Question

Discussion (200 to 250 words based on the following case)
Consider the following Hill Country Community Hospital case study:
Hill Country Community Hospital is a 100-bed acute-care facility in rural Texas. The hospital has served the local community for over 40 years but has experienced financial decline over the past 3 years. Hospital administrators believe that the best way to cut costs is to terminate all contracts with staff physicians and allow a large, Dallas-based physician group to take over in-hospital patient care. The move would quickly solve the current budget crisis, even enabling the hospital to show a profit for the fiscal year. However, community residents are strongly opposed to the plan, as they have always been accustomed to receiving in-hospital care from their family physicians. The proposed move is creating public relations problems, with both external and internal audiences. Employees are also highly resistant to the change, as they fear that their jobs may also be outsourced and that bringing in outsiders to provide patient care will ruin the hospital’s reputation. This is creating emotional labor, poor morale, and increased patient complaints. As resistance is a natural phenomenon, understanding and working with it effectively is key to successful organizational consultation. It is essential for the OD practitioner or consultant to recognize and deal with resistance that is derived from psychological needs and wants. There are also elements that have been shown to stimulate “normal” resistance and therefore should also be considered during the consultation process.

Post a response to the following:

Identify, analyze, and discuss the various types of resistance affecting the Hill Country Community Hospital and its various stakeholder groups. What do you see as the root cause of this resistance?

Answer 1

Resistance to change is common in any organization. But change is inevitable. So the transition should be as smooth as possible.

In case of Hill Country Community Hospital, one can understand the requirement for change to cope up with financial decline. Also one can understand the resistance from community residents and employees as the impact of change is high on both parties.

There are mainly three types of resistances

1. Logical, 2 . Psychological, 3. Sociological

Logical resistance arises from a genuine cause or fear of coping and adaptation to new ways. If one needs to learn new method suddenly then they will show genuine resistance to adapt to this new process.

This can be the obvious and basic reason for resistance from employees as they have fear of losing their job and they don't know weather they can cope up with new staff and change in their duties. This insecurity is causing the resistance.

Psychological resistance arises from fear of unknown. People once develop a trust towards a person or process then they will try to stick to that process or person. Because they don't know what the alternative process might offer and weather they like it or not.

This can be the reason for resistance by community residents. Because they don't know how the new Dallas-based physician group will take care of them. They don't know weather they can keep the same trust and be comfortable with this new group as they were with the previous staff. That's why the proposed move is creating public relations problems, with both external and internal audiences.

Sociological resistance arises from peer pressure. The individual might be willing or might not have a strong resistance but societal and other obligations might push him to resistance.

It is given that employees are showing resistance not only because of their fear for job loss but also how the change in staff affects the patient care and hospital reputation. This societal pressure of keeping reputation might be the cause of Sociological resistance.

One should keep in mind that placing your Healthcare in others hands requires lot of trust. So While changing the organizatioal staff there will be resistance Especially in case of hospital that has served the local community for over 40 years. so lack of trust over new staff is the root cause for resistance.

Organization should be open minded and there should be effective communication alround for making all parties understand the need for change and organisation should give confidence to patients with regards to change.