Self-Managed Work Teams in Health Care Organizations. - book reviews

Healthcare Financial Management, May, 1996 by Bruce F. Carty

The author of this book, who is director of human resources development at Memorial Mission Hospital, Asheville, North Carolina, presents a practical approach to the creation of self-managed teams.

The book is organized into five parts, each examining a critical aspect of self-managed work teams. Part One comprises four chapters that examine the advantages of using teams. The first chapter identifies work teams as the logical next step in total quality management practices and the second chapter cites two examples of self-managed teams. Other chapters identify likely employee responses, both positive and negative, and identify critical success factors.

The second part of the book focuses on team design, with most emphasis placed on team functions, roles, and responsibilities. This section discusses the role of the supervisor, a function that often is eliminated once self-managed teams are established. The author identifies alternative ways that these individuals can support the organization.

Part Three examines team development, identifying the skills team members require, the training they need, and the developmental issues they will encounter. While entire books could be written on each of these topics, the author provides a useful and concise description of the key elements of development.

Topics that many books in this field do not address - compensation and rewards for self-managed teams - are covered in Part Four. The author offers pros and cons for three methods of compensation: gainsharing, skill-based pay, and broad-banding. The book's last section discusses strategies and tools to improve team performance, including an organizational readiness assessment tool that is particularly helpful.

Self-Managed Work Teams in Health Care Organizations is clearly written and will be equally beneficial to team members and senior managers. In all, nearly 40 helpful exhibits are included for use in team training, along with several good assessment questionnaires. The book provides a good blueprint that any healthcare organization considering self-managed work teams can follow.

Reviewed by Bruce F. Carty, FHFMA, consultant, Speicher Associates, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a member of HFMA's Eastern Michigan Chapter.