Tactics Objectives Good Samaritan Hospital
Purpose of the Guide
Intended user This guide is intended for use by the Medical Executive Committee members, formal and informal leaders of the Medical Staff, as well as those that inform and engage the Medical Staff regularly.
To inspire in moments of reflection. To support leadership decision making To guide the evolution of the Medical Staff, continually showing a path when passion is lacking and fear abundant.
Background of the research The research that contributed to the creation of this guide, was done through a process of human-centered design. Focusing specifically on the Good Samaritan Medical Staff, observations and insights were collected to help describe the physician needs outlined in this guide. The opportunity areas as well as the suggested tactics were created through a co-participatory process between IIT researchers, Good Samaritan Physicians, and the network of people that support and help guide the Medical Staff as a whole.
Contents of the guide MEC Objectives developed at the SG2 Retreat and the planning workshop.
Streamline infrastructure of Medical Staff committees and functions.
Improve communication between Medical Staff Leadership and the Medical Staff.
The combination of these two objectives is all the more powerful because of the way that they bubbled up to the top in priority, as well as their high level strategic vision.
Streamline infrastructure of Medical Staff committees and functions
Objective and Call to Action
Recognize the strength of the Medical Staff and its ability to uphold governance. Create a ThinkTank that will compliment the existing structure with creative thinking and innovative strategies. Supporting insights: The core issue of the structure is its inability to adapt with the functions of the Medical Staff. The current model is rooted in tradition and change is inhibited by regulations and bylaws. Given this context as leaders it is difficult to give direction while others are unconvinced by the structure. Unengagement among members is high because interest is difficult to maintain and lack of communication between committees creates a feeling of isolation. In addition, physician need for a medical staff is diminishing because groups are growing larger, requiring less and new physicians are unaware of the benefits. Finally because we are people we have other things to do and obligations with the structure are often considered a “waste of time.�
Problem Statements and Tactical Possibilities
Because we are people we have other things to do. Because we are physicians we need the medical staff, but need is diminishing. Because we are members we participate, but participation is lacking. Because we are leaders we give direction, but direction is difficult to find. Because we are the Medical Staff we govern, but governance is inflexible.
RECOGNIZE the strength of the Medical Staff and its ability to uphold governance. Accept that the Medical Staff functions effectively for the purpose of credentialing and peer governance.
CREATE a ThinkTank that will compliment the existing structure with creative thinking and innovative strategies. A diverse multi-disciplinary group will be able to consider possibilities for a new structure, articulate strategies, collaborate across the infrastructure and develop effective communications. The following pages provide tactics for the ThinkTank to improve communication structures.
Improve communication between Medical Staff Leadership and the Medical Staff
Objective and Call to Action
Develop support for communications by understanding current resources and enhancing them in the future. Structure a process for informing by focusing on a content type and adjusting the fit thus creating effective communications. Supporting insights: Three key issues contribute to the need for improved communication between Medical Staff leaders and the physicians within the Medical Staff. Complexity exists when Medical Staff leaders send out communication. Because there are more people and more options than ever before, leaders face complexity in finding the right mix of content, modes, and formats. When sending out communications it is difficult to accommodate for all the varying interests of individual physicians. When sending out communication to collective groups of physicians, leaders wonder if there is any interest at all. At the core of the Medical Staff there is a lack of support and decision making is often fragmented and lacks alignment.
Problem Statements and Tactical Possibilities
COMPLEXITY Medical Staff leaders send out communications that are made from elements such as content, mode, and format,
FOCUS first on content type understand how it is communicated effective
DOCUMENT the physician audience that the communication is sent out to. Take note of their personality type. What is the content? What is the mode? but creating the right What is the format? mix of these elements is complex. REPEAT with other content types.
FIT Medical Staff leaders send out communications to individual physicians and collective groups of physicians, but are not able to accommodate to fit these two types of audiences.
SITUATIONAL communication must mention in the message the uniqueness of that special physician. ANNUAL understanding of demographic makeup of the Medical Staff, can help adjust communication.
LACK OF SUPPORT Medical Staff leaders send out communications, but lack support in the decision making process.
Request RESOURCES as a list of all Medical Staff support services from the hospital. BUILD RESOURCES by further shaping services into a collegial support structure. UTILIZE resources to better understand physician workflows. CREATE SERVICES that offer a direct two-way channels. Construct these channels based on patterns of general physician workflows. ENSURE SERVICES with an ability to close the loop by encouraging use of a direct two-way channel.
PERIODIC communication should have an inspirational story that resonates with various types of physicians. DEEP communication can be a planned large, fun interaction to send messages that builds trust and pulls physicians in.
Illinois Institute of Technology : Institute of Design Amy Batchu : Amanda Wirth Spring 2009