Healthcare Leadership and Management

by | Feb 16, 2025 | Essays

 

Healthcare Leadership and Management Scenario
You work on a team of medical assistants at a busy children’s clinic. The absence of a manager who has been out of the office due to personal illness is causing significant stress in the workplace. HR sees the need for a new manager. As the senior member of your team, you have been asked to participate in the process of writing a job description and hiring a new manager.
Part I: Email to Clinic Director
The clinic director has identified a list of responsibilities that he could potentially use within the job description for the manager position, but he wants to gather information from someone who works closely with this department on a regular basis. He asks you to analyze the list of responsibilities and choose 5 that you think are most important. For each of these 5 selected tasks, explain why it is an important responsibility from both a manager and a leader perspective. Draft an email in response to the clinic director’s request that identifies the 5 responsibilities and analyzes each from both perspectives.
• Setting a department vision
• Maintaining a smooth relationship with the physicians
• Overseeing technology acquisition for the department
• Being an effective spokesperson for the organization
• Determining strategies for the future
• Motivating stakeholders
• Ensuring patient satisfaction
• Mentoring new hires
• Fostering collaboration
• Assisting with budgeting
• Aligning team with organizational values
• Facilitating continuing education for staff
• Training new employees
• Connecting people across departments
• Controlling departmental resources
• Establishing a department mission
Your email response should be between 3 and 5 paragraphs in length.
Part II: Manager and Leader Responsibility Infographic
In addition to emailing the clinic director regarding the importance of responsibilities from both a leader and manager perspective, you have also been asked to communicate these important responsibilities to the employees in your department. You decide to create an infographic that explains the responsibilities from both a leader and manager perspective, highlighting the fact that, while not everyone is in a management position, everyone on the team can be a leader in some way.
Your infographic should be 1–2 pages in length and should include at least one APA-formatted resource that supports your explanation of responsibilities. Although not required, you can use this website to help you create an infographic. https://www.easel.ly/
Part III: Response Memo on Evaluation of Candidates
The hiring committee has narrowed their search to three candidates from within your current team: Erica, Kendra, and Arlo. You work with each of these candidates on a daily basis, so the hiring committee asks for your evaluation of the candidates and a recommendation for the manager position. Evaluate the three candidates (Erica, Kendra, and Arlo) based on the responsibilities that you feel are most important and the candidate information provided. Write a memo to the clinical director, who is part of the hiring committee, that includes the following:
• Make a recommendation for one candidate who best displays both manager and leader characteristics. Reference at least 2 responsibilities that were analyzed within your email to the clinical director in Part 1.
• Reference at least 1 appropriate scholarly resource in APA format that supports your recommendation.
(Recommended length: 3 paragraphs)

 

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Part I: Email to Clinic Director

Subject: Recommended Manager Responsibilities

Dear Clinic Director,

Thank you for seeking my input on the job description for the new manager. Having worked closely with the team, I believe the following five responsibilities are crucial for success in this role, analyzed from both a manager and leader’s perspective:

  1. Ensuring Patient Satisfaction: From a managerial standpoint, this involves implementing systems for patient feedback, tracking satisfaction scores, and addressing complaints efficiently. From a leadership perspective, it means fostering a culture of patient-centered care, empowering staff to go the extra mile, and consistently communicating the importance of positive patient interactions. A satisfied patient base is essential for the clinic’s reputation and financial health.

Part I: Email to Clinic Director

Subject: Recommended Manager Responsibilities

Dear Clinic Director,

Thank you for seeking my input on the job description for the new manager. Having worked closely with the team, I believe the following five responsibilities are crucial for success in this role, analyzed from both a manager and leader’s perspective:

  1. Ensuring Patient Satisfaction: From a managerial standpoint, this involves implementing systems for patient feedback, tracking satisfaction scores, and addressing complaints efficiently. From a leadership perspective, it means fostering a culture of patient-centered care, empowering staff to go the extra mile, and consistently communicating the importance of positive patient interactions. A satisfied patient base is essential for the clinic’s reputation and financial health.

  1. Motivating Stakeholders: Managerially, this includes setting clear performance expectations, providing regular feedback, and administering rewards and recognition programs. As a leader, this involves inspiring the team, creating a shared sense of purpose, and fostering a positive work environment where everyone feels valued and appreciated. A motivated team is a productive team, leading to better patient care and overall clinic success.

  2. Fostering Collaboration: Management involves creating opportunities for teamwork, facilitating effective communication, and resolving conflicts constructively. Leadership entails building trust among team members, promoting a culture of mutual respect, and encouraging everyone to contribute their unique skills and perspectives. Strong collaboration is essential for smooth operations and optimal patient care.

  3. Facilitating Continuing Education for Staff: Managerially, this means identifying training needs, organizing workshops and educational sessions, and ensuring staff compliance with required certifications. Leadership involves encouraging a culture of continuous learning, supporting staff professional development, and recognizing the value of ongoing education in improving patient care. Investing in staff development is investing in the future of the clinic.

  4. Aligning Team with Organizational Values: From a management perspective, this involves communicating the organization’s values clearly, integrating them into performance evaluations, and ensuring policies and procedures reflect those values. From a leadership perspective, it means embodying the organization’s values in daily actions, inspiring the team to embrace those values, and creating a shared understanding of how those values translate into patient care and workplace behavior. A team aligned with organizational values is a team that is more cohesive, ethical, and effective.

I believe these five responsibilities encompass the core duties of a successful manager and the essential qualities of a strong leader. They are critical for building a high-performing team, ensuring patient satisfaction, and contributing to the overall success of the clinic.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Part II: Manager and Leader Responsibility Infographic

(Infographic – See attached visual representation – This text provides a description of what the infographic would contain)

Title: Leading and Managing: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Introduction: This infographic explains the key responsibilities of a manager and a leader, highlighting how everyone can demonstrate leadership qualities, regardless of their formal position.

Section 1: Manager Responsibilities

  • Definition: Managers focus on the day-to-day operations, ensuring tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.
  • Key Responsibilities:
    • Overseeing resources
    • Creating schedules and assigning tasks
    • Implementing policies and procedures
    • Monitoring performance
    • Addressing immediate problems

Section 2: Leader Responsibilities

  • Definition: Leaders inspire and motivate others towards a shared vision, fostering growth and development.
  • Key Responsibilities:
    • Setting a vision and inspiring others to achieve it
    • Motivating and empowering stakeholders
    • Building relationships and fostering collaboration
    • Facilitating growth and development
    • Championing change and innovation

Section 3: Leading from Any Position

  • Explanation: While management roles have formal authority, leadership can be demonstrated by anyone, regardless of their title.
  • Examples:
    • Taking initiative
    • Offering support to colleagues
    • Sharing knowledge and expertise
    • Being a positive role model
    • Advocating for patients

Section 4: The Benefits of Combining Leadership and Management

  • Explanation: Effective leaders are also good managers, and effective managers demonstrate leadership qualities. Combining both skill sets creates a high-performing team and a positive work environment.
  • Benefits:
    • Increased productivity
    • Improved morale
    • Enhanced patient care
    • Greater job satisfaction

Conclusion: Everyone has the potential to be a leader. By embracing leadership qualities, we can all contribute to a more positive and productive work environment.

Reference:

  • Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed.). Sage Publications.

Part III: Response Memo on Evaluation of Candidates

To: Clinic Director

From: [Your Name]

Date: [Date]

Subject: Recommendation for Manager Position

I have carefully considered the three candidates, Erica, Kendra, and Arlo, based on the key responsibilities discussed previously. I strongly recommend Kendra for the manager position.

Kendra consistently demonstrates both managerial and leadership qualities. For example, her approach to ensuring patient satisfaction is exemplary. She not only efficiently addresses patient concerns (managerial) but also proactively seeks feedback and champions initiatives to improve the patient experience (leadership). Furthermore, her ability to foster collaboration within the team is evident. She actively facilitates communication, encourages teamwork, and effectively resolves conflicts. Her leadership in these two key areas, among others, makes her an ideal candidate.

Kendra’s approach aligns with the principles of transformational leadership, which emphasizes inspiring and motivating followers to achieve shared goals (Northouse, 2018). Her ability to balance operational efficiency with a focus on people makes her well-suited to lead the team effectively. I am confident that Kendra will excel in this role and contribute significantly to the clinic’s success.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

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