Macro-Analysis for an Organization: A Military Clinic

In this task, you will be required to apply the SWOT model of analysis to your field organization, as well as engage in critical thinking skills through a reflection. This SWOT analysis highlights the applied macroskills of a health service coordinator by asking you to transform a live case from your field experience into an organizational analysis.

A.  Conduct a SWOT analysis on your field experience organization by doing the following:

1.  Describe the organizat ion where your field experience took place, including the following:

•  the size 22 authorized personnel and dependents

•  the type MILITARY CLINIC

•  the population served ACTIVE MILITARY MEMBERS

•  the organization’s mission, vision, and values: to take care of the physical, mental, dental, and spiritual needs in order to preserve the fighting force.

a.  Identify three strengths of the identified organization. prompt always available care, no copay for services, no copay for medications.

b.  Identify three weaknesses of the identified organization.  often limited by time constraints, stigmas in the military with seeking mental health, stigmas in military with admitting injury or illness.

c.  Identify three opportunities for the identified organization.

  i.   Describe one new community relationship that could create opportunities for the organization. Partnering with the local physical therapy clinics to foster a relationship where the soldiers could learn more appropriate injury minimizing warm up activities would benefit the organization.

  ii.  Describe two sociopolitical drivers that could create opportunities for the organization. 1) Educational background or the lack of formal education, can at times be a limiter of the understanding of the needs of mental health treatment , 2)the social circles in the military can often revolve around unsafe activities such as excessive drinking.

d.  Identify three threats to the identified organization. Three easily identifiable threats include: 1) budget cuts as we are federally funded and rely on a continuing resolution multiple times a year in order to meet basic needs;  2) lack of enlistments into the military, and 3) lack of healthcare professionals joining the military to be health care providers when facing reduced pay and a much more demanding schedule when compared to the civilian counterpart.

B.  Write a reflection of your SWOT analysis by doing the following:

1.  Discuss where data and information governance practices fell within the SWOT analysis.

a.  Discuss how Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) practices were attended to within the identified organization. HIPAA is adhered to just as in any civilian organization, all people who have any need to know of any sort must undergo annual HIPAA training and only access the parts of the profile that are pertinent to the role that they are assigned. The military can be fined for violation of HIPAA just as in any other organization, all EHR’s must be password protected and documentation encrypted.

b.  Describe how mobile and digital technologies were used within the identified organization. The use of tablets, laptops, and handhelds are becoming more common-place. The devices are linked to a secure network and all communication is required to be encrypted.  The notes or input from the mobile technologies are then uploaded into a secure EHR system known as Genesis.

2.  Describe leadership principles and styles that could be implemented within the identified organization to influence positive change based on the identified outcomes of the SWOT analysis. The  leadership principles and styles that should be adhered to are: patient centered care, in order to treat the patient and preserve the fighting force the patient needs to be seen from a comprehensive approach.  To treat a physical symptom but overlook a mental distress keeps the patient from being at an optimal level, same can be said with overlooking a dental issue. In order to do this, the provider, or health services coordinator must take the time to talk to the patient on an engaging level beyond just the “What brings you in today?”

3.  Identify three elements of cultural diversity of the identified organization or the populations the organization serves. We have a special form of cultural diversity that is very unique to this military organization. While most often each branch of the military trains, treats, and works with their own perspective branch I.e., Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy etc… our organization is one of the few joint forces with both Army and Air-Force personnel assigned, this makes the service members from these organizations more comfortable in seeking care.  The second aspect of diversity that we adhere to is equal opportunity in both males and females as well as promoting the acceptance of all races, religions, and creeds that meet the requirements to wear the military cloth of our nation.

a.  Analyze processes within the identified organization that meet the needs of unique or diverse populations. We only serve the military members and their dependents, which is a unique population in and of itself. Annual comprehensive physicals, no matter the age of the patient are mandatory that include medical, dental, and mental health. These physicals promote preventative care .

b.  Describe two strategies to engage diverse populations within the identified organization, with attention to cultural humility.  The organization promotes black history month, Latino’s in the military, cultural competency training as well as annual equal opportunity training. There are cultural activities every month to promote awareness of the different cultures that make up the United States military.

4.  Describe how team-building techniques could be implemented within the organizational environment to positively impact the team members of the identified organization. There are currently ample team building activities in this organization, however there are a few suggestions that could be used to promote even greater cohesiveness such as:  additional CME’s that are not required but the individual wants to attend, a reward matrix for  every 6 months without a hipaa violation etc…

C.  Acknowledge sources, using APA-formatted in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.

D.  Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.