Amalgamated Laboratory
A centralization effort initiative was undertaken by an urban health district as a means of reducing health care costs and in direct response to decreased provincial and federal funding to the district. It was determined that the multi-site laboratory would consist of a high volume core-lab and small stat labs at two acute care facilities. The merged Laboratory required the development of three new specialties: (1) the laboratory information system (LIS); (2) the accessioning, or order entry area; and (3) the call center which would handle inquiries. Within each section of a laboratory were supervisory personnel who acted independently under the general guidance of the institution's laboratory manager. Prior to the amalgamation, …show more content…
However, during the restructuring, these seven sections were further combined to form four units. Thus, the 19 supervisory positions were replaced by 4 Unit Manager Positions. Unit Managers were responsible for all of the existing supervisory duties and also for the unit budget. Only two of the four Unit Managers who were hired were past supervisors. The supervisors who were not hired into the new Unit Manager positions became ‘working level senior technologists’ a step down in the hierarchy but retained at their current salary …show more content…
Things although appeared to be successful 'on the surface,' but many troubles were brewing within units. Staff morale was exceedingly low. Staff within the units were accusing other units, of having too many staff members, having staff who do nothing or don't do what they were hired to do, not working shift work, or, more generally, having better working conditions. Intra- and inter-unit conflict within the company erupted on a continual basis. This conflict was fueled by the existence of distinct cultures in the company prior to the merging. Institution 1 was the only accredited facility of extremely high standards of quality. In order to qualify for and maintain this certification, the staff were required to put in many extra hours of work to write and adhere to stringent procedures of quality assurance. In contrast, Institution 3 maintained a very relaxed and casual atmosphere. This congenial atmosphere facilitated the development of a very close working relationship with the other specialties within the institution and served to ease a potentially highly stressful work situation. The culture at Institution 2 existed as three cultures within one. Each sub-culture retained its own methodology and techniques and each refused to cooperate with the other or adopt the 'standardized procedures.' The sub-cultures used different specimen logging practices and refused
A centralization effort initiative was undertaken by an urban health district as a means of reducing health care costs and in direct response to decreased provincial and federal funding to the district. It was determined that the multi-site laboratory would consist of a high volume core-lab and small stat labs at two acute care facilities. The merged Laboratory required the development of three new specialties: (1) the laboratory information system (LIS); (2) the accessioning, or order entry area; and (3) the call center which would handle inquiries. Within each section of a laboratory were supervisory personnel who acted independently under the general guidance of the institution's laboratory manager. Prior to the amalgamation, …show more content…
However, during the restructuring, these seven sections were further combined to form four units. Thus, the 19 supervisory positions were replaced by 4 Unit Manager Positions. Unit Managers were responsible for all of the existing supervisory duties and also for the unit budget. Only two of the four Unit Managers who were hired were past supervisors. The supervisors who were not hired into the new Unit Manager positions became ‘working level senior technologists’ a step down in the hierarchy but retained at their current salary …show more content…
Things although appeared to be successful 'on the surface,' but many troubles were brewing within units. Staff morale was exceedingly low. Staff within the units were accusing other units, of having too many staff members, having staff who do nothing or don't do what they were hired to do, not working shift work, or, more generally, having better working conditions. Intra- and inter-unit conflict within the company erupted on a continual basis. This conflict was fueled by the existence of distinct cultures in the company prior to the merging. Institution 1 was the only accredited facility of extremely high standards of quality. In order to qualify for and maintain this certification, the staff were required to put in many extra hours of work to write and adhere to stringent procedures of quality assurance. In contrast, Institution 3 maintained a very relaxed and casual atmosphere. This congenial atmosphere facilitated the development of a very close working relationship with the other specialties within the institution and served to ease a potentially highly stressful work situation. The culture at Institution 2 existed as three cultures within one. Each sub-culture retained its own methodology and techniques and each refused to cooperate with the other or adopt the 'standardized procedures.' The sub-cultures used different specimen logging practices and refused