AHA: Begin practice management changes now

Hospitals and health systems in the U.S. are facing an unparalleled force to change, according to the inaugural report of the American Hospital Association (AHA) Committee on Performance Improvement (CPI), which offered recommendations for practice management strategies for the healthcare environment of tomorrow.

The report, titled “Hospitals and Care Systems of the Future,” sought to synthesize best practice strategies for the next decade and potential transition paths to reach the desired future models of care delivery.

CPI, created in 2010 to provide guidance to AHA in supporting performance improvement across its membership, conducted interviews with healthcare system and hospital leaders to outline actionable strategies and core competencies for hospitals to pursue.

The report identified four major priorities for “must-do” strategies:
  • Aligning hospitals, physicians and other providers across the continuum of care;
  • Utilizing evidence-based practices to improve quality and patient safety;
  • Improving efficiency through productivity and financial management; and
  • Developing integrated information systems.
 
“Organizational culture is an essential foundation to the success of the strategy execution,” the report stated. “A culture of performance improvement, accountability and high-performance focus is critical to enhancing the organization’s ability to implement strategies successfully. The right culture will enable the transformation to the hospital and care system of the future.”

The report also said that organizations beginning to implement strategies will seek to achieve competency in the following areas:
    • Design and implementation of patient-centered, integrated care;
    • Creation of accountable governance and leadership;
    • Strategic planning in an unstable environment;
    • Internal and external collaboration;
    • Financial stewardship and enterprise risk management;
    • Engagement of full employee potential; and
    • Collection and utilization of electronic data for performance improvement.

      “The AHA Committee on Performance Improvement will be continuing a dialogue with the field about this report and subsequent efforts as the committee continues focusing on strategies to improve performance today in order to succeed tomorrow,” the report concluded.

      To read the report in its entirety, click here.

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