Question

Anywhere Hospital’s CFO for the past 20 years, Jim Smith, just retired. He worked for the hospital for 40 years and was greatly respected by his staff. The hospital governing board has hired a new CFO, Todd White.

Jim Smith utilized the silo approach to revenue cycle management during his tenure. He relied on his key management personnel to contact upper management of other departments in the hospital to discuss issues and to resolve problems and vice versa.

Todd White, however, had implemented an integrated revenue cycle team at his former hospital three years ago and strongly believed in the power of teamwork. His previous team had gained numerous efficiencies and improved accounts receivable by millions. So when Todd started at Anywhere Hospital he planned on implementing a similar revenue cycle team.

As with any change, Todd was met with much resistance. But after speaking with many of his managers in patient accounts and finance he realized that the employees did not know how to effectively work in teams. And why should they—the previous CFO had not asked them to do so in several years.

1.      What are some creative ways that Todd can help Anywhere Hospital understand the importance of an integrated revenue cycle team?  

2.   How can a manager improve teamwork amongst his or her employees?

3. Does Todd need assistance from a Changer Management Leader? Please explain your answer.

Answer 1

1.  Few creative ways that Todd can use to help the hospital understand the importance of an integrated revenue cycle team would be:

• Trend and benchmark your healthcare data
• Bring a former teammate to explain the benefits they got throught that strategy
• Use DOS to mine your healthcare data
• Constantly ask frontline staff for suggestions
• Show finance details from different departments and compare it with the details from the same departments before Todd was hired
• Offer three months trial to know what team work feels like and the benefits it  can bring to the hospital
• Integrate every single employee to the team and give them a responsibility

2. Ways to improve workplace teamwork

• Communicate , everyday , every way
• Exercise together
• Establish team rules
• Clarify purpose
• Recognize and reward
• Take a break

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3. Yes, Todd need assistance from a change management leader because the employees have not recently followed this way of thinking and it may take time to get them used to working effectively again.