What does hospital culture look like?
We've all heard plenty of talk about company culture. It seems to be one of the hottest business topics of the decade. Leaders have put time and energy into crafting organisational cultures that not only attract new talent but retain their own.
It's certainly an important area of business focus. Research cited in the Harvard Business Review found that businesses with negative cultures suffer from a long list of issues, including:
- Poor employee wellbeing: Workplace stress is linked to a wide range of health issues including cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome.
- Low levels of staff engagement: Companies with poor cultures have higher levels of employee disengagement which cause more absenteeism, more workplace accidents and more employee errors.
- Higher turnover rates: Negative company cultures are directly correlatedfto higher employee turnover rates and a decline in retention.
These are major issues that affect not only employees but the customers that interact with them. Clearly, culture is important in all kinds of businesses – from retail to technology to restaurants – but the risks of having poor culture are particularly high when it comes to the healthcare sector. When staff are burnt out, disengaged or shorthanded, it isn't just a matter of poor customer experience – it can be a matter of life or death.
The risks associated with having a poor culture are particularly distressing when it comes to the healthcare sector.
What is hospital culture?
It comes down to team dynamics and patient care. While it may not seem like this can vary much, there are a wide range of different hospital cultures.
A hospitals' culture can often be identified by their mission or vision statement. For example, one hospital may pride itself on cutting edge services and innovative treatments, whereas another may ground itself in the ability to provide tried and true quality care.
The cultures at these hospitals would be different in that one would be more focused on research, development and innovation whereas the other would be focused on a regimented and procedural approach to healthcare.
However, all cultures should have a clear focus on providing employees with the support and resources they need to thrive.
Why does hospital culture matter?
Hospital culture is an important thing to understand for two primary reasons.
For starters, you can't fix patient experiences without first fixing a hospital's culture. Medical professionals in positive and supportive cultures are better suited to providing the best level of care possible.
You can't improve patient experiences without first fixing a hospital's culture
Additionally, hospital culture plays a big role in professional satisfaction. Candidates looking for new doctor positions usually have a preference on hospital culture. Some like fast-paced facilities, other prefer spaced out appointments – the culture of a given medical facility is an important component of picking the right position.
Here at Careers Connections, we can help find you a permanent or locum position at a hospital that has the right cultural fit for you. To learn more about availability across Australia, reach out to one of our team members today.
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