Practical examples of enhancing MD engagement in VBHC
Wanted: Practical examples of enhancing MD engagement in VBHC
As a non-doctor, I am a strong believer of (initially) putting MD’s in the lead of continuous improvement cycles, supported by admin teams. At our company we will soon start with a MD leadership program to prepare our physicians for this “extra” task of running an integrated practice unit VBHC style.
I am looking for inspiring, practical examples that have proven to support the engagement of MD’s, which I can use to leverage our MD leadership program.
Get the physicians involved early so that they are part of the process from the start. Find out what they need to be successful, leadership training, support from admin, even the importance of the date/time of the meeting based on the physicians clinical schedule. Doc’s want data to support the reason for the change, set meaningful targets, and monitor progress.
We have success in our system by including our physicians in the decision-making process. We identify our early adapters/ physician champions (by our readiness assessment or improvement assessment surveys from AHRQ) and present the new leadership role of a service line/ process/ project as a career opportunity for them. We support and train the identified physician leaders on the expectations before they become active in the position. We engage the intellect of our physician leaders & teams in planning, building and prioritizing QI efforts. This participation in the dialogue together allows our physician leaders and the teams to go through the applicable data and validate themselves which in turn helps us in the sustainability of our projects. We also encourage dyad roles – Teaming physician leaders with the administrative leader. In our Dyad model, doctors work side by side with business trained colleagues in making the QI changes needed to ensure that the environment MDs practice in is always focused on the doctor-patient relationship, the most critical relationship in healthcare.
I set up a clinical and governance team for 71 large Medical centres.
This was done by identifying the key leaders through assessments and interviews.
The key was to decide the purpose and outcomes required for the business.
Role modelling, culture of continued learning and innovation, business outcomes, dealing with “People” issues in their departments,and being part of a greater collective decision making at the head office level.
Engaged with 3rd party vendors for some of the functions. ( this I thought was the key to success, use their expertise)
Creating tools and support for clinical leaders.
Off site training in groups of 7-9 clinical leaders with the key management team, re enforcing the values of the organisation, and how that leads to better patient and business outcomes.
On the ground and head office support was given when and as needed.
It took a good part of 2.5 years, resources and effort to get a team of 57 leaders.
Like everything, devil is in the detail and constant grind to get it off the ground and deliver on a day to day basis.
ROI on that was amazing.
Great initiative.
Good question about a very important issue!
As a representative for all junior doctors we have actually tried as the Junior Doctors Association to engage all junior doctors in VBHC by talking to the idealist within themselves – talk to the nature of their profession of helping people in need on their (the patients) terms thereby creating not only high medical quality but also patient experienced value. We have made courses about shared decision making giving the doctors the competences needed to (perhaps) address the patients in new ways. And we have searched all the different pilot projects all over Denmark to make films about how it is not only valuable for patients (and hospitals), but also for joy in work, the quality of specialist training and the collaboration between professions. And afterwards distributed all know-how about the projects to the doctors nation-wide.
As I recall you don’t have the same kind of organisation of doctors, but all we have done can also be made by management levels – the most important things is to engage doctors in the design of the projects, maintain focus and leadership engagement – also when someone is moaning – and communicate about success as well as adjustments to improve.