Riverbend Orthopedics is a busy group practice with expanded services for orthopedic care. It has seven physicians and a podiatrist, plus about 70 other employees. At its big, new clinic building, Riverbend provides extensive orthopedic care. Several technicians provide diagnostic medical imaging, from basic X-rays to magnetic resonance images.

The physicians perform surgery in their own outpatient surgery center with Riverbend’s own operating nurses and technicians. Therapy is provided by three physical therapists and one part-time contracted occupational therapist. In addition to staff providing actual patient care, the clinic has staff for financial management, medical records, human resources, information systems/technology, building maintenance, and other administrative matters. Occasional marketing work is done by an advertising company. Legal work is outsourced to a law firm. Riverbend is managed by a new president, Ms. Garcia.

She and Riverbend have set a goal of achieving “Excellent” ratings for patient experience from at least 90 percent of Riverbend’s patients this year.

One of Riverbend’s physicians, Dr. Barr, argues that because he is a physician, he must be granted autonomy to practice medicine the way he prefers to practice (i.e., for the physician’s convenience).
Mini Case Study Questions MCQ1. Explain how Ms. Garcia could apply tools, methods, concepts, and principles of organizing from this chapter to help achieve the goal. You may make reasonable assumptions and inferences.
MCQ2. Using what you learned in this chapter, describe how you think Ms. Garcia should work with Dr. Barr and other physicians to achieve Riverbend’s goal. You may make reasonable assumptions and inferences.