Beacon Health System: An Ethnographic Analysis of Communication Behaviors

Abstract

Beacon Health System, a successful health care provider operating in the northern Indiana area, is comprised of a wide range of hospitals, doctor's offices, and community outreach programs. This analysis seeks to better understand the operation and communication tactics of the total organization, as well as the communication behaviors that take place at the individual business level. While quality of health care remains an important choice for the public, it is vital to gain an understanding of what helps form the public image of Beacon. It is also important to analyze the processes of communication that occur at the employee level in order to judge the quality of care provided. The following analysis seeks to understand these concepts.