ASSIGNMENT OCT520

Discuss about the role of Occupational Therapist as a middle manager in an

occupational therapy (OT) department based on given/provided resources. You can
also share your own opinions in managing OT department as additional resources.
Occupational therapy (OT) is defined by World Federation of Occupational
Therapy (WFOT) as a health profession with client-centered approach concerned
with health and well-being promotion through occupation. ased on Occupational
Therapy !ractice Framewor" (OT!F) second edition# OTs domain are in$ol$ing si%
main aspects# that is areas of occupation# client factors# performance s"ills#
performance patterns# conte%t and en$ironment and acti$ity demands. &enerally#
manager is defined as someone who handles# controls or directs mainly in business
or other areas (The Free Online 'ictionary#n.d.) while middle management is
described in Wi"ipedia as the intermediate management of hierarchical
management# while being lower than senior management but abo$e the lowest le$el
of operational staff.
(n hospital# a head department of OT department is the holding the same seat
as a middle manager in business organi)ation. asically the *ob and tas" that the
both middle le$el manager (+,+) performed are nearly the same# howe$er the
ob$ious difference between both +,+ are their type of organi)ations. (n e%plaining
the difference of health ser$ices# riggs# -myth# . /nderson ha$e stated that
healthcare managers are distinguished by the comple% nature of health systems
management# where there is no specific routine# does not really affected by ups and
downs of world economic progression in terms of mar"eting.
&oing deeper into OT as middle manager# as mentioned by &uo . /nderson
(0112) in their research article# +,+ is important for de$elopment of the department
transformation by $iability and progress of OT department organi)ation. (n the same
research# they also highlight the role of occupational therapy as middle manager in
hospital# which is planner (strategic planner) and coordinator and additional role that
is negotiator# problem sol$er# and leader.
efore mo$ing forward to role of OT as middle manager# it is better to
understand the role and challenges of a manager as general. +anager mainly
functions as resource manager# future planner# coordinator# and financial manager.
/ccompanied with these tas"s are the challenges that will be faced such as limited
cost# 3uality control# competitors# and ethical problems. 4owe$er# in the research
article done by &uo . /nderson (0112) emphasi)e that the manager should ha$e an
understanding regarding the organi)ations and indi$iduals related for a clearer path
to face the incoming and upcoming challenges in managing the subordinates. This
can be done by get the best out of the indi$iduals and organi)ational goals# and
ma"ing sure that each of the subordinates is doing their wor" at their ma%imum
potential.
&uo and /nderson later e%plained that OT middle le$el manager are seeing
the organi)ation in both perspecti$e that is from top down and bottom up approach.
eing as a middle manager can be tric"y# since +,+ is sandwiched between senior
managers and lowest staffs# therefore both parties# are coming from abo$e and
bottom# as"ing for +,+5s s"ills and competency. (t is essential for middle le$el
managers to e3uip themsel$es with human relations s"ills to prepare them in the
worst situation since they need to treat both senior managers and subordinates in
respectable manner. Other than that# ha$ing a haw"5s eye in seeing trends is
important for a +,+. eing sensiti$e to changes in healthcare en$ironment
regarding $ital aspects such as technologies and current citi)en5s opinions before the
upper management is a bonus as a +,+.
6ole is defined by the Free +erriam-Webster 'ictionary as a function or part
done especially in certain operation or process. (n the past# teamwor" is not a ma*or
concern in managing organi)ations. 4owe$er# nowadays most of the organi)ations
are wor"ing in teamwor"# a phenomenon called by -usan 7ain in her boo"# 8uiet as
9ew &roupthin". -he mentioned later that this phenomenon is applied by most
companies and organi)ations in early :;;1s and later in 0111s almost e$ery single
corporation in <nited -tates are implementing the teamwor" concept in their
operation. -he re$ealed that a current research disco$ered that ;: percent of high
le$el managers consider that teams are the crucial point to become successful.
&uo and /nderson also added in their research that the organi)ation that
prioriti)ed the teamwor" in their staffs and customer satisfaction are ha$ing lesser
concern on authorati$e and hierarchical roles. The brighter side of this teamwor"
organi)ation is that there are new roles that will be played by +,+ such as ha$ing a
participati$e decision ma"ing# trust building# surge of leading energy# and e%plosi$e
creati$ity in subordinates.
The main tas" of middle manager is being a planner and coordinator. (n
research article entitled 6oles# -"ills# and 7ompetencies of +iddle +anagers in
Occupational Therapy by &uo and /nderson(0112)# they listed out the elaboration of
the tas"s. /s for planner# OT as +,+ will wor" within# between and across
departments# ha$ing ad$antages of being a good connector of the lowest staff to
senior managers if done the wor"s well.
The +,+ needs to organi)e the financial planning for department5s resources
of programs and e3uipment. The middle manager may as well consider the hospital
financial# in terms of monitoring the rele$ancy of number of staffs# ser$ices pro$ided
by staffs and the s"ill and education le$el of the present staffs. =thics of the staffs in
the department are also significant in ensuring the best healthcare ser$ices are
deli$ered to the clients.
Other than that# as a coordinator# +,+ may need to ensure that the
subordinates are being trained well in professionalism. +,+ can rearrange the shifts
of the staffs to enable them attends the e%tra courses regarding professionalism. >ob
enrichment is also suggested by &uo and /nderson in order to ele$ate the
moti$ation of the staffs. +,+ can see" the hidden potential in each and e$ery staffs
under him and applied it in the OT *obs.
(n my opinion# the occupational therapist that becomes the middle managers
should impro$ise his self in order to become a good leader and subordinate at a
same time. 7onnecting the abo$e and the bottom part of organi)ation is not an easy
tas". -eeing the research article written by &uo and /nderson is an eye-opening for
me upon entering the world of occupational therapy management. There are many
suggestions that +,+s should follow. One of my interests is the *ob enrichment.
!ic"ing the hidden treasure in e$eryone is $ery moti$ating and ele$ating the *ob
satisfaction and production of the employee in the organi)ation.
/s conclusion# ha$ing a bachelor5s degree in occupational therapy does not
mean that you can manage a department easily as read in the boo" or *ournal. (t
re3uires more social intergration and e%perience before becoming a good manager
in the field. / good middle manager can boost performance of lower staffs and
impro$ise the senior managers5 decision well at the same time.
REFERENCES
riggs# '.-? -myth# /. . /nderson# >./# (01:0). (n -earch of 7apable 4ealth
+anagers. Asia acific !ournal of "ealth #anagement. 2 ()# pp.2:-2@
7ain#-. (01:A). $uiet% the power of introverts in a world that can&t stop tal'ing.
,ondonB !enguin
&uo# ,.C. ? 7alderon /.# (0112). 6oles# -"ills# and 7ompetencies of +iddle
+anagers in Occupational Therapy. The 4ealth 7are +anager. 0D ()# pp.2E-@A
manager ( definition of manager by the )ree Online Dictionary* Thesaurus and
+ncyclopedia. (n.d.). 6etrie$ed 'ecember @# 01:A# from
httpBFFwww.thefreedictionary.comFmanager
#iddle management ( ,i'ipedia* the free encyclopedia. (n.d.).
6etrie$ed 'ecember @# 01:A# from httpBFFen.wi"ipedia.orgFwi"iF+iddleGmanagement
role ( Definition and #ore from the )ree #erriam(,ebster Dictionary. (n.d.).
6etrie$ed 'ecember @# 01:A# from httpBFFwww.merriam-webster.comFdictionaryFrole
The /merican Occupational Therapy /ssociation#(nc (011@). Occupational Therapy
)ramewor' % Domain - ractice .nd +dition. 6etrie$ed from
httpBFFa*ot.aotapress.netFcontentFD0FDFD0H.full.pdf
,orld )ederation of Occupational Therapists / About 0s / About Occupational
Therapy / Definition of Occupational Therapy. (n.d.). 6etrie$ed 'ecember @# 01:A#
from
httpBFFwww.wfot.orgFaboutusFaboutoccupationaltherapyFdefinitionofoccupationaltherap
y.asp%