Learning Lab

2.2 Solutions

Organisational culture was the major issue identified at HealthCo. This culture was expressed through poor communication between management and staff, as well as the leadership and management of the company. Potential solutions to improve HealthCo's communication issues could include:

2.2.1 Flatten the management structure of the organisation

Advantages
Removing some levels of management from the company structure would encourage more direct communication between the CEO, management and frontline staff. Streamlining and flattening the structure would benefit HealthCo in terms of cost savings in management salaries. Other benefits would include more direct contact with customers by management and the CEO and more immediate feedback from frontline staff (Baker 2010; Kessler 2010). These actions would allow HealthCo to respond more efficiently to their members, creating greater customer satisfaction and improving competitiveness.

Disadvantages
Large organisations require a hierarchical structure to operate efficiently. Fewer managers would have more staff reporting to them and this could actually decrease communication between staff and management. In addition, management have strategic responsibilities in their roles which may be lost if they are working directly with customers alongside frontline staff.

2.2.2. Timetable regular staff meetings

Advantages
... etc.

Disadvantages
... etc.

• Negative side effects from ... = still gets severe symptoms
• POsitive treatment from ...

Therapeutic management of ... (Lichtenstein, 2014).

Side effects: Vedolizumab ...

Prednisolone (Lichtenstein, 2014).

• Regular drinker (beer & wine) High cholesterol

Dairy & ... (Lichtenstein, 2014)

FODMAP diet

FODMAP diet - reduce alcohol, caffeine & ... (Tuck et al., 2014).

Post-operative vital signs -

• Temp 37.2
• Pulse ...

Colonoscopy - procedure (Paraskeva & Paspitis, 2014).

Haemorrhage ... Infection ... (Brown et al., 2014).

Management of Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is chronic inflammation of the lining of the large intestine, affecting the lower part of the colon and rectum (Stansfield, 2014). The condition is incurable and can have a ignificant effect on a patient's physical, social and psychological self as it is characterised by cycles of exacerbations and remissions, as Mr Rogers has experienced (Lichtenstein, 2014).

Drug Therapies

Drug therapies aim to induce and maintain remission periods of the disease (Lichtenstein, 2014). Patients with mild to moderate UC are usually initially treated with 5-ASA agents including sulfasalazine, mesalamine, balsalazide and olsalazine (Lichtenstein, 2014). Mr Rogers was prescribed Vedolizumab, a monoclonal antibody used for severe UC, as more conventional corticosteroid treatments, such as oral budesonide, and probiotics failed (Dignass et al., 2012). While side effects caused him to discontinue this therapy, he has had some relief using mesalazine (Stansfield et al., 2016). However, other corticosteroids such as Prednisone have proven to benefit patients by reducing inflammation and maintaining periods of remissions (Lichtenstein, 2014). This therapy could be used alongside other antibiotics or immunosuppressants such as Azathioprine 6-MP or Methotrexate as these can be used at low doses and have few recorded side effects (Lichtenstein, 2014). A combination of drug therapies to treat the effects of UC as well as treatments to reduce anxiety or relieve pain can be effective in managing the condition (Love, 2016). In conjunction with diet, a more complex drug therapy treatment is likely to provide the best outcomes for patients in the management of their UC.

Diet Therapies

Diet therapy treatment of UC, in conjunction with other drug treatments, can contribute to ...