Healthcare as a system involves many moving parts, particularly groups of individuals that make up the organization as a whole.
Alana D. Ikezu
School of Business, Liberty University
BUSI 505: Healthcare Informatics
Dr. Latasha Easterling
Healthcare as a system involves many moving parts, particularly groups of individuals that make up the organization as a whole. A term often used for such groups when considering change or introducing new technology is “stakeholders.” These individuals are important to the functionality of the system and must be considered during the process of change. The importance of such groups is emphasized in the work of Nelson & Staggers (2018) as stated, “Once objectives are aligned, the team is ready to begin the process of identifying and selecting the systems that will most closely align with the economic, operational, and clinical objectives of the organization. The stakeholders in each of those three areas must be heard, considered, and educated about what systems can and cannot do to support the objectives of different stakeholders within the organization” (p. 272). Each area has different needs and expectations of what new systems should bring, which means they must be engaged in the process to benefit the organization collectively.
Brereton et al. (2017) in their work on stakeholder involvement, coin the term as “individuals, groups, or organizations which not only share the benefits of the topic under scrutiny, but who can potentially affect the goals or the performance of a sector, plan, or policy” (p. 85). Considering these individuals may be affected in their area and have the ability to affect the goals and plans presented, the following can be categorized as stakeholders:
Patients
Healthcare Providers/Clinicians
Payers/Funding
Regulatory Organizations
Noted by Brereton et al. (2017,) “Creating opportunities for stakeholder involvement in health technology assessment (HTA) and providing a “voice” for interested parties in decision making is important as this potentially ensures shared key priorities are addressed and research findings are translated into practice” (p. 553). Each area of stakeholders must be involved to ensure their perspective is heard and recognized throughout the process.
Patients
The means for healthcare revolves around serving the patient, which makes them a key stakeholder for new technology and approaches considered in the industry. Although they may not be the ones using the tools and resources as frequently, their level of care is affected, thus making their voice an important one during the process of change. Stated by professionals from Mayo Clinic in their work on leadership, “The primary stakeholders are patients. The main goal of patients is to remain healthy by using services offered by the healthcare system” (Trastek, 2014). Patients are interested in recieving the best care and may be intrigued by new technology offered, as it poses a potential to provide the highest standard of care.
Healthcare Providers/Clinicians
This category includes many disciplines that work together for the sake of the patient population. Specifically, physicians, practitioners, educators, administrators, nurses, technicians, etc. who all hold a vital role in the functionality of a medical facility or organization. Their primary goals and interests include “having a safe and organized environment to serve patients effectively” (Trastek, 2014). Improvements to technology affect the way healthcare providers directly provide care, as it may affect the timeliness of their work or the way in which they conduct it. Engaging this set of stakeholders, in their clinical and operational settings, is very important to the effectiveness and success of bringing new changes into play.
Payers/Funding
An important sector of healthcare when considering any changes or implementation is the group providing the means to pay for the new technology and those providing coverage for patients. This includes government funding, insurance programs, and healthcare organizations who pay to cover and adopt new technology. The main goal of the financial providers is to maximize benefits at the lowest cost. “With the health of its citizens and so much money at stake, our government has a strong interest in lowering costs and ensuring that citizens receive high-quality care through preventative care and efficient treatments for disease” (Trastek, 2014). Minimizing costs is a large consideration in any business model, especially in healthcare where costs are often increasing. These stakeholders hold an important part of implementing new technology and must be engaged from start to finish.
Regulatory Organizations and Conclusion
The organizations who ensure compliance and regulate healthcare facilities must be taken into account when presenting new changes. These bodies have the ability to affect whether or not standards are being met and if the new tools will keep the organization in good standing. These stakeholders should be engaged during the process and provide affirmations that all is well and on track for new processes to be implemented.
There are many moving parts to bringing new technology into play. Involving stakeholders that are vital to the operation is a key component in all phases from beginning to end. The new testament reminds us to look to others and include them, “Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4, Christian Standard Bible). The myriad of interests to consider in healthcare is part of what makes inclusion so important. May those bringing forth new ideas be aware of such selflessness and look to what is important to those involved with much at stake.
References
Brereton, L., Wahlster, P., Mozygemba, K., Lysdahl, K. B., Burns, J., Polus, S., Goyder, E.
(2017). Stakeholder involvement throughout health technology assessment: An example from palliative care. International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 33(5), 552-561. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1017/S026646231700068X
Christian Standard Bible. 2017. Holman Bible Publishers.
Nelson, R., & Staggers, N. (2018). Health informatics: An interprofessional approach (2nd ed.)
Elsevier Inc.
Trastek, V. F., M.D., Hamilton, N. W., J.D., & Niles, Emily E,B.S., J.D. (2014). Leadership
models in health care-A case for servant leadership. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 89(3),
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