Case Study

Riyadh Pharma is a small medical practice owned by four doctors who are general practitioners. The mission of Riyadh Pharma is to provide the best health care and medical assistance for the families of Damam, a mid-sized city at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Pharma employs three clerical employees, four nurses, two physicians' assistants, two laboratory technicians, and a custodian. Since this company is in the Saudi Arabia, one clerical employee spends most of his time identifying what insurance coverage is available to the various patients and negotiating costs with the various insurance companies. Although the company has employed some of the employees since 1974, it has relied on generic job descriptions and the institutional memory of Ahmad, the head clerk, and Manal, the head nurse. However, Manal retired last summer and Ahmad is planning to retire in a year. The nurses now report directly to the doctors, who also oversee the physicians' assistants. The doctors have noticed that the previously well-run underpinnings of their practice have developed some glitches. They have hired you to help them get things running smoothly again.

Q1: One of the problems at Riyadh Pharma is that job duties are unclear. Discuss the information you would need to help Riyadh Pharma resolve this problem and explain how you would get this information.