First, read “Case Study 15-8, Healthy Conflict Resolution’

on page 289-90 of Organizational Behavior in Health Care.

Case Study 15-8 Healthy Conflict Resolution

“Cindy, please reschedule my afternoon clinic; I am going to be out for the rest of the day” says Dr. Jones,

a senior physician in a hospital-owned multispecialty group

“But, Dr. Jones.” Cindy says,

while whipping off her telephone headset and turning away from the

open patient registration window, you are double booked for most of the afternoon because you canceledyour clinic twice this month already. Many of these patients have been waiting more than three

monies

to see youl

Jones glances furtively at the waiting room, and already half turned and heading toward the

clinic exit, says. I’m sure you will be able to smooth things over. Just tell them that I got called to an

emergency.

Cindy has a suspicion that because the weather is nice, Jones is taking off with a couple of col-

leaques to go sailing or play a round of golt, After all, he always sports a darn tan, comes to clinic late

and often leaves early. Cindy does not relish having to call and reschedule these patients, some of whom

have alreddy been rescheduled or least once in the past coupe or monns.

Cindy decides enough is enough. She calls her manager and requests a meeting as soon as possible

Her manager can sense that Cindy is upset and offers to have someone cover for Cindy so that they can

talk privately.

Cindy tells the manager about the situation with Jones that happens all the time.

– and how she

“sick of it.”

and will not work another dav under these conditions

After calming Cindy down, the man

ager promises to bring the matter up with the chiet of the department.

To make a long story shorter, sulfice it to say that this conflict continues to mushroom to involve sev.

era more indrduals the chiet medical olficer, the executve director of the cunic. the director of human

resources, and the union representative) before Jones is ever made aware that Cindy has filed a formal

complaint about him. When he is finally confronted, in a meeting with the chief medical officer and the

director of human resources, he is caught completely off quard

After all, the incident happened several weeks ago, and Cindy did not mention anything to him about

it. They have continued to work together, in his opinion, as if nothing were wrong. He is also surprised to

find out that Cindy has been keeping a tally of the number of times that he has canceled his clinic, left

early, or started clinic lato

Jones goes from astonishment to red-faced anger in a few minutes. It is clear to all that the relation

ship between Cindy and the doctor is irreparable. Jones is labeled as a disruptive physician. Cindy is not

welcome in any department because the other physicians are fearful of being targeted. Cindy eventually

resigns, and Jones feels betrayed and unappreciated by his staff and his employer.

If you were the manager in this case, now would you have handled the situation?

Reproduced from Pierce. K. P. (2008, January/February). Healthy conflict resolution. Physician Executive, 36011 68-61.

.Based on the information in Chapter 4 and your independent

research, write a paper that addresses the following questions:

1- What are the five conflict modes?

2- What is the basis/cause of the conflict in the case

described?

3- What conflict style/handling-mode should be use to

resolve the conflict?

4- Why is the chosen approach preferable to other

approaches?

5- What are the advantages and disadvantages of your

choice?

Your well-written paper should meet the following

requirements:

– Four-to-five pages in length, not including the cover sheet

and reference page.