Introduction
Banner Health is one of the largest and most recognized healthcare systems in the United States. It is spread throughout the country and is daily watched by thousands of experts. The attitudes, plans, goals, and operations of Banner Health are monitored and treated as learning opportunities from the point of view of strategic planning, resource management, leadership, managerial flexibility, and responsiveness.
Banner Health Background
Last year Banner Health had its anniversary – the organization has been active for over fifteen years. It is the official date of birth is considered to be on the 1st of September of 1999 which is the day when two non-profit organizations (Lutheran Health Systems and Samaritan Health System) merged founding Banner Health (Our History, 2015). Both of the merged organizations had rich histories dating back to 1938 and 1911 accordingly. Lutheran Health Systems was focused on delivering healthcare services to the residents of the rural areas dwelling in Western and Midwestern states; and Samaritan Health System functioned around the urban areas of California and Arizona (Our History, 2015). Currently, Banner Health follows its mission that is focused on the health requirements of the diverse communities all over the United States in a non-profit manner, and also job creation and financial stewardship (Banner Health System, 2000). By the moment of the merger and creation, Banner Health was an operation in 14 states and had twenty-two and a half thousand workers across the country busy in over thirty hospitals. Today, the number of the states it is active in has become smaller (only seven), but the number of employees has reached thirty-nine thousand (Our History, 2015). The health system’s headquarters is located in Arizona. Besides, Banner Health is recognized as the second leading employer of this state that is outrun only by Walmart. Banner Health delivers a wide range of healthcare services among which there are rehabs, surgeries, emergency aid, hospitalization, and home care to name a few.
Banner Health Network Growth
To date, the leaders of Banner Health are working on three different growth projects that target such areas as Arizona, Nebraska, and Colorado. In Arizona, Banner Health expands through adding the network of the University of Arizona to create a health system called Banner – University Medicine that will be based in Tucson and Phoenix (Banner Health is growing, 2014). The objective of this network growth project is to provide the residents of the areas mentioned above with healthcare services of the highest quality. Apart from that, Banner Health is expanding its Cancer Center, opening new clinics to target the underserved communities, and working on the improvement of the newly opened Goldfield Medical Center (Banner Health is growing, 2015). In Colorado, Banner Health has recently opened Fort Collins Community Center and expanded East Morgan County Hospital. Another clinic expansion is happening in Nebraska where Banner Health has recently improved Ogallala Community Hospital strengthening its capabilities for cancer care and infusion (Banner Health is growing, 2015).
Nurse Staffing Solutions
Just like any health care facility, Banner Health is struggling with the skills and resource shortage in the field of nursing. This problem is known all over the world and is caused mainly by the unattractiveness of nursing as a career field due to exhausting workloads, long hours, low payments, and lack of recognition. Banner Health addresses this problem by preparing programs for career promotion through the distribution of knowledge. Besides, Banner Health and its Good Samaritan Medical Center are focusing on the creation of the new generation of nursing knowledge putting a lot of effort into the research concerning such subjects as education, the use of the new technologies for higher efficiency, management of workloads, and care transition to name a few (Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, 2012). Evidence-based practice is Banner’s choice of training style to facilitate the acquisition of the new human resources and add highly qualified staff members.
Resource Management
Banner Health recognizes the fact that careful and well-planned management of resources is the key to efficient operations. As a result, Banner Health utilizes new ways of resource management through innovation and technologies. Banner Health is a non-profit organization, and its leaders state that its main purpose is the delivery of high-quality healthcare services to clients rather than bringing profits to their investors (Financial Stewardship, 2015). In addition, Banner Health is a determined promoter of the environmentally friendly lifestyle and work. That is why, one of the major objectives of the organization is to cut down its waste to the minimum through recycling of paper, pharmaceutical waste disposal, instrument reprocessing, and the employment of reusable sharps containers (Think Green, 2015). Apart from that, the organization recycles its batteries, light bulbs, and cardboards. Moreover, the organization is an active promoter of a non-smoking lifestyle which means that all forms of tobacco are prohibited in the territories of all of the Banner Health facilities.
Patient Care
Banner Health is aware of the importance of excellent patient care and its direct association not only with the reputation of the organization but also with the treatment outcomes. Banner Health is determined to improve the health of individual patients as well as large and small communities. That is the way the organization delivers a wide range of services that include neuroscience, hospice, emergency aid, cancer care, heart care, pediatrics and orthopedics, women’s health. Besides, Banner Health accomplishes organ transplants, medical imaging, and care for patients who have Alzheimer’s disease. The excellence of patient care at Banner health centers and hospitals is provided through combining the collaborative approach of the specialists from various disciplines, safety and satisfaction goals, and a strict patient care protocol (Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, 2012). Patient care of high quality is one of the most important aspects mentioned in the organization’s mission statement which signifies that this issue is taken seriously at Banner Health.
Conclusion
To sum up, Banner Health is one of the leading healthcare systems across the United States of America. This organization is dedicated to the promotion of a healthy and safe lifestyle and is determined to improve the health of the whole nation through addressing the healthcare needs of small and large communities as well as separate individuals. Banner Health has been functioning for over fifteen years now, and it is currently one of the most influential non-profit healthcare systems in the United States. The organization follows its non-profit tradition and puts the needs of the patients before the generation of income. To be ready to address the future needs of the nation, the organization is currently expanding its staff and opening new clinics and hospitals in seven different states creating new workplaces.
Reference List
Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center. (2012). 2012 Nursing Division Annual Report. Web.
Banner Health System. (2000). Annual Report. Fargo, ND: Kaye’s Printing.
Banner Health is growing. (2015). Web.
Financial Stewardship. (2015). Web.
Our History. (2015). Web.
Think Green. (2015). Web.