1. HEALTH-CARE ORGANIZATIONS AND PHYSICAL THERAPY

2. Introduction  Many physical therapists accept managerial positions by investigating motivating factors, such as high starting salaries and good benefits, perfect location, and interesting job assignments.  how the organization that they are about to join works  pre-employment assessment to increase their chances of a good match with potential applicants

3. Organizational Culture  A good starting point for the investigation of an organization is culture.  Culture also may be expressed as “the way we do it here” or “the rules of the game.”  becoming socialized into a new job is like moving to a new country.

4. A STRATEGY FOR UNDERSTANDING ORGANIZATIONS  What do employees wear?  Are employees addressed by their first names? All of them?  How are patients addressed?  Are there oil paintings hanging on the walls?  Is there a wall of fame? Who is on it?  Do you see the organization’s mission statement?  What values and beliefs are reflected in the mission statement?  Are employees or volunteers at the information desk?  Is parking free?  Do they have a Web page? What is included?  What magazines are in the waiting rooms?  What jargon do the patients hear?  Is there a warm, homey feeling or does it feel cold and businesslike?

5. In-Groups and Out-Groups  In larger organization there are many subgroups. members are excepted to behave and think alike and co operate. Ex:nursing,medical, admistrative  Physical therapists who work in the outpatient center of a hospital may consider the therapists who work in the inpatient units as an out-group.  They may be reluctant to work in the other setting and minimally interact with each other.

6. PHYSICAL THERAPY CULTURE  What are the expected behaviors of physical therapists (PTs)? What do PTs celebrate?  How do they communicate? What jargon do they share? What are the symbols of physical therapy? What are the core values of physical therapy? What are the norms of physical therapy work?  Discuss how organizational culture impacts professional culture and vice versa.  What are the physical therapy subcultures? How are they different?  Are there physical therapy in-groups and out-groups?  How is physical therapy professional culture different from, and how is it the same as, the culture of other rehab professionals, such as speech language pathologist and occupational therapist?

7. Organizational Socialization  The culture shock and fitting in is referred to organizational socialization  Although all newcomers to a culture experience reality (culture) shock, they have a strong basic need to belong and three things can happen when the shock wears off. 1. They learn the rules of the game to fit in, 2. They never fit in, 3. They may accept some of the culture and reject other parts as they attempt to change the organization.

8. Formal Socialization  The orientation sessions typically include presentation of the mission, policies and procedures, and safety regulations.  Mentors may be assigned to guide new employees formally as well.

9. Informal Socialization  This informal process more often occurs among peer employees, rather than between a boss and an employee.

10. Effects of Socialization  The following aspects of work are impacted by the socialization of employees: 1. Cooperation and cohesion of employees needed by employers to get the job done 2. Job satisfaction and job turnover 3. Morale and productivity of individual employees 4. Interactions among employees and with their supervisors

11. Read the following scenario and discuss the answers to the questions.  Majmaah Physical Therapy has been the only physical therapy practice in the small town of Majmaah for 15 years. The owner, A, PT and her staff (B, PT and C, PTA) have prided themselves on their commitment to serving the community, and especially in their flexibility in scheduling and office hours to meet the transportation needs of their rural patients who travel great distances to Majmaah for their health care. Ms. A/ decides to retire and sells her practice to National Physical Therapy Corporation (NPTC). It is an offer she cannot refuse and she is relieved to be told by NPTC that all of her good, hard work will continue. She has agreed to stay on until a physical therapist from another NPTC office relocates and takes over the practice. B and C will become employees of NPTC and are pleased to learn that their salaries and benefits will increase as a result, although they will miss A.  Six months later, B and C invite A to lunch to “catch up” because she has been traveling since her retirement. They report the new “outsider” boss is very difficult in his demands on their hours and imposed productivity goals. They report that many people are going to the hospital in the next town for their physical therapy although it is farther away. They feel like nothing is the same.  If you were A, what would you say to B and C ? Are their reactions to the changes in Majmaah Physical therapy typical? What values and norms may have changed? What are policy and procedure issues? What do you expect the outcome for Band C to be? What formal and informal socialization processes may have occurred?