ORGANIZATIONAL POLICY

& SYSTEM CHANGE

Organizational Policy

A set of written rules and policies

that govern behavior and practice
within organization, agency or
business
Custom and Practice

 Routine practices, cultural norms, customs and

unwritten agreements about behavior are not
policy, but can influence and be influenced by
policy
What is organizational policy change?

 The creation of new written policies or

rules or a change in the current written
policies or rules of an organization
Systems and Systems
Change
What is a system?

 A group of independent but interrelated and interating elements

(individuals, institutions and infrastructure) that form a unified whole

 For example:

Health Care Delivery System

What is systems change?

 Systems change occcurse when one or several

elements in a system change, altering their
relationship to one another and the overall
structure of the system itself
What drives systems change?

 Changes in existing policies or creation of new policies

 Organizational practices
 Social or Cultural Norms
 Changes to Infrastructure
What is the relationship between
policy and systems change?

 Policy change is an important way to achieve

systems change.
Examples of Organization Policy and
Systems Change

 Health Care Team Approach

1. Change: Health Care Team Approach includes
- Care Manager
- Behavioral health Counselor
- Nurse
- Physician
 2. Change: Care Managers (New position)
Related Policy Changes:
- Written Job descriptions
- Board of Director’s’ approval
- Funding allocated
 3. Change: Nurses have expanded role
Related Policy Changes:
- Creation of “standing orders”
- Chief Medical Officer approval
- Clinical Manual of policies and procedures