Unit Outline

This unit investigates theories and strategies for managing and improving complex adaptive healthcare organisations. Models of healthcare organisations will be introduced to analyse their structure, functions, processes and limitations. Complex adaptive systems thinking will be applied to healthcare organisations to understand their actions and points of resistance. Organisational theory will be used to analyse and interpret opportunities and constraints for service delivery. Mechanisms for achieving change through using a range of theories will be reviewed, including complexity and implementation sciences, organisational resilience, reliability and human factors. Students will have opportunities to hear from experts across Australia and participate in industry case studies and analysis. [Special note: this unit is offered in odd-numbered years only.]

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Develop knowledge of complex adaptive system theories and implementation sciences.
2.	Evaluate how individual, teams and organisations approach service improvement and change.
3.	Critique organisational, team and individual actions that promote or detract from resilience and reliability.
4.	Distinguish complexity and implementation sciences and their application to healthcare organisations.
5.	Conceptualise and judge the effectiveness of human factors theory to manage organisations.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Presentation	Week 4	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO5
Assessment Task 2:	Essay	Week 8	30 %	LO1, LO4, LO5
Assessment Task 3:	Proposal	Week 12	40 %	LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Presentation

Task Description:

Healthcare organisations and systems often need to develop new service initiatives to respond to evolving organisational or patient care needs. Such new initiatives operate within complex adaptive systems, which can have interconnecting individual agents and rules and governance of operations.

This assessment requires you to present an evidence-based analysis of a specific new service initiative and associated challenges within a complex health system. You are to deliver this presentation to the organisational leadership team.

Task Length:

11-12 minutes with embedded continuous voice and video recording

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Explain a health management organisational new initiative, using a complex adaptive system approach.	LO1
2	Analyse the interconnections between interacting agents (individuals, teams, organisations) needed to introduce the initiative in the health organisation.	LO2
3	Discuss the rules and governance by which these agents will interact in management of the new initiative in the health organisation.	LO5
4	Compose an evidence-based academic output/presentation, reflecting on the challenges with individual, team and organisational actions in a new health management initiative.	LO3

Assessment Task 2: Essay

Task Description:

Implementing a change initiative is critical to the functioning of complex adaptive systems. In this assessment, you are to write an essay to inform the organisational leadership team about two emergent, post-implementation challenges associated with a recently implemented health management initiative.

The essay must use the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and blend theory with practical examples to discuss complex nature of these challenges.

Task Length:

2,000 words (10% +/- word count)

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Apply the Theoretical Domains Framework to discuss emergent post-implementation challenges in a health management initiative.	LO4
2	Explain the complex characteristics of the health management initiative when implementing change implementation from the system perspective.	LO5
3	Compose an evidence-based academic essay, reflecting on the challenges in managing change in health organisations.	LO1

Assessment Task 3: Proposal

Task Description:

Embedding change is critical to organisational resilience in complex adaptive systems. In this assessment, you are to write a proposal of evidence-based recommendations to address post-implementation challenges in a health management initiative.

This report is to be addressed to the organisational leadership team and discuss how the proposed recommendations are embedding the health management initiative for organisational resilience.

Task Length:

2,500 words (10% +/- word count)

Due Date:

Week 12

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Evaluate the complexity of the health management initiative and utilise implementation strategies when implementing changes to a system.	LO4
2	Apply a change management framework to produce a contextually specific and detailed management plan for a sustainable change in a health organisation.	LO3
3	Compose an evidence-based academic report, reflecting on the challenges in embedding change with professionals in a health organisation.	LO2

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

There is no prescribed text or software for this unit. The learning materials of the unit will be drawn from publications, journal articles and other credible sources/websites. You will be able to access the learning materials through the Learning Content section of the MyLO unit. Journal articles and other readings will be made available throughout the semester via MyLO