2018 is ripe with opportunity for multidisciplinary clinics. The growing accessibility of data allows healthcare professionals to create more personalised and positive experiences for patients; however, the changing healthcare landscape also poses several challenges. For healthcare leaders, championing change management is crucial for staying ahead of the curve. We've explored the practical steps you can take in order to future-proof your organisation and pioneer steady growth for years to come.
1. Take a proactive approach
Effective leadership in healthcare looks to the future and takes a proactive approach. Investing time into the following areas will help set your multidisciplinary clinic up for long-term success:
Audit your processes
Having solid processes in place will ensure your multidisciplinary team is a well-oiled machine, even during times of change. This applies not only to technical, financial and patient procedures, but also to the communication processes within your team. Having agreed protocols for communication and conflict resolution will help foster trust and respect within your organisation.
Review staff responsibilities
In order to ensure your team operates as effectively as possible, the roles of staff members and division of labour should be clearly negotiated and defined. Ensure the skill-set and seniority mix is well distributed across all areas of your organisation.
“A good supervisor is an excellent team member who models the team process well by exemplifying all the key characteristics of the individual team members.” – Hariette Grooh, Certified Care Manager
In many cases, health practitioners will have overlapping abilities so it’s crucial to ensure each team member is aware of their individual role and responsibilities. Don’t wait until annual performance reviews to evaluate staff responsibilities and performance — it’s best to do this regularly throughout the year, especially during periods of transition.
Identify inefficiencies early
Healthcare leaders have a responsibility to identify high-risk areas within their multidisciplinary clinic as early as possible. Always be on the lookout for protocols, financial allocations or staff issues that may hinder the efficiency of your organisation. Through early intervention, these issues can be dealt with before they develop into more significant problems.
2. Establish clear, organisational goals
Rather than dictating decisions during periods of change, effective leadership means uniting your organisation around shared goals. Keeping your staff motivated will ensure everyone within your organisation is on the same page.
“With empowerment of the front line multidisciplinary team, the organisation’s goals, which are incorporated into the team’s own vision, become clear. Thus, they share and support the goals of the organisation and have input into how these goals can be accomplished and implemented. The result is total organisation-wide acceptable of high-quality, safe, compassionate, cost-effective care to patients.”
– Dr. Marsha Snyder.
While goals will vary from organisation to organisation, they should generally focus on value-based, rather than volume-based care. That is, ensuring the highest level of care for a realistic number of patients, rather than trying to get as many patients through the door as possible. This patient-centric model will help future-proof your organisation and drives profitable and sustainable processes that support repeat patients and referrals.
3. Create a dialogue with key stakeholders — especially doctors
When undergoing periods of significant change, it’s normal to encounter resistance and skepticism from your team. Your key stakeholders will want to know how the changes will affect them – will their workload increase? Does change equate to more pressure on their performance? The earlier you engage your team, the more effectively you’ll be able to demonstrate how strategic changes will benefit them and simplify their day.
Creating an honest and open dialogue with key stakeholders is the first step. Furthermore, establishing feedback loops within your team will ensure your finger stays on the pulse – you may even discover advocates among your colleagues who will help you to champion change.
4. Leverage the tecnology and data at your fingertips
Never before have healthcare organisations had access to such a wealth of data, made possible through smart pratice management systems. Thanks to the growing popularity of cloud-based practice management platforms, this influx of information enables an intuitive ecosystem where data can turn into action. These insights can (and should) be harnessed when managing change within your organisation by drawing on sound clinical and patient data to make key decisions and establish persuasive business cases to key stakeholders. You can incorporate data from the following areas:
- Costs associated with providing certain treatments
- Rate of positive patient outcomes
- Time required to on board new patients
- Information about how and when patients prefer to be seen
Focus on how proactive change will save time, money and resources for your team, ultimately leading to more positive outcomes, then, let the numbers do the talking. Having a robust practice management system in place is essential for leveraging this data when making informed decisions.
Over to you
Championing strategic and proactive changes will ensure your multi-disciplinary organisation adapts and flourishes with every new change in the industry.
We explore the healthcare leader’s guide to future proofing your organisation. Explore the equation for staying ahead of the curve and leading your team through change and beyond. Simply click below and download your Future Proofing Guide.
