Everyone takes a different approach when making decisions in their role as a practice leader. Their approach is shaped by that person’s experiences, values, and goals. As such, it is unlikely that two people will ever see eye-to-eye when making major decisions 100% of the time- requiring some type of discourse to decide on the best course of action. In working with pediatric practices across the country, one thing that PMI consultants frequently noticed is that practices sometimes have a very hard time making decisions on major issues. Whether the decision is related to expanding the practice, taking on a new provider, or changing EMRs, it can be very difficult to navigate because every stakeholder approaches the decision from a different perspective. To help with such situations, PMI consultants recommend that stakeholders think about such decisions by breaking them down into small chunks to guide the discussion:
First, think about your patients. Will they feel the effects of this change? Could it result in a lackluster patient experience? How does it contribute to the goal of providing the best possible medical home for children?
Second, consider the practice as a whole. How will the decision impact the practice in the upcoming days, weeks, months, and years?
Third, look at the employees. Will this change make things more difficult for them? How do decisions affect their daily work and your expectations of them?
These make up the big three – Practice, Patients, and Employees... Call it the PPE of decision-making!
The LAST thing to consider is how this decision will impact each owner or provider’s personal finances or objectives. Many leaders jump to this aspect of the decision first, but for a practice to be successful long-term, owners, and providers must set aside their personal interests and make decisions based on what is best for the patients, practice, and employees first.
The process of making major decisions can be challenging, but breaking down major decisions to evaluate the impact on patients, the practice, and employees will help you stay focused on what is important to ensure the long-term success of your practice.
Do you need help with process improvement in your practice? Check out this online course from PMI to help you get started.
The Process Improvement In Your Practice course delves into the most popular methods for improving your practice workflows and assesses the best methods for implementing change. The course takes a look at continuous improvement in the context of process design and work design while educating you on the core principles from MIT's Dynamic Work Design. The course brings it all together by examining the best tools to use for determining root causes and implementing change, such as the '5 Whys', the 'How How Diagram', and the 'A3 Method of Problem Solving'.