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More than "bandaids": emotional support and education during the downsizing process
1Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Toronto.
Healthcare Management Forum
|March 4, 1994
Summary
Providing emotional support and education is crucial for patients, families, staff, and managers during hospital downsizing. This approach ensures a smoother transition and better outcomes for all stakeholders involved in healthcare restructuring.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Organizational Psychology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, a 601-bed facility, faced a budget deficit necessitating downsizing.
- The downsizing involved the closure of 82 long-term beds across two sites.
- Previous cost-saving measures reduced the deficit, but further action was required.
Purpose of the Study:
- To illustrate the importance of emotional support and education during hospital downsizing.
- To describe the support activities and educational sessions implemented.
- To provide recommendations for successful downsizing in healthcare settings.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent downsizing literature.
- Description of informal and formalized support activities.
- Regularly provided educational sessions with attention to methodology and rationale.
Main Results:
- Implementation of a two-month support and education process.
- Involvement of patients, families, staff, and managers.
- Development of recommendations for future downsizing initiatives.
Conclusions:
- Emotional support and education are vital for managing the human element of hospital downsizing.
- A structured approach to support and education can facilitate successful bed closures.
- The findings offer valuable insights for healthcare organizations undergoing similar transitions.