We often hear about the need for clinical integration within Supply Chain and Value Analysis Programs, and this has become a priority for many organizations. Yet, as with most emerging strategies, there is a wide range of interpretations about what clinical integration actually means and how it should be implemented. It involves more than simply adding additional clinicians to Value Analysis meetings – while that can be beneficial, it raises an important question: What will these new team members contribute that your current clinical team members are not already providing? Most Value Analysis Teams already include key customers, stakeholders, and subject-matter experts. So, what additional value is truly gained by increasing clinical integration?
Is there more to strengthening clinical integration in Value Analysis and Supply Chain than simply adding more team members? What exactly do we need to do to take advantage of the multitude of expertise and know-how inside our health systems? Below are several best practices to help ensure your clinical integration program is designed for success.
1. Only Add New Team Members That Agree to Take on Part of the Work – Before you even think about expanding your Value Analysis Teams you need to first realize that you should only be adding new team members who agree to share the workload. No more committee mentality where two or three people do all the work and come in and vote or offer a smidgen of their knowledge. Everyone needs to have skin in the game to have a successful team.
2. Add Clinicians Where It Makes Sense – You don’t want to add clinicians just to add clinicians – especially when you already have clinicians on your team that play an important part in your team’s success. You must be strategic with all your team members whether you are forming a new team or upgrading an existing team. If you can’t think of three or four solid reasons why you are adding a particular team member to your team, then maybe they are not right for your team.
3. Plan Out a Role for Clinicians in the Team – Don’t just think that if you add that Urologist to the team they are going to start working some sort of magic. You need to tell them up front what their role will be on the team whether it’s to speak for Urology or something broader such as Surgery. This way you know and they know what is expected of them and you have it all spelled out.
4. Don’t Ignore the Value of Ad Hoc Members – You don’t always have to formally make any subject matter experts part of your Value Analysis Team just because they are subject matter experts. Like traditional Value Analysis, you will have your group of go-to experts and stakeholders that don’t mind answering your questions and working with you on projects but don’t need to formally be on your team. Just identify those great ad hoc players and keep them on your go-to roster when need be.
5. Plan What New Things You Will Be Doing with Your New Clinically Integrated Team – Build your roadmap for the next one, two, or even three years to clarify what your new or enhanced clinical integration program is working toward. You won’t achieve every goal overnight, which is why outlining your future steps in advance is essential — you can adjust your plan as needed while keeping everyone aligned. Remember, a team without an action plan is a plan for no action!
6. Adding New VA Team Members Without Training Is a Mistake – If you bring three new members onto your clinically integrated team, you can’t expect them to simply join the meetings and figure things out on their own. That approach sets everyone up for confusion. All team members need a shared understanding of how the team operates in order to work effectively and succeed. As the team leader, it’s your responsibility to develop a training program for new members — and consider offering it to existing members as well when you launch it.
There are many more best practices that could be added to the mix, but the most important thing for your success is that you strategically plan out your clinical integration program and all the elements that will make it truly innovative, fun, and successful for the short and long term for all involved. People power teams – but there are ways to make your teams run quicker, better, and more efficiently that you should employ any time you upgrade or implement new modalities like clinical integration. Take a 360 degree view of your clinical integration plan and it will be difficult to fail!
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