Case Activity: Chapter 13: Managing Communication

Managers at Intermountain Healthcare know that a regional medical emergency, such as an epidemic, could place high demands on their organization. How can they best communicate in such a crisis? Check all that apply. A. Have a crisis communication plan in place that instructs managers to communicate calmly and to keep themselves visible to their employees. B. Set up an internal message board for employees to post information about the fast-moving situation and ask and answer questions. C. Establish a social media presence so that when an emergency occurs, the public knows where to get accurate, timely updates on the situation. D. Establish a policy that no information about the crisis or the organization's response will be given out unless absolutely necessary.

A. Have a crisis communication plan in place that instructs managers to communicate calmly and to keep themselves visible to their employees. B. Set up an internal message board for employees to post information about the fast-moving situation and ask and answer questions. C. Establish a social media presence so that when an emergency occurs, the public knows where to get accurate, timely updates on the situation.

A neurologist needs to counsel a stroke victim and her husband about possible outcomes, treatment options, and lifestyle changes that may be necessary. The patient is located in rural Utah, and the neurologist is in Salt Lake City. What is the most appropriate way for the physician to communicate? A. The doctor should talk to the patient and her husband through video conferencing so facial expressions can be read and understanding confirmed in real time. B. The doctor should email the information to a local, non-specialist physician in the patient's hometown, and that doctor can communicate face-to-face with the patient and her husband. C. The doctor should send a detailed email outlining the many options and considerations and inviting the patient and her husband to email him back with any questions. D. The doctor should use Intermountain Healthcare's extensive database to provide the patient and her husband with factsheets on her condition, links to websites for rehabilitation facilities, and contact information for support groups.

A. The doctor should talk to the patient and her husband through video conferencing so facial expressions can be read and understanding confirmed in real time.

According to the managers in the video, which of the following methods is Intermountain Healthcare using to promote strategic conversations in the organization? Check all that apply. A. Using multiple channels of communication B. Using purpose-directed communication C. Engaging in downward communication D. Communicating across organizational boundaries

A. Using multiple channels of communication B. Using purpose-directed communication D. Communicating across organizational boundaries

If Mark Allen wants to train healthcare providers in the system to communicate better with one another about patient health, which of the following would be appropriate topics for the training? Check all that apply. A. When one physician asks another for a second opinion, the consulted physician can make sure he understands the patient's condition by reflecting or restating the information given. B. When members of a patient's care team experience conflict, their communication should focus on facts rather than judgments, and statements should begin with "I" rather than "you." C. People in management roles, such as physicians and nursing supervisors, should plan to spend about 75% of their time sending information and hone their speaking and writing skills accordingly. D. When a doctor believes a nurse may not understand the instructions for a patient, the doctor should ask the nurse questions about the patient's care.

A. When one physician asks another for a second opinion, the consulted physician can make sure he understands the patient's condition by reflecting or restating the information given. B. When members of a patient's care team experience conflict, their communication should focus on facts rather than judgments, and statements should begin with "I" rather than "you." D. When a doctor believes a nurse may not understand the instructions for a patient, the doctor should ask the nurse questions about the patient's care.

1. Purpose-Driven Communication Watch this video in which Mark Allen, clinical information systems manager, and Fritz Kron, regional director for quality, discuss communication at Intermountain Healthcare. Then answer the questions that follow. If Intermountain Healthcare wants to facilitate horizontal communication among health care professionals and administrators at its 22 hospitals and over 300 clinics, it could promote the use of email for this purpose. What guideline would not be an appropriate part of the organization's email policy? A. Emails are best for short messages, so lengthy documentation of procedures or policies should be communicated another way, such as through handbooks or documents posted to the organization's intranet. B. Emails are the most efficient way to send information to many people at once. Because of a message's potential broad impact, make sure to confirm that it is accurate and professional before hitting Send. C. Emails lack the nonverbal component of communication, so if it's possible that one party misunderstands the other, employees should move the communication to a phone conversation or meeting. D. Email is the medium of choice for communicating di

D. Email is the medium of choice for communicating disappointing or negative information, because using email avoids potentially heated personal interactions that may adversely impact the work environment.

When Intermountain Healthcare wants patients to have comprehensive, standardized, detailed information about their condition and their treatment plan, what is the most appropriate way to communicate this information to providers, who will then give it to patients? A. In emails transmitted through horizontal channels across departments B. In face-to-face meetings with small groups of employees C. Orally through personal networks of employees who share certain specialties D. In information sheets produced and distributed through a centralized network

D. In information sheets produced and distributed through a centralized network