How does the CEO of a best performing hospital, according to Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals, manage priorities? Hospital CEOs from a wide range of hospital types consistently rate three items as the ones they are most concerned with:
- Quality Measurement
- Physician Medical Staff Alignment
- Cost Reductions
Quality Measurement:
Quality measurement is a broad goal encompassing not only patient results but the efficiency and effectiveness of staff members and departments working cohesively to uphold the highest commitment to quality.
- CEOs mention diving into every department to determine which areas are strengths and which areas need to be improved upon.
- Informing staff members of how they rank on a state wide and nation wide scale is a great way to put team members’ roles and expectations in perspective.
- Quality endeavors also extend outside hospital walls such as with the patient-centered medical home which aids in reducing unnecessary readmissions, thusly promoting quality of care.
Steven Newton, President and CEO of Baylor All Saints Medical Center, Fort Worth, Texas, put it best when he said, “Fundamentally, we’re seeking improved performance. We try to be obsessively focused on doing the right things. Quality is our number one priority. We want to make sure that our patients get exactly the right care, no more and no less.”
Physician Medical Staff Alignment:
On par with quality measures is aligning the right members to bring that commitment of quality to fruition. Clearly building strong relationships is key, but what CEOs specified was quality physicians needed to not only align with staff but work jointly with management to develop and implement quality initiatives.
- Utilize physician leaders experience and involve them in designing quality metrics.
- Have honest discussions to ensure administration and hospital staff are aligned and goals are on the same page.
Kyle DeFur, President of St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital put it nicely, “We’re very careful to make sure we have truly equal, win-win relationships with our medical staff. We treat them with respect and value the important role they play in the hospital and the health system. That will create an environment where they want to work, their opinions are valued, and they can bring about change and be involved in decisions.”
Cost Reductions:
One of the most serious issues on any CEO’s mind is ensuring the financial viability of their organization. As more hospitals begin adopting value-based purchasing, leaving the old model of fee-for-service will be a delicate transfer involving everyone in the organization to provide assistance.
- There’s a movement toward accountability as patient satisfaction and readmissions scores have a say in financial incentives awarded.
- A big challenge will come from the increased number of performance measures which, if not executed properly, will have a trickle down effect on reimbursement, staff and patient perceptions.
- Dig deep into processes and systems to see where more efficient tools can be put in place. Reducing health care-associated infections is one of many areas that hospitals can investigate to reduce avoidable errors.
Kevin Smith, President and CEO of Winchester Hospital, Winchester, Massachusetts, explains hospital CEOs cost situation well, “I think a major cultural shift for our organization, and for our entire industry, will be changing from a fee-for-service driven business model to one that is more community- and population-based, where there will be much more focus on wellness, and health promotion, and chronic disease management.”
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