The role of health administrators in policy making. Management Essay

Resond to Charles S. post #1 & Gianne post #2, 137 words each. Each post needs atleast one source cited.
Charles S. post #1
Health administrators play a variety of roles within the healthcare continuum. Depending on the organization, specifically the size of the organization, the health administrator may be involved in the development of policy-making as well as the implementation of policies (Healthcare Business & Technology, 2019). Due to the multiple functions that they are involved in, their knowledge and exposure are explicitly inclusive since they oversee staffing, human resource functions, and contribution to budgeting and financial decisions, to mention a few examples. Additionally, some health administrators may hold positions that directly interact with clinical services and thus involved in training, education, and policy and procedure development and implementation (Healthcare Business & Technology, 2019). Furthermore, many health administrators are members of professional organizations that will have an affiliation with groups associated with policy recommendations, dialogue, reviewers, participants, or approval. Many of the organizations may be affiliated at either the state, local, or federal level and therefore touch policy-making in some form. Such an example can be seen with affiliates who are stakeholders with the World Health Organization (WHO); thus, there are many different levels of participation in policy-making (WHO, 2020). The actual policy-making process is rather extensive and time-consuming; therefore, a strategy must be in place to engage stakeholders in all stages of the policy-making process or, at a minimum within, the policy-making phase that they are associated (ATSDR, 2015). Such an example can be seen as per Lemke & Harris-Wai (2015) in which they state "stakeholder involvement in patient-centered care, patient-centered outcomes research, and evidence-based health policy decision-making efforts are increasingly recognized as contextual evidence that informs clinical practice, research, and policy" (p. 2). Furthermore, administrators may assist in the policy process by means of analysis for existing policies and communicating the findings (CDC, 2015). Additionally, the administrator may play an active role by promoting or implementing an approved policy (CDC, 2015). Most are familiar with the contribution health administrators play related to policies as both participants and enforcement for regulatory engagements; such engagements can lead to the maintaining accreditation (Maryville University, 2020). Therefore, once can conclude that administrators, as stakeholders, play a dynamic and significant role in the health policy-making process.

Gianne post #2
Policies are officially or authoritatively made decisions for guiding actions, decisions, and behaviors of others (Longest, 2016). Health policies refer to decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specific health care goals within a society (World Health Organization, 2016) and can affect organizations and groups of people such as clinical and non-clinical staff, the elderly, children, etc. Health policies are usually made through the three branches of government or in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. Health administrators play a role in the policy making process. They deal with human resources, the delivery of care, the management of healthcare organizations, financing and beyond. In a healthcare organization, health administrators must formulate, implement, and modify policies they develop to make them proficient and effective. Health administrators have a great influence in policy making because of their experience and knowledge when it comes to the needs, the weaknesses, and the strengths of the organization.

References:
Longest, B. B. (2016) The process of health policymaking. In Health policymaking in the United States. (Chapter 3, pp. 83-100) Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press. Available in the Trident Online Library.
World Health Organization. (2013, May 10). Health policy. Retrieved February 2020, from https://www(dot)who(dot)int/topics/health_policy/en/