Assisting Front-Line Management to Improve the Patient Journey

Typically, managers and supervisors are functional or clinical specialists who have been promoted and manage without extensive management training or qualifications. While programs are traditionally available for executive and middle-managers, there are few education or training courses available to meet the specific needs of front-line managers.

Through coaching and leadership development guidance,  we focus on improving the management capabilities and behaviors generally by helping managers deliver benefits through specifically defined projects.

Verras will assist front-line managers to develop the skills and tools they need to:

• improve the patient journey with a specific, targeted project within their current workplace.
• understand data defined variations in care that lead to diminished quality
• create and implement intramural process changes recognizing system-wide impact

Front-line managers will acquire knowledge and skills to understand the relationship between the demand for services versus resources allocated. The work undertaken by individual projects will not be "in addition to" the responsibilities of the front-line managers but rather will be considered to be part and parcel of their jobs.

The Verras team will work to develop an environment which will encourage the development of front-line management skills. Important conditions for effective learning will include a development of a vision for change at the executive level and the availability of middle-management coaching skills.

We suggest that selected projects benefit both clinical and non-clinical areas. The LEAD programs is designed to drive change throughout the entire organization as a means of building a more effective, responsive and efficient culture for your organization.

Benefits

• improved ability of all levels of management to turn strategy into outcomes

• innovative ideas leading to improved utilization of resources

• better service delivery as demand is matched with supply

• an understanding of data driven, evidenced based approaches to care

• increased staff satisfaction and opportunities for advancement

• development of broad-based awareness and knowledge of improvement methods

• learning to focus on all components of the entire patient journey

The Verras Team

Our approach to management skills development is to provide experienced personnel to develop people in the places and situations in which they work. The method is coaching-focused and supported by classroom interventions and workshops on a tailored basis, depending upon need.

Our approach to front-line management coaching allows skills development to be currently relevant and minimizes disruption for managers and the hospital generally. We believe that most managers already have a mix of the skills they require and our role will be to build on this base to enhance and augment managers' effectiveness.

The Verras Approach

Assessment

Verras conducts an initial assessment to gain a general understanding of current management tools, practices and behaviors that are used by managers to plan, estimate, assign, follow-up and report on the work performed by the unit.

Coaching – The Plan

Specific skills and abilities that we will develop include

• Understanding and communication of their own performance
• Effective "downwards" and "upwards" communication
• Planning, estimating, assigning, following-up assignments and reporting on work and staffing
• Understanding the key drivers, and associated measures of cost, quality and service
• Creating value by understanding how to reduce clinical variation, increasing quality and service and keeping these in balance
• Building and developing a team to identify and deliver value throughout the patient journey

Coaching - Implementing Change

Innovation and process changes made by the front-line management are tested during a pilot program prior to being formalized.

Verras will facilitate presentations conducted by each manager, project sponsors and leadership team.  These presentations will not only identify process changes, but also the personal accomplishments that the manager has made as a result of the process.

Advantages of the Our Approach / Solution

• Application of strong change management principles from the outset of our work to assist in overcoming resistance and fatigue
• Brings innovation and novel strategies to accomplish targeted goals
• The ability to tailor our solutions to our clients' particular requirements and situations
• Leverages our developed assets such as RapidScan, Change Management, Stakeholder Engagement and Knowledge Transfer
• Co-operative, client-centric approach, encompassing our commitment to effective knowledge transfer and client engagement, capability development and value delivery
• Strong transformational change skills including executive, management and staff interventions and performance coaching

Disadvantages of the this Approach / Solution

Our approach is team driven and depends on the use of mixed team skill sets to maximize the value of our involvement and knowledge transfer. This approach could be considered a disadvantage if you desire a fully consultant driven approach.