Meeting Today’s Health Care Challenges:

The Role of Information Technology and Employment Relations

Presented at the LERA Annual Meeting

San Francisco, CA

January 4, 2009

The health care industry in the United States is in a state of crisis and is plagued by a myriad of persistent problems and challenges such as medical errors and poor quality outcomes for patients, escalation of costs, high levels of job stress for health care workers and severe workforce shortages. This crisis in not, however, a uniquely American phenomenon and, in fact, other countries face similar challenges despite substantial differences in their health care systems. Using data from the U.S., Canada and Australia, this panel will explore potential solutions for these detrimental challenges through innovations in employment relations, nursing leadership, physician job design, and the adoption of electronic medical records.

Chair: Sir Peter Carr, UK National Health Service (see remarks)

Discussant: Eileen Appelbaum, Rutgers University

Human Resources Management Aspects of the Hospital Ward Manager's Job

Greg J. Bamber, Griffith University

Adrian Wilkinson, Griffith University

Cameron Allan, Griffith University

Keith Townsend, Griffith University