ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION - METHODS TO ADDRESS WORKPLACE CONFLICT IN HEALTH-SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS

As healthcare organizations become increasingly complex, healthcare ad ministrators and human resource managers face the cost and challenges of employment-related disputes. Litigation and legal costs associated with employment disputes are escalating at a significant rate. Additio nally, litigation procedures are drawn out and damage the employer-emp loyee relationship. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) programs such as mediation and arbitration alleviate the burden of litigation and p reserve positive employment relationships between the organization and its employees. A proposed ADR program is presented as a guideline for health services organizations considering the adoption of such progra ms.