1 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. CHAPTER 5 Using Health Care Competencies in Strategic Human Resource Management G. Ross Baker, PhD Louise Lemieux-Charles, PhD

2 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competency Competency-based methodology—1970s Competence determined job success Competence—“underlying characteristic” Essential skills, knowledge, personal traits Effective performance

3 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competency “A set of observable performance dimensions, including individual knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors as well as collective team, process and organizational capabilities that are linked to high performance, and provide the organization with sustainable competitive advantage” (Athey & Orth, 1999)

4 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competency Observable, can be assessed Use in hiring, training, management Related to specific jobs, job families, or organization as a whole Key to achieving organizational goals

5 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. KSAOs Knowledge – Understanding of rules, concepts, processes Skills – Capacity to perform tasks, desired outcomes Abilities – Underlying cognitive or physical capabilities Other – Attitudes, values, behaviors

6 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competencies

7 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Types of Competencies Individual level –(e.g., operating a blood analyzer) Technical competencies – Specific to a job family (e.g., pain management) Core competencies – Broader, organizational requirements –(e.g., teamwork, compassion for patients)

8 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Types of Competencies Competency cluster – Grouping of competencies, KSAOs Competency models – Combination of individual or clusters – For particular types of staffs or jobs – Core, job family, and level competencies

9 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competency Models

10 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competency Models Description of skills and traits that employees need to be effective in a job Single-job model – Data collection, interviews, observations Generic model – Use models already available “Job competency menu”

11 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Demonstration of Competency (continues)

12 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Demonstration of Competency Table 5.3 (continued)

13 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competencies For professionals based on scope and quality of work Scope – the range of roles, tasks, and situations Quality of work – Continuum from “novices” to “experts” – Novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert

14 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competencies in Health Care Difficult to balance organizational, individual, and professional associations expectations Collaboration is key Physicians who are not employed High degree of specialization within and between professions

15 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Leadership Competencies Challenges of health care Crossing the Quality Chasm Emphasized responsibility of leaders NCHL Competency Framework – Differentiate outstanding/average performance – 26 competencies in 3 domains Transformation, execution, people

16 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Leadership Competencies

17 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competency Trends Participative competency approaches – Self-managing teams Models relevant in rapidly changing organizations – Adaptable computer-based systems Emphasis on emerging competencies

18 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competency Trends Focus shifting from individual to team and process competencies – Flatter organizations, teamwork Transition to an organizational learning perspective – Spread improvements across organization

19 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Competency Issues Excessive resources – U.S. businesses spend $100 million a year Some traits too general – Difficult to recruit and train for Health care professionals “resist” Adapting competency menus Collaboration

DISCUSSION Customer orientation (or focus) is generally defined as a generic competency that is commonly used in health care institutions. Patient satisfaction surveys are used extensively to assess the extent to which employees are oriented to customer needs. Select one nondirect patient care-delivery employee (e.g., an information management system director) and a direct patient care-delivery employee (e.g., nurse, physical therapist) and discuss how the behaviors associated with the customer-orientation competency would be similar and/or different for both roles. 20 Copyright © 2010 Delmar, Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.