Review and summarize the organizational model and structure for your employer/organization or that of an allied health organization in your chosen field. What features of the model work well and contribute to overall performance of the organization? Which features do not work well, or do not work at all? If you had the authority to do so, what elements of your organizational model would you change, and why?
Provide a minimum of two references from the GCU Library, other scholarly sources, government websites, or peer-reviewed articles to support your response.
1. Overview: Allied Health Organizational Models
Scholarly literature (Turato et al., 2024) identifies several organizational models used to structure allied health professionals (AHPs) within public hospital settings:
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Matrix structure: AHPs are dispersed into clinical service units (e.g., medical, surgical) and report both operationally to clinical managers and professionally to allied health leads.
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Centralized profession-based (division) structure: AHPs are grouped under a unified division with a Director of Allied Health who holds both operational and professional accountability.
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Hybrid (integrated decentralization) model: Combines aspects of both matrix and centralized models, with budget control centralized but service delivery functionally linked to clinical units SpringerLinkResearchGate.
2. Effectiveness: What Works Well in the Centralized Model
The centralized profession-based model demonstrated several strengths:
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Clear accountability and governance: Having a single professional director reduces ambiguity in reporting and decision‑making and strengthens governance efficacy SpringerLinkResearchGate.
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Operational efficiency and cost‑savings: Aligned budgeting and professional oversight streamline administrative tasks (e.g. reduced multiple position numbers; smoother payroll and rostering processes) SpringerLinkResearchGate.
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Enhanced workforce flexibility and morale: Centralized control enabled timely staff mobilization based on clinical demand and fostered career development, boosting wellbeing and morale SpringerLinkResearchGate.
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Strengthened professional identity: AHPs reported a stronger sense of belonging to their profession under the centralized model, supporting better professional alignment SpringerLinkResearchGate.
3. Drawbacks: What Doesn’t Work Well
Even though the centralized model offered improvements, it had some limitations:
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Potential siloing: Some respondents feared over‑emphasis on professional identity might reduce multidisciplinary collaboration and holistic patient care SpringerLink.
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Under‑resourcing during implementation: Leaders reported insufficient project support (e.g., administrative, HR, team‑building resources) to embed the change effectively SpringerLink.
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Variability in leadership competence: Some professional directors were unprepared for leadership roles (e.g., strategic planning, communication), which hindered consistency and effectiveness across professions SpringerLink.
4. Proposed Changes: Enhancing the Model
If empowered to modify this organizational model, I’d propose the following improvements:
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Strengthen multidisciplinary integration
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Maintain cross‑professional collaboration by embedding multidisciplinary liaisons or periodical integrated team meetings, to offset siloing risks.
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Ensure allied health remains connected to broader clinical units to support holistic, patient‑centered care.
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Invest in implementation infrastructure
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Assign dedicated project support staff (e.g., change managers, HR partners) to assist professional directors during transitions.
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This would address feedback concerning under‑resourcing and promote smoother implementation SpringerLink.
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Expand leadership development
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Provide targeted leadership and management training (e.g., strategic planning, empathy, communications, change management) for professional directors.
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This equips them to lead effectively and reduce inter‑professional inconsistencies SpringerLink.
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Support professional identity transitions
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Implement coaching and communication strategies to help AHPs transition between identities (e.g., matrix‑based versus centralized roles), preserving both profession and multidisciplinary affiliations.
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This aligns with social‑identity theory and supports smoother adaptation SpringerLink.
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5. Additional Organizational Factors Affecting AHP Performance
Beyond structural design, broader organizational factors impact job satisfaction and performance. Research in long‑term care settings highlights:
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Social capital (relationships with colleagues and supervisors), organizational slack time (adequate time to deliver care or collaborate), and adequate orientation are significant predictors of job satisfaction among allied health professionals PubMed CentralBioMed Central.
This underscores the importance of fostering supportive work environments, not just organizational design.
Summary Table
| Aspect | Strengths of Centralized Model | Weaknesses & Improvements Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Governance & Accountability | Clear reporting, operational coherence | Risk of siloing; incorporate multidisciplinary links |
| Efficiency & Cost | Streamlined administration, flexible workforce | Implement change support resources |
| Professional Identity | Stronger profession‑based identity | Need leadership training and support identity transitions |
| Leadership Quality | — | Build leadership capacity across roles |
| Job Satisfaction | — | Supportive culture, time, orientation essential (beyond structure) |
References (Peer‑Reviewed)
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Turato, G., Whiteoak, J., & Oprescu, F. (2024). The insights of allied health professionals transitioning from a matrix structure to a centralized profession‑based structure within a public hospital setting. Journal of Organization Design, 13, 197–212.
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This case study demonstrated the centralized model’s superior performance in governance, efficiency, identity, morale, and flexibility, while also identifying implementation gaps and leadership needs SpringerLinkResearchGate.
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Balogun et al., / BMC Health Services Research (2018) – Organizational context variables and allied healthcare providers’ job satisfaction in long‑term care.
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Found that social capital, organizational slack‑time, and adequate orientation positively predicted job satisfaction and retention PubMed CentralBioMed Central.
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In summary, the centralized profession‑based structure for allied health in hospital settings offers clear advantages over matrix models—especially in governance, efficiency, flexibility, and professional identity. However, to fully realize its benefits, it’s crucial to invest in leadership capacity, implementation support, multidisciplinary integration, and a supportive organizational culture that values time, orientation, and collegial support.