Management, Leadership and Public Health Planning

heed, Leadership and Public Health homeworkStudent Name Aphrodis Ndayisaba0. IntroductionThe complexity and dynamism of healthc ar systems close to the world call them require strong, familiarityable and skilful managers and leaders. The need for effective health managers and leaders is of paramount importance in onlyowing organisations and professionals to achieve their goals.Part of the knowledge and skills that healthcare services managers and leaders should mother include proviso and replace management.In this essay, we will discuss, victimization a health project and examples, the move under come uponn in planning process and later on we will be discussing on various ways that healthcare services managers and leaders would partake to effect organisational change.1. The spirits in a health planning processAccording to Ardal et al (2006), a plan is defined as a map, as a preparation, as an ar regurgitatement. Planning defines the direction where the organisation or a p erson is heading and how to reach there. heterogeneous activities are acceptn in health planning process. It is verbalise that health planning process follows as the same basic steps as any planning process and these steps form a bicycle which is normally repeated in the planning process for programs, populations, systems or health goals. The necessity of repeated cycle is due to the prevailing conditions which some or all may push to the change of the animated plan. For example, refreshful evidences to create, restore or support health are released unceasingly, thus to incorporate these evidences into plans, the planning process should be cyclical (Ardal al, 2006).According to Ardal et al (2006), most planning cycles comprise seven steps which areSurveying the purlieuSetting directionsIdentify paradoxs and contestsIdentify ranges of solutions to the problem and challengesIdentify the preferred solutionsImplementationEvaluationAccording to the same source, some people might argue that planners are only involved in the showtime five steps yet planners are also instrumental in understanding and supporting to shape the practiceation plan and military rank. They may be invited to append support in these latter activities.To discuss on these steps, we use an example of a lodge health project on fighting against malaria in a local district.1.1. Surveying the environmentThis step is concerned with the information collection to determine the current blank space regarding the issue under love. The assessment of the current situation is done from various perspectives. For example, in the planning process for the project to fight against malaria, those involved in the planning process can review the front plans near the project. According to Chatora and Tumusiime (2004), the review of the previous plans is essential in the planning process as it helps find out whether the government policy changed over a stream of time and what its impact on the plan. Additionally, the planners can review the previous plans to see any change on certain key information in the planning like demographic information on the number of the fundament population, social, economic and cultural factors, community engagement in the process and health delivery. Similarly, the review of the previous plans provides information on the change about resources like human, financial and material resources and about the performance of the previous plans.1.2. Setting directionsThis step involves goals and objectives setting and the establishment of the standards against which the existing health/ illness status or existing organisational or system performance will be compared with. Simply put, at this stage, health planners seek to assist the key question where do we want to go? or what do we want to achieve. In other words, the health planners identify the preferred forthcoming state or outcome for the issue in question.For example, during the planning process of the project intended to fight against malaria in the district, those involved may set the target of having zero death due to malaria in the district during a certain period.1.3. Identification of problems and challengesThis step is concerned with the identification and quantification of the shortfalls between the existing situation and the desirable situation. To identify problems and challenges, the purchasable data should be taken into consideration data from health information management system, community surveys, census, reports, and anecdotes alike.Problems can be either primordial or secondary. On one hand, Primary problems include illnesses identified in the community like malaria, tuberculosis HIV infection, leprosy or other tie in to socioeconomic factors like inequity, unfairness or patient dissatisfaction. On the other hand, secondary problems or contributory problems are those problems related to poor health systems like shortfall of health resources, poor health del ivery services and poor management skills which contribute to the primary problems (Chatora Tumusiime, 2004).For example, during the process of planning the project to fight against malaria, planners have to make use of various data sources to determine the causes of the deficit between the current situation and the desired situation about malaria in their district1.4. Identification of range of solutions to problems and challengesAt this stage, a range of solutions to each identified problem and challenge is identified. Also, at this stage, an assessment of each possible solution, using criteria like feasibility with the available resources, cost-effectiveness, is done so that each solution can be compared with each other to ease the process of prioritisation.For example, in planning process about community health project to fight against malaria, each identified problem and challenge that impede the initiatives to fight malaria a solution should be sought to it.However, given the complexity of this step in identifying solutions to the problems and challenges, creativity is of paramount importance as some problems and challenges may not have readily available solutions (Ardal al, 2006).1.5. Identification of preferred solutionsThis step is concerned with the selection of a solution or a range of solutions to deal with the identified problems and challenges in the above step. The selection of the solutions may require to take into consideration fiscal and political context and other limiting factors (Ardal al, 2006).For example, in choosing solutions to the problems and challenges to the fight against malaria, government policies and guidelines and the available resources and other limiting factors should be not be ignored.1.6. ImplementationThis step deals with the implementation of the selected solutions and it is preceded by the set aboutment of implementation plan.1.7. EvaluationIt stated that this step may start with the development of an evaluation pl an salutary prior to the actual evaluation. This step is concerned with the evaluation of the outcomes of the implemented solutions to determine if the latter resulted in achieving the goals set in the planning process. It is also concerned with the evaluation of the environment in which the plan was carried out to determine if any change occurred hence helping depict whether the implemented solutions were less effective, more effective or ir pertinent. Additionally, it involves developing ongoing tracking system methods to be used to continuously make identification and assessment of the planned or unplanned outcomes of the implemented actions (Ardal al, 2006).2. Various ways to effect organisational changeHealthcare organisations, like any other organisations, either public or private constantly undergo changes. The need for change or reform in these organisations is reported to be fundamental to the management process. Managers of these organisations need to adapt how they work when faced with contextual changes such as the emerge new technologies, changes in environmental pressures, demographics, political ideologies, socioeconomic context and rising demand and cost (Goodwin et al, 2006). So, organisations have to change as their innate and external environment constantly change.Numerous perplexs and theories of change management have been proposed in the literature. These models include the 7-S model, PESTELI, soft systems methodological analysis, Kurt Lewins classic three-phase model of change-unfreeze, move or change and unfreeze, thaumaturgy Kotters popular 8 step change model, etc. (Goodwin et al,2006 The State of Queensland, 2014). It is stated that each model has its own advantages and disadvantages and no one approach is opera hat in all circumstances. Indeed it is not so much the actual model or theory that is classical, but more that the approach that is taken is relevant to the circumstances (The state of Queensland, 2014). In essence, t he best change model appear to make use of and adjust aspects of various models to meet the culture of the organisation in question and the context of change needed. Basically, it is reported that the goal of all change management is to secure the involvement of each and every one to the change and adjust indivi triple and team behaviour and skills with the change (The state of Queensland, 2014)For the case of the director of the Directorate of Public Health who needs to replenish the image of the organisation afterwards observing that it was getting negative, below are the proposed ways that can be partaken to effect the health organisational change. They are the analytical tools that they can be used to develop a coherent strategic response to the situation like the one mentioned above.The 7S modelPESTELISoft systems methodologyProcess modellingSWOT analysis2.1. The 7S modelThe 7S model is one of the diagnostic tools that healthcare organisation managers can use to conduct situa tional analysis to assess the gap between what is and what ought to be and it is often a tool that can be used for the justification for change management programmes. This model suggests that there are seven criteria which require the harmonisation of each other. These criteria are the followingStrategy this criteria is concerned with the plan or course of action that leads to the allocation of organisations resources to achieve its goals.Structure This involves the outstanding characteristics of the organisational chart. This is related to the organisational leaders structure and how its parts are interconnected inside the organisation.Systems This criterion is concerned with the processes and procedures and the information flow around the organisation.Staff This criterion is concerned with the categories of human resources inwardly the organisation.Style This is related to leadership style that the managers use to reach the organisations goals.Shared values This is concerned with the guiding principles that the organisation instil to its members.Skills This is related to the staff capacity of the organisation.Goodwin et al (2006) state that the 7S model can be used in two ways in identifying strengths and weaknesses by taking into consideration the linkage between each criteria and how change made in one criterion will impact on all of the others.Despite its attractiveness of its dual emphasis on soft and hard organisational components, it is criticised of providing one-sided organisational culture with the only sole focus on the similarities that stick to the organisation and ignore other important aspects like conflict and disagreement (Goodwin et al, 2006).2.2. PESTELIPESTELI is described as checklist used to analyse the environment in which the organisation operates. It stands forP Political factors political impetus and influences that have an effect on organisational performance or other options open to the organisation.E Economic influences competiti ve nature that the organisation faces and the financial resources available within the economy.S Social trends change in demographics, trends in the behaviour and attitude of people regarding how they live, work and think.T Technological innovations new ways of doing new and old things and mitigating new or old problems be it equipment or new ways thinking or organising.E Ecological factors this involves defining wider ecological system to which the organisation belongs and the mode the latter interacts with.L Legislative requirement these extend from the employment law to environmental regulations.I Industry analysis this is concerned with reviewing of the rousing quality of the pains to which the organisation belongs.As the 7S model, PESTELI can be used to conduct an analysis of the favouring factors in the environment in which the organisation operates and those that hinder the progress (Goodwin et al, 2006).2.3. Soft systems methodologyIt is a tool which helps in articulating complex social processes. This is done by bringing together concerned people so that they can express their points of view, challenge them and test them. The following steps are undertaken when using this toolIdentify a problem and its causes from the stakeholders, cultural and political perspectives, without any attempt to impose a preconceived structure or to over-simplify the processes in place.Articulate root definitions of relevant systems purpose, dynamics, inputs and outputs.Discuss on the situation with the stakeholders by describing the needed activities to achieve the root definitions using for instance process mapping tool or cause-and-effect diagram.Compare models with reality by observing, discussing and defining what to alter on the structure, process and attitude.Take action to implement the proposed solutions.Despite the importance of this tool in making change happening, it was criticised of being time consuming and costly. Also, there are concerns of whether organi sational members are enough motivated to undertake the task to its end (Iles and Sutherland, 2001 cited in Goodwin et al, 2006).2.4. Process modellingProcess modelling is used as an approach to capture and clarify different views and expectations of a process. It helps plus the understanding of the situation at hand and how the proposed new one will make a difference. Simply put, the aim of this tool is to capture the dynamics of a situation so that those involved can brainstorm and come up with the best practices to change the current process.2.5. SWOT analysisSWOT analysis is other important tool used to examine an organizations internal strengths and weaknesses, its opportunities for growth and improvement, and the threats the external environment presents to its survival (Harrison, 2010). It is a systematic way of examining wherefore an organization needs to change. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.This tool can be used in combination with oth er tool. For example, it is used together with the 7S model to identify organisational internal factors and PESTELI to identify external factors that hinder the growth or the normal functioning of the organisation.REFERENCESARDAL, S. ET AL, 2006. The Health Planners Toolkit. http//www.health.gov.on.ca/transformation/providers/information/resources/health_planner/module_1.pdf 6-11-14.CHATORA, R., TMUSIIME,P., 2004. District Health Management Team Training Modules. Module 4 Planning and Implementation of District Health Services. https//www.k4health.org/sites/default/files/Module%204.pdf 5-11-14.GOODWIN, N. ET AL., 2006. Managing Health Services. London Open University Press.HARRISON,J., 2010. Essentials of Strategic Planning in Healthcare. Washington AUPHA Press.THE STATE OF QUEENSLAND, 2014. Change Management Best Practices Guide Five (5) key factors common to success in managing organisational. changehttp//www.psc.qld.gov.au/publications/subject-specific-publications/assets/change -management-best-practice-guide.pdf 6-11-14.1