A. Applying Hofstede’s model of organizational culture, discuss what cultural components were utilized to transmit and reinforce Mayo Clinic’s core value. Do you think they are effective?

B. Social media were used to communicate with and engage employees. By referring to the dimensions of social media, discuss how social media can be useful tools to promote organizational culture and new developments. Illustrate your answer with examples in this case

C. Mayo Clinic emphasizes “putting patients’ interest first”. From the perspectives of utilitarianism and deontology, discuss whether the physician should follow the patient’s request and hide the HIV test results from her parents or he should tell the true and whole story?

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group based in Rochester, Minnesota, specializing in treating difficult cases. Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Physicians from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by a common philosophy that emphasizes "the needs of the patient come first." The current-day Mayo Clinic is an integrated practice of more than 3,700 physicians and scientists, and a total employment including nurses, students, and allied health staff of more than 56,000 persons. "The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered, and in order that the sick may have the benefit of advancing knowledge, union of forces is necessary.

" The founder, Dr Mayo said. Mayo Clinic has a distinctive culture, rooted in the ideals of its founders, - 7 - namely teamwork, collegiality, professionalism, mutual respect, and a commitment to progress for the organization and for individuals. These ideals are the foundation upon which the Mayo Clinic Model of Care is predicated. Integrated teams of multidisciplinary physicians, scientists and health sciences professionals focus on the needs of the patient. At Mayo Clinic, physicians treat a whole person rather than an isolated disease entity. They spend time to listen to patients and assess their needs in order to make sure that everything possible is done to provide quality care for our patients. Each patient is assigned a personal physician to be responsible for his or her care and to coordinate access to other healthcare services at the clinic. Whenever possible, patients returning to Mayo Clinic are scheduled to see the same physician who took care of them during the first episode of care. When appropriate, a team of physicians and allied health staff can be brought together to address different problems in the same patient during the same encounter. Mayo Clinic published a number of booklets and pamphlets that spell out the mission, core values and primary principles. In one booklet, 

“Mayo Clinic Model of Care”, the Clinic’s practice model, its significance, historical vignettes, comments and quotes that describe the Clinic were included. Quotes by the founders such as “Group medicine is not a financial arrangement except for minor details, but a scientific cooperation for the welfare of the sick,” “We have never been allowed to lose sight of the fact that the main purpose to be served by the Clinic is the care of the sick,” and “Commercialism in medicine never leads to true satisfaction, and to maintain our self-respect is more precious than gold.” The Mayo Clinic logo of three interlocking shields symbolizes Mayo’s commitment to excellence and interdependence in the three areas of Research, Education and Clinical Practice. The Clinic features unique professional dress, decorum and facilities. Since the early days, Dr. William Mayo defined standards of conduct for the staff. The wearing of business attire is recognized by the patients as a unique dress code that projects an aura of expertise and respect for the patient accompanied by warmth and friendliness. The buildings were designed to help physicians provide efficient patient care. Good materials were used to build well-designed, well-constructed facilities that were planned for easy maintenance and kept spotlessly clean. Mayo 8 - Clinic’s modern buildings are designed to provide a friendly and warm environment in which to continue the original concepts. They are built with the intention of advancing the integrated model of medicine to the next level of excellence. 

Mayo Clinic used to utilize traditional video in employee communications. But since 2005, they started also producing “roving reporter” videos that became very popular with their staff. The person who hosts the video is a member of their employee communication team — a writer and editor, without any real video experience. There’s no slick video spokesperson or “talent,” just a guy with a microphone going around asking people questions. The videos are slightly scripted — with the occasional attempt at humor — but rely mainly on the reporter’s interaction with employees to make them memorable. The occasional included blooper makes them even better. The “roving reporter” videos were used to announce and explain initiatives, to show off new facilities, and to create buzz about topics. One of the first videos they produced about the opening of their new healthy living center got more than 25,000 views internally. 

Someone posted it to YouTube, where it got another 6,000 views. They also used the roving reporter with great success to promote an immunization clinic that was part of a disaster preparedness exercise, promote their United Way campaign, and introduce their new hospital in Florida. In 2007, Mayo Clinic introduced their strategic plan in an internal campaign called “Creating the Future”. Research conducted after the campaign launched showed that 48% of their employees said they were aware of and understood their role in fulfilling their strategic plan. That was pretty good, but Mayo Clinic was not complacent about that percentage. They wanted to find new ways to engage every employee in their strategies. 

So in 2008, they added social media to the mix of employee communications tactics. They introduced a blog called “Let’s Talk”, where leaders talked about the strategic plan both on video and in blog posts, encouraging employees to join the conversation. The response was immediate and powerful and many employees participated. Employees asked questions, made comments and shared their ideas — and that continues. “Let’s Talk” has evolved to become a platform not only for discussing business strategies, but also for discussing news about Mayo Clinic and about issues that could affect them. - Mayo Clinic recently updated their strategic plan. The leaders believe deeply that every employee is essential to Mayo’s success and were committed to communicating their strategic direction to all 56,000 employees as effectively and efficiently as possible. 

They decided to build on their past successes with both traditional and social media tactics, reflecting what employees were experiencing in the world around them. In June, they launched “The Mayo Effect”, a large communication effort across the enterprise. Each face-to-face meeting that leaders conducted (and they did a lot of them) opened with an edgy “You-Tube-style” video followed by an inspiring presentation by their CEO that was filled with stories rather than heavy with PowerPoint and highlighted by open discussion with the CEO. They made these conversations available to employees at all campuses through different media. The CEO pointed employees to a refreshed website and new blog as the main resources for the details of the plan. Within the first few weeks, 22,000 employees logged on to the website. Preliminary feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. 

Here are just a few samples: 

• This feels like a pivotal time at Mayo Clinic. 

• The strategic planning feels thoughtful and not like other corporations that publish a new strategic plan every 90 days. 

• The message is clear. 

• I like that they kept simple terms and tied back to their historical roots when framing the vision. 

• We are doing things at Mayo that we would never have considered in the past: Reaching out in social media, advertising, marketing. It is good to see. Once, a 33-year-old female was admitted to Mayo Clinic with severe pneumonia. Evaluation was consistent with Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), and an additional HIV test suggested “positive” result. 

The patient knew that she was about to die, and made a request to the physician, “My parents are fundamentalist Christians, and if the church knew that I had AIDS, they would be very angry and might also be ostracized from their church.” She died after 3 days. Her parents, who only managed to arrive at the Clinic after she died, asked for the diagnosis of their daughter. The physician was puzzled whether he should tell them the whole story.

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