United HealthCare Case Study

United healthcare is situated in the United States of America; to be precise its headquarters can be found in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The organization is managed and run by the UnitedHealth Group, which is a family comprising of subsidiaries and divisions all over the US. The United HealthCare, as a subsidiary, was founded back in 1977 as the United HealthCare Corporation, and was later renamed in 1998. The company was nationalized in 1984, when its shares were sold to the general public. It has been one of the leading companies in the USA, being ranked on the basis of performance as one of the Top 20 companies. Moreover, it is well known in America in the field of health services; it has received commendations even from the American Medical Association.

Evaluating the Workforce Management

With so much competition in the health sector, the company sees the need to create a competitive advantage in all perspectives in order to continue leading while others follow. The company’s management understands that the well being of its customers is very important, since it will make them loyal to the company and thus, maintain them. The company’s management team also understands that the customers can be maintained if served well by their company’s employees. The company, thus, is ensuring that the employees are always in a position to give the best services possible. They have to ensure that they recruit and employ only professionals in the various fields of medicine. They also motivate their employees by commissions and by involving them in the decision making process. This makes them feel that they are a part of the company; thus, they will work as if the company was theirs, providing the best services (Robertson, 2011).

The company is also trying to expand by all means. They still feel that there is a customer, who desperately needs to get their services, and he or she is not getting them. They know that their expansion will increase their customer base; thus, producing more profits and improving the public image. The company has been acquiring other health service organizations since 1995 within the process of expanding. This saves them time of constructing the new buildings and getting employees and even customers. They are targeting that in the following twenty years the company will have branches and subsidiaries all over the world.

The organization structure of any company is very important, since it spells out the duties and responsibilities of the employees, and they know who to report to. It also helps individuals to know the flow of communication in the organization. The United HealthCare has incorporated an organization structure that allows communication to flow in all directions. This is to ensure that all the ideas are captured and utilized for the well being of the company.

Popularizing the Company

The company, as it was said earlier, is the best health service provider in the region, and this gives it a competitive advantage. This advertises the company. All people want to be associated with the best; thus, the customers will seek health services from the United HealthCare. This has been the secret behind the rapid growth of the company. It has always presented itself to the customers as the best one. The presentation as the best health service provider gave the company a strong and positive public image; the customers gained trust in the company. The company is, however, strategizing towards expanding by promoting itself further and being more aggressive in advertising (Hilzenrath, 2009).

With the recent technology advancements, advertising has become really easy and cheap. The company is, therefore, not left behind and is currently advertising in the internet through its own website and other popular web-pages, like Facebook. The diversification of the company also helps the United HealthCare, since another field of them has the same name and vision; thus, the organization tries to create awareness about the company’s existence.

Assessing the Services Quality

The company is always determined to ensure that the services they offer are the best ones and are of the highest quality. They have come up with an evaluation system, where they collect feedback both from the customers and from the employees. The system also helps them to compare their services to those of their competitors. The United HealthCare has also been awarded for the quality services they offer to the customers. They were also recognized for having the most organized employees. To save time and to make its services perfect, the company has introduced a management information system that is already widely used. With the help of the new system more customers are attended within less time; this increases customer satisfaction and makes them loyal. Therefore, the invention helps to maintain clients as well as profits.

However, despite all efforts and good rating of the company, a survey of executives of hospitals in 2010 showed that the United HealthCare received 65% unfavorable rating. As compared to the previous year’s rating, this had increased by 33% making the company to be ranked last among all the hospitals listed (Conason, 2006).

Conclusion

The United HealthCare, being well known in the United States of America, has an opportunity to grow and become even better. The company should pay more attention to its SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. The organization has so many opportunities, which it can work on and develop even more and increase profits. The United HealthCare needs to work on its top management. As discussed above, the company has been ranked among the last ones on this criterion; thus, they have to work on it and improve, even if it means having new top management. This will provide then with even more opportunities, thus enabling to change the rankings.