Choose an Organization:
Select a healthcare organization (e.g., hospital, clinic, or community health center) demonstrating a distinct cultural approach or specific patient demographic focus.
Analyze the Organizational Culture:
Write a brief analysis (1 page) covering the following elements:
Describe the organization's cultural values, mission, and goals.
Identify specific organizational cultural norms, behaviors, or practices that contribute to its unique environment.
Discuss how the organization’s culture affects patient care quality, staff interactions, and work atmosphere.
Evaluate Cultural Sensitivity in Practice:
Based on your analysis, identify two examples of how this culture promotes or could improve sensitivity towards diverse populations and healthcare providers. Consider how these aspects might contribute to human flourishing and patient-centered care. (2 paragraphs)
Organizational Cultural Norms, Behaviors, or Practices
Several specific norms and behaviors reinforce this unique environment:
The Integrated Practice Model (The Team Approach): The most distinct norm is the expectation of seamless interdepartmental collaboration. Patients are treated by an assembly of specialists who review a single, unified patient record and often consult in real-time or co-locate appointments. This minimizes patient burden and ensures comprehensive decision-making. The cultural behavior is one of rigorous professional humility, where specialists are expected to defer to the needs of the integrated care team rather than operating in silos.
The Culture of Education and Research: There is a pervasive expectation that all staff (clinical and administrative) contribute to research and teaching. This norm translates into behaviors involving constant critical self-assessment and dedication to evidence-based practice, promoting an atmosphere of perpetual learning and professional critique.
Formal Professionalism: Staff adhere to a traditional, formal, and highly polite communication style and appearance. This behavior is designed to project competence and respect, aligning with the mission of delivering the highest standard of care and reducing patient anxiety.
Impact on Patient Care, Staff Interactions, and Work Atmosphere
The culture profoundly impacts the organization across all areas:
Patient Care Quality: The integrated model leads to superior care quality and safety by reducing medical errors that often occur during patient handoffs or communication gaps between disparate specialists. Care is highly efficient because diagnostic testing and appointments are coordinated.
Staff Interactions: Interactions are highly collaborative but demanding. The expectation of teamwork requires excellent communication skills and a willingness to share control. The atmosphere is one of high performance and intense focus, driven by the mission, which can lead to professional satisfaction but also high levels of scrutiny and pressure to maintain institutional excellence.
Sample Answer
The healthcare organization chosen for this analysis is The Mayo Clinic, a non-profit academic medical center known for its highly integrated, multi-specialty group practice model.
Organizational Culture Analysis
Description of Cultural Values, Mission, and Goals
Mayo Clinic’s culture is defined by its core value: “The Needs of the Patient Come First.” This mission acts as the ultimate filter for every operational and strategic decision. The institutional goal is not merely treatment, but providing the highest-quality, integrated patient experience through the three shields: clinical practice, research, and education. Its secondary values center on Excellence, Teamwork, and Integrity. The cultural emphasis is on selfless dedication to the mission, placing collaborative patient outcomes above individual professional recognition