In this regard then, administrators must take a close look at their organizations. A high quality continuum of care can be provided to their clients. Every organization is driven by the need to perpetuate itself and to survive, but agencies must play it smart if they are to survive in the current environment. It agencies are not willing to critically look at their service components, their organizational structure, and their mission, they are not playing it smart. Administrators have a tremendous responsibility in terms of providing the organizational leadership for their agency.
Good leadership is no longer enough-excellent leadership is required.
That leadership must include providing opportunities for the staff to develop and to provide all levels of staff with the opportunity to succeed in whatever responsibilities they are assigned. It is equally important that boards of directors clearly understand the changing environment, understand what constitutes their market areas, understand the competitive nature of the environment, and provide the structure necessary to make decisions quickly, but thoroughly. Five years ago our Association published a managed care readiness survey. I find it interesting that those agencies that took the document and implemented it through a committee of their staff, consisting of the maintenance personnel up to their chief of psychiatry, seem to be doing well. The survey provided an opportunity for everyone to participate in assessing how the organization will move forward.