HCMG LATEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS UPDATE: A
MASTERING A+ MATERIAL!
Centralization
the concentration of responsibilities and authority vertically at higher levels or horizontally
within one or only a few people or organizational units
Communication
the exchange of information among individuals. Especially important, in the context of
achieving coordination in an organization, are the frequency, timeliness, accuracy, and focus on
problem solving in information exchange
Coordination
Achievement of synchronized action among individuals and work units so that their work is
mutually reinforcing and contributing to organizational goals.
Decentralization
the delegation of responsibilities and authority vertically to lower levels or horizontally among
many people or organizational units ( see also centralization)
Differentiation
the segmentation of an organization into units together with the structuring of those units and
development of organizational practices and systems and employees' cognitive and emotional
orientations that are suited to each unit's unique tasks and sub-environment.
Direct Contact
a structural alternative for coordination in which individuals in different functional departments
coordinate efforts through direct interaction with each other. Direct contact is a weak
structural alternative to coordinate.
Feedback Approaches to coordination
one of two major categories of approaches to coordination a the micro or process level.
Feedback approaches, which includes supervision, mutual adjustment and group coordination,
rely upon personal interaction among the people involved. Feedback approaches are
sometimes also called "personal approaches"
Functional structure
in this structure, segmentation is based on specialty departments. the structure emphasizes
each specialty department functioning relatively independently of the other departments. The
functional structure appears on the far left side of the continuum to indicate its extreme
, emphasis on differentiation by specialty departments and lack of any emphasis on integration
across specialties.
Governance
the activities and decisions that focus on the determination of mission, strategy and goals of an
organizaitons, as well as its broad policies. In addition, it is the governance structure that holds
the organization's leadership accountable for their actions and performance. Typically, the
board of trustees performs the governance functions in a health care organization, and a
collective body representing the medical staff performs its governance activities, such as
determining its policies and regulations.
Group coordination
the exchange of information among more than two people, such as through meetings, rounds,
and conferences, for the purpose of coordinating their interdependent activities. It is one of
three types of feedback approaches to coordination.
Hierarchy of authority
the arrangement of responsibilities and authority for actions and decisions such that
successively higher levels in the organization have authority over units below them. the
hierarchy of authority is used specifically in this book as a macro-level approach to
coordination.
Hybrid organization
an organization that maintain its traditional functional structure and creates program structures
for just one or two programs.
Integrated delivery system
an organization consisting of subunits that provide different types of care across the
continuum. Integrated delivery systems typically included hospitals, long-term care facilities,
rehabilitation facilities, ambulatory care facilities, and home health agencies, and structurally
they vertically integrate these different suborganizations. They may provide services in one or
several geographic regions.
Integration
coordination of activities among organizational units, including the management of conflict
among the units, to achieve synchronized actions and decisions
Integrators
individuals whose primary responsibility is coordination. Care managers are a prime example of
integrators in health care
MASTERING A+ MATERIAL!
Centralization
the concentration of responsibilities and authority vertically at higher levels or horizontally
within one or only a few people or organizational units
Communication
the exchange of information among individuals. Especially important, in the context of
achieving coordination in an organization, are the frequency, timeliness, accuracy, and focus on
problem solving in information exchange
Coordination
Achievement of synchronized action among individuals and work units so that their work is
mutually reinforcing and contributing to organizational goals.
Decentralization
the delegation of responsibilities and authority vertically to lower levels or horizontally among
many people or organizational units ( see also centralization)
Differentiation
the segmentation of an organization into units together with the structuring of those units and
development of organizational practices and systems and employees' cognitive and emotional
orientations that are suited to each unit's unique tasks and sub-environment.
Direct Contact
a structural alternative for coordination in which individuals in different functional departments
coordinate efforts through direct interaction with each other. Direct contact is a weak
structural alternative to coordinate.
Feedback Approaches to coordination
one of two major categories of approaches to coordination a the micro or process level.
Feedback approaches, which includes supervision, mutual adjustment and group coordination,
rely upon personal interaction among the people involved. Feedback approaches are
sometimes also called "personal approaches"
Functional structure
in this structure, segmentation is based on specialty departments. the structure emphasizes
each specialty department functioning relatively independently of the other departments. The
functional structure appears on the far left side of the continuum to indicate its extreme
, emphasis on differentiation by specialty departments and lack of any emphasis on integration
across specialties.
Governance
the activities and decisions that focus on the determination of mission, strategy and goals of an
organizaitons, as well as its broad policies. In addition, it is the governance structure that holds
the organization's leadership accountable for their actions and performance. Typically, the
board of trustees performs the governance functions in a health care organization, and a
collective body representing the medical staff performs its governance activities, such as
determining its policies and regulations.
Group coordination
the exchange of information among more than two people, such as through meetings, rounds,
and conferences, for the purpose of coordinating their interdependent activities. It is one of
three types of feedback approaches to coordination.
Hierarchy of authority
the arrangement of responsibilities and authority for actions and decisions such that
successively higher levels in the organization have authority over units below them. the
hierarchy of authority is used specifically in this book as a macro-level approach to
coordination.
Hybrid organization
an organization that maintain its traditional functional structure and creates program structures
for just one or two programs.
Integrated delivery system
an organization consisting of subunits that provide different types of care across the
continuum. Integrated delivery systems typically included hospitals, long-term care facilities,
rehabilitation facilities, ambulatory care facilities, and home health agencies, and structurally
they vertically integrate these different suborganizations. They may provide services in one or
several geographic regions.
Integration
coordination of activities among organizational units, including the management of conflict
among the units, to achieve synchronized actions and decisions
Integrators
individuals whose primary responsibility is coordination. Care managers are a prime example of
integrators in health care
