A change from the top. One system self-manages its reorganization project

Changes in healthcare arising from economic, legislative, social, and medical pressures will place greater demands on senior managers' future decision making. To maintain its position as a healthcare leader during these volatile times, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word Health Care System (SCH), Houston, embarked on a self-managed reorganization project in January 1989. The system's senior management team (SMT) established guiding principles that served as the basis for its goals and objectives. A mission statement helped keep the team focused on its goals. A revised SCH Strategic Direction served as the foundation for change. After analyzing the corporate office organizational chart in light of the new strategic direction, the SMT began a reorganization process. This involved the redefinition of many roles, elimination of some positions, and relocation of some functions. Staff attended workshops to adjust to the reorganization. At the workshops employees were given the opportunity to ask questions and participate in the organization's reshaping. The new collaborative management style has been in place two years. As staff develop more supportive cross-functional teams and specialized committees, they are able to tap deeper into their extensive creative resources and collaborate on a vision for SCH.