research Capabilities (University of Phoenix, 2008).By using these strategies, an organization will be able to ensure that have all the research information at hand to help them stay responsible for theiractions. It is also a way for sharing of knowledge and always questioning so as to build a stronger organization.Devils Advocate TechniqueDevils Advocate is a technique that is used in gathering the positive and the nix aspects to a decision that needs to be made (Liebler & McConnell, 2008, p. 159). In this case, the Department Manager assigned the 2 LPNs and Case Manager the task of brainstorm and writing down the negative aspects of her proposal and all the positive aspects to the proposal.Negative AspectsThere were some strong negative aspects that the team was able to speak during the brainstorming session. Some of the stronger comments were1.A full-time staff member will be required to have a change of status from full-time to part-time. This could cause the staff member make the decision to resign and regard a position elsewhere. This will cause the Department to incur the expense of rec ruiting and rearing a replacement.2.Cost of recruiting and procreation volunteer staff to make up for the FTE position lost.3.Loss of expertise from taking already fully training long-time employee out of the full-time position and replacing them with an inexperienced volunteer.Positive AspectsThere were some strong positive aspects that came from the brainstorming as well. Some of the stronger comments/aspects are1.Cost nest egg from using volunteer services. The LPN is making an hourly wage of $17.50 per hour equates to approximately $36,400 annually. By using the volunteer for part-time, there will be a savings of $18,200 annually.2.Cost savings for ever-changing the dietician to part-time would be $22,500, which is half of the $45,000 annual salary paid.The total budget from previous year was $154,800. The new budged, which excludes the 15% cut is $131,580, which equates to a total $23,200 difference. If the decision was made to change the two positions topart-time, there wo uld be a cost savings of $40,700.00.In conclusion, the decision-making tool that best worthy the Department Manager of the Young & Middle Aged Adult was the Devils Advocate. By allowing those who the decision was going to affect the most have a part in the decision making procedure ensured better understanding of budget cuts. The Informed Decisions Toolbox is an excellent tool for those decisions requiring a lot of research data however, not best suited for this Department Manager. The final decision was made to proceed with changing 1 FTE LPN to Part-time and 1 FTE Dietician to Part-time, which will create a total budgeted savings of $40,700.00.ReferencesLiebler, J., & McConnell, C. (2008). Management Principles for Health Professional (5th ed.). Sudbury, MA Jones and Bartlett.Stoddard Conty. (2008). Stoddard County Public Health Center. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from http//www.stoddardcountyhealth.com/ServicesAvailable.htmUniversity Of Phoenix. (2008). The informed decisions toolbox Tools for knowledge air and performance improvement. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from University of Phoenix, Week Two, Resource HCS 514 Managing in Todays Health Care Organizations Web site.