That’s an ominous headline, The corporatization of healthcare facilities management, don’t you think?
With a nod to the great Bob Seger song Night Moves, we discuss corporatization in the latest High Reliability podcast titled Career moves, from hammer to head honcho. Mike Canales, the Healthcare Engineering Program Director at Owensboro Community & Technical College in Owensboro, KY, joins us.
During our discussion, Mike discussed the idea of the corporatization of healthcare facilities management. The topic arose in light of our recent Abe Lincoln, not qualified to run a hospital facility department education session. Mike said:
“Every organization is trying to mitigate risk with the corporatization of healthcare and facilities management. As a result, they (organizations) don’t have the time to go in and screen candidates at an intentional level. If they did, they would find this person is qualified. They would be able to see it based on the candidate’s resume. (Editor note: Even without a degree.)
So with corporatization, one of the losses you get is the loss of intentionality. They (organizations) default to process, and candidates (without a degree) get caught outside of the process. What the degree requirement does is create a checkbox; you are either in or out. It is more of a way for them (an organization) to accelerate the process; they don’t have to stop and ask, “what is this candidate really about?” The corporate side is not always about who you are, but what are your credentials.
Organizations met with HR, they met with consultants, they met with leadership, and they determined you need a degree (to attain the management level of healthcare facilities). It is a process they created, and if you don’t have a degree, you are up against that industry standard. Industry standards are good, but they can also be dehumanizing.”
Does corporatization lead to elimination?
Mike’s comments resonated with me. The dehumanizing word touched a nerve.
Corporatization can be a sign of group thinking that does not allow for areas of grey. Experienced healthcare facilities professionals have been eliminated from job consideration, despite their vast experience and their non-degree credentials. Their demonstrable and quantifiable experience under the stress of day-to-day operations has been discarded.
The degree question should allow for consideration, intentionality, areas of grey, and deviations when a non-degreed, experienced healthcare professional presents. But, increasingly, it does not.
Their demonstrable and quantifiable experience under the stress of day-to-day operations has been discarded.
Learn more about the Healthcare Engineering Program at OCTC.
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