Be a Change Agent

1. What needs to change in an organization that is so far from where it should be?
King/Drew requires a complete overhaul as an organization in order to be successful. Change should begin with its leaders. A governing board elected from outside the area consisting of successful business and hospital administrative leaders is necessary. The need is for a GB that will not become emerged in the political debates of the current supervisors but one that will provide the focus of achieving outcomes and excellent patient centered care.
The GB’s first action would begin with the establishment of a mission, vision and value statement to address the culture change needed within the organization. The Governing Board could then elect a CEO to align with a new mission, vision and value to meet the community needs. The CEO would then be held accountable for the organization’s achievement of national standards of care. The CEO would be assigned the task of finding capable leaders to share the new mission, vision and values of the hospital and remove sluggards that have allowed “King/Drew's employees to be among its most intractable problems. The hospital is plagued by absenteeism, inattention to duty and, occasionally, violence.”(2004, Weber)

2. What do you think are the two most deficient areas of leadership within the King/Drew Medical Center?
The PSO and the GB have not held the standards within the organization to the minimal national standards. Past leadership of the medical staff have found sub-par standards of care permissible and excused the incompetence of leadership, medical staff, nurses and other hospital employees.
3. How might you have led change within this organization?
If I was leading change in this type of circumstance, it would require a complete change in leadership beginning with the GB. A complete culture change is needed. Temporary closure of the hospitals doors is necessary to enact change. During the closure, upgrades to the facility, public marketing strategies and staff changes would occur. The article stated that the hospital was well funded, I would to whatever necessary to hire talented individuals based on qualifications, competence, regardless of “race, color or creed” (2004, Weber) to move the hospital in the right direction. Administrators, physicians, nurses and supporting staff should be held to the same set