My guess is that your healthcare organization has had more virtual value analysis meetings in the last 12 months than ever before due to the pandemic. However, most Value Analysis Team Leaders don’t know the strategies, tactics, and techniques for executing masterful virtual value analysis meetings. As a result, most virtual value analysis meetings:
- Don’t start on time because people have difficulty with the technology. The best way to resolve this problem is to use the same technology that everyone is using for their meetings. So, if the majority of your organization is using Zoom as the meeting platform but you choose to use Microsoft Teams, then this could cause issues and problems with your team members. Always choose what is used most often at your organization and that is the most reliable. You may give up a few integration issues that you like with Microsoft Teams, or vice versa with Zoom or any other meeting platform. The key is to go with what works best and is most reliable.
- Don’t have a defined VA team meeting protocol to guide your VA meeting tasks, activities, and reports. So much time can be wasted if your VA Team Leader is “winging it” vs. following an agreed upon protocol for your VA team meetings. Having a set meeting routine is one secret to having a successful team meeting.
- Don’t keep people engaged due to escalated multi-tasking. To avoid non-productive behaviors, we suggest having your VA team develop a written social contract that includes the dos and don’ts for your VA meetings. For example, no multi-tasking, putting all phones on silent, meetings beginning and ending on time, a team member who is absent must submit a written report of their activities, no side bar conversations, etc. This one tactic will generally eliminate unwanted behaviors you don’t want to be exhibited at your VA team meetings.
- Don’t address conflict because the VA Team Leader doesn’t see the body language that communicates silent disagreement. We suggest that your VA Team’s Facilitator be vigilant of team conflicts and then address them with your VA Team Leader before they become more serious.
- Don’t deal with dysfunction because the VA Team Leader is distracted with the technology. Again, we suggest that your VA Team’s Facilitator be observant of any dysfunction attributed to your VA Team’s dynamics. This way, your VA Team Leader and Facilitator can act on this dysfunction before it becomes an unwanted distraction.
We here at SVAH are champions of virtual value analysis meetings, since we believe that they can be even more efficient, effective, time-saving, and productive than traditional value analysis meetings. But this will only be possible if VA Team Leaders master this technology that is now available to use anywhere, anytime, and any place to conduct virtual value analysis meetings.
Source: The Virtual Meetings Book by Richard Wilinson and Richard Smith
P.S. If you are looking for software to manage all of the tasks, activities, and records of your virtual value analysis meetings, please check out our Clinitrack™ Value Analysis Software System. I promise you it will make your value analysis program even more effective!
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