As A Manager Of Health Information Services You Must Be Able
As A Manager Of Health Information Services You Must Be Able To Orga
As a manager of Health Information Services, you must be able to organize your time in a fashion that reflects priorities, deadlines, and reasonable expectations. To-do lists, calendars, and delegation can help you organize time appropriately and effectively.
Assume you are J. R. Jones, the Director of the Health Information Department at University Hospital. You have several urgent tasks and responsibilities on a Monday morning, including handling messages, meeting deadlines, coordinating with staff, and managing ongoing projects. You need to prioritize ten specific items, decide on an immediate action, delegating, or scheduling for later, and justify each decision.
Items include responding to urgent departmental inquiries, managing staff schedule and student arrival, preparing reports and presentations, addressing confidentiality breaches, handling personal requests, and managing department supplies and staff issues. Your goal is to effectively allocate your time to ensure critical issues are addressed promptly, minor issues are delegated or scheduled, and your overall responsibilities are managed efficiently.
Paper For Above instruction
Effective time management in health information services is crucial for maintaining departmental efficiency, compliance, and staff morale. As the Director, J. R. Jones, managing a myriad of responsibilities starts with a structured approach to prioritization, delegation, and scheduling. The complex case presented for Monday morning demonstrates the importance of strategic decision-making in a high-pressure healthcare environment.
Prioritization of Tasks
The first step in managing the day's responsibilities involves categorizing each item based on urgency and impact. Tasks requiring immediate attention are classified as Priority 1, those suitable for delegation as Priority 2, and those that can be scheduled for later as Priority 3.
Item 1: Telephone message from Ms. Johnson regarding file space impact
Priority: 2
Action: Delegated to an administrative assistant to prepare a preliminary response based on existing departmental impact assessments.
Rationale: While important, this can be managed by staff with expertise in facilities planning, allowing the director to focus on more urgent operational issues.
Item 2: Student management affiliation arriving at 8:30 am
Priority: 3
Action: Schedule a briefing with the student upon return or assign to a staff member to welcome and orient the student later in the day.
Rationale: The student's arrival is predictable, and immediate attention is not crucial; scheduling it avoids disruption.
Item 3: Phone message from Mr. Black about absence due to illness and pending report
Priority: 1
Action: Contact Jim Black to reschedule his review session and delegate the review responsibilities to a competent supervisor to ensure timely review.
Rationale: As the absence affects critical department review processes, it requires immediate handling, and delegating ensures continuity.
Item 4: Phone message from Ms. Green about late arrival due to dental emergency
Priority: 3
Action: Note her expected arrival time and plan to adjust staff coverage accordingly.
Rationale: While important, her lateness does not immediately affect operations and can be managed with scheduling adjustments.
Item 5: Confidentiality breach report from Ms. Mays
Priority: 1
Action: Initiate a prompt investigation through HR and security, and coordinate a meeting with Ms. Mays immediately to address concerns.
Rationale: Breach of confidentiality is a serious issue affecting legal compliance and departmental integrity, demanding immediate action.
Item 6: Inquiry from Ann Shoemaker regarding patient record and insurance implications
Priority: 3
Action: Schedule a phone call with Ms. Shoemaker later in the day, ensuring patient privacy and compliance are maintained.
Rationale: While sensitive, this private query can be scheduled for later, with a general guideline to consult with physicians and legal counsel before providing information.
Item 7: Joan Wilson’s concern about accounts receivable pressure
Priority: 2
Action: Meet briefly with Joan Wilson or delegate the discussion to her supervisor to understand staffing needs and discuss staffing solutions later.
Rationale: This is an operational issue that requires attention but can be addressed with delegation to ensure focus on higher priority tasks.
Item 8: Supplies issue in the department reported by Carolyn Brown
Priority: 2
Action: Assign a staff member to investigate the supplies discrepancy and implement controls, scheduling a follow-up review during the day.
Rationale: This is a logistical, not urgent crisis, capable of being scheduled and delegated without immediate intervention.
Item 9: Supervisor Fern Bailey’s employee performance concern
Priority: 2
Action: Advise Fern Bailey to document the employee’s behavior and plan a formal disciplinary review with HR later in the day.
Rationale: This personnel issue is serious but manageable through delegation and scheduled follow-up, especially considering potential conflicts of interest.
Item 10: Cardiac doctor’s demand regarding a discharge summary
Priority: 1
Action: Meet immediately with the physician or assign a nurse manager to clarify the situation and resolve the discrepancy promptly.
Rationale: Physician concerns escalate quickly and can impact patient care and departmental reputation, requiring urgent attention.
Conclusion and Strategic Approach
Managing a busy health information department involves rapid assessment of tasks based on their urgency, potential impact, and resource availability. Critical issues such as confidentiality breaches, physician concerns, and process disruptions necessitate immediate action, often through delegation to competent staff. Conversely, non-urgent topics related to schedule flexibility, operational challenges, or less time-sensitive inquiries can be scheduled for later in the day, reducing strain on the director’s capacity.
Effective delegation and clear communication are essential to balance ongoing departmental duties with unforeseen emergencies. The successful management of Monday morning’s challenges exemplifies the importance of prioritization, delegation, and strategic planning in health information management.
References
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