July 31, 2017
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Happy New Year!!!
July marks the start of a new Fiscal Year, and I want to first take a moment to recognize the dedication and hard work of our team members, physicians, leaders and volunteers for an exceptional Fiscal Year 2017 – truly a year of progress, improving performance and building momentum. With so many remarkable achievements to acknowledge, I want to devote this Monthly Update to sharing the highlights of the first full year of our new strategic plan – a journey from good to great. So forgive the length...we have a lot to share, recognize and celebrate!
In March of 2016, we began our new strategic plan guided by our Vision & Strategic Aim to: Lead the way in becoming the region’s only fully integrated, patient-centered system of care that gets health care right for our community – better care, better health and better value...and the health system where our people and physicians most want to work and practice, and our community increasingly chooses to receive health care.
As you know, our work has been focused on three major areas:
1. Building the foundation of a unified, high performing TriHealth Culture through the TriHealth Way of Leading, Serving and Delivering Care
2. Relentlessly working to improve our performance in all five Pillars (People/Culture, Service, Quality/Safety, Growth, Finance)
3. Advancing the work of our Strategic Plan aimed at preparing TriHealth to lead the way in a population health and value-based care environment
Culture – The TriHealth Way of Leading, Serving, and Delivering Care
In FY17, we introduced and began to “hardwire” dozens of TriHealth Way of Leading evidenced-based practices aimed at making TriHealth a great place to work, to practice and to receive care. These practices included leader rounding, stop light reports, improved communication methods, the Innovation Center and Bright Ideas Program. What’s most encouraging about this work is that you – our team members – believe it’s making a real and positive difference! Team members gave our leaders high marks on last year’s Leadership Effectiveness Assessment (4.46 out of 5, or an “A grade” overall) – and commented that their leaders’ efforts are resulting in better teamwork, better morale and better care!
Last year, we also introduced the TriHealth Signature Patient Experience, starting with the implementation of the Patient Call Center, as well as the roll out of Nurse Leader Rounding, Always Behaviors and Lasting Impressions (AIDET +the Promise). This work is already contributing to sustained improvements in patient satisfaction – and regular comments from patients that “things are different and better at TriHealth!”
Operational Excellence – Pillar Performance
Across all five Pillars, we’ve made dramatic improvements that tell us we are doing the right things, and on our way to building a high-performing system. Our 2017 Team Member Engagement Survey achieved a record 82% participation rate – far above the national average. And our overall score jumped from the 26th percentile in 2016 to the 74th percentile in 2017 – which means our team members are more engaged and more committed to the organization’s vision than 74% of health systems across the country!!! Much more important than the numbers, however, is that these results tell us our team – 12,000+ strong – is increasingly energized by, and dedicated to, our Mission, Vision and Values, and ultimately, the work of making TriHealth a great system for all those we serve!
Our Patient Experience Survey (HCAHPS) participation rates doubled over the past year, and for the first time in TriHealth’s history, we achieved top quartile performance and sustained improvement – sending a strong signal that our efforts to create an exceptional patient experience are paying off!
In FY17, we also experienced healthy growth in volumes and revenue across virtually all inpatient, ambulatory, primary care and surgical settings. And we delivered strong and improving fiscal performance – achieving the highest year-end system financial results in four years, while securing an A+ credit rating, one of the strongest in Cincinnati – all in the face of growing industry financial challenges locally and nationally.
Strategic Plan – Leading the Way in a Population Health and Value-Based Care Environment
We also worked hard in FY17 to advance the strategic initiatives that will position TriHealth as the region’s only fully integrated, patient-centered system of care that gets health care right for our community, and is best able to deliver on the new realities of health care: greater accountability for cost, quality, safety, and ultimately, improved health of the community. We recruited a record-breaking 82 new physicians and appointed 18 new System Department Chiefs – furthering our work to create an aligned and engaged TriHealth physician community. We made bold, consumer-focused investments in our key Clinical Service Lines, including the establishment of the TriHealth Neurosciences Institute in partnership with Mayfield Clinic, and the announcement of our plans to build an 80,000+ square foot Comprehensive Cancer Care Center on the Bethesda North Campus.
To continue to bring world-class care close to home, we invested in the growth of our regional ambulatory care network, including planned development of an Ambulatory Campus in Liberty Township, scheduled to be completed in 2019, and the construction of our new Ambulatory Surgery Center in Anderson, which will open this fall. Finally, we transitioned 180,000 patients to population health payment programs – supporting our mission to improve health, while improving care and reducing costs.
We’ve come a long way in one short year – and behind every “metric” or “statistical” improvement is a patient who has had a better experience or clinical outcome, or a team member who feels more valued and personally connected to our mission! I want to thank you for all you’ve done to make these successes a reality in FY 2017 – all of which have set the solid foundation for a very promising and exciting future! It is a great privilege to lead and serve you – the most committed team and finest organization I have been a part of in my career.
I look forward to building on our growing momentum in the year ahead. Look for a review of our major 2018 System goals and initiatives in my August Update – equally exciting and rewarding work on the horizon!
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