Becker's Hospital Review

11 Question: What are some of the unique traits of your hospital as a workplace? Teri Fontenot: Woman's has a very collaborative culture where employees are actively engaged in key decisions, implementa- tion of initiatives and process changes. Teams participate in per- formance and quality improvement, wellness planning, policy development and accreditation/certification preparation. In 2014, employee-led teams identified over $16 million in productivity and efficiency savings. Woman's strives to include employees in de- cision-making in areas that affect them so they understand how their job contributes to the organizational vision. Our employees believe in and are committed to our mission and values, and they are proud of what we do. This is demonstrated every day in their interactions with patients, visitors and each other. We call this the "Woman's Touch." Additionally, we are transparent in our communications. Employ- ees receive a weekly "On The Same Page" email updating them on events and initiatives taking place that week. A monthly em- ployee newsletter, "Small Talk," contains information about larg- er-scale initiatives at the organizational and department level. A monthly "Leadership Lagniappe" email is written by a member of the executive team and covers topics of interest in the leader's division. Employees can post anonymous questions to the "Ask Anything" forum available on our intranet; the questions are then answered by the responsible leader and available for all employ- ees to see. This helps contain rumors and provides a timely and direct means of communication. Open forums are held at least twice each year, both in conference rooms and in various work locations for employee convenience. Annual work plans, financial and operational performance are shared, and input is sought. Our turnover rate is less than 10 percent and our employee engage- ment score is 95 percent positive. Dr. Nancy Vish: At Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital, we have a team approach where participation, accountability and transpar- ency are highly valued. As a Magnet-accredited organization, we have a strong shared governance structure. Our No. 1 resource is our people. Peer interviewing with clear ex- pectations of the culture are key. The interview is a "speed date" for a partnership. We set the bar for expectations of our culture and then conduct peer interviews emphasizing our standards and expectations. Matching the expectations is critical for success. We have certain expectations for an academic background, but that's the minimum. We look for character. You cannot drive to- ward zero defects without possessing twin characteristics of be- ing detail oriented and having a desire for excellence. And equally important, Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital hires people who want to be a part of what healthcare is all about — caring for people emotionally and physically, with compassion. Once you have hired the right people, it is amazing what they con- tribute to the environment. Keeping people engaged and active in their work environment is important. We want our staff's input and seek their opinions every 12 weeks through our Q12 survey. An important question is "What's Stupid Around Here?" If an issue or proposed idea develops from the Q12 survey, we create an action plan and follow-up. Employees received follow-up status on these plans through all employee meetings and unit meetings. Harvest input. Listen. Act. Improve! The right people, focused on a common goal, can achieve almost anything. People drive outcomes of quality, service, satisfaction and, ultimately, impact finance. Farron Sneed: As a workplace and a system, when employees want to transfer to different facilities, we support and encourage them — especially with promotions and professional growth op- portunities. Our facilities share expertise and provide staff training opportunities to increase skill sets and knowledge. For example, critical care training may be better served at our busiest ICU. There- fore, staff may periodically work there to develop these skills. We prefer to retain our staff within our system regardless of their rea- son for transfer rather than have them leave the system altogether. We also provide training for midlevel management and super- visors in Foundations of Management 101 and Foundations of Leadership training. This allows supervisors, managers and even our C-suite to gain additional training and perspective on high- performing leaders. These opportunities not only add personal value by providing higher levels of management knowledge, but help participants perform better in their jobs. Q: As a leader, what are some of your most valuable produc- tivity tips or habits? T.F.: Because most of my day involves meetings, I try to ensure those meetings are as productive as possible. We distribute an agenda in advance of standing meetings, and include information for discussion. We attempt to start and end on time so attendees can manage their schedules as well. I also try to reserve at least one hour to organize my thinking and plan each day. The pro- tected time is before or after the normal business day, and it really helps me feel more in control when I've thought through the most important tasks and have a plan. Everyone's personal productivity is better at certain times of the day — it's important to know that time and make the most of it. N.V.: Having the right people, with a clear vision and set of ex- pectations, leading the team and the committees creates a pro- ductive environment. Frequent meetings are part of healthcare but I strive to make those occasions more valuable by bring- ing together a multidisciplinary team focus. Not only does this "I try to reserve at least one hour to organize my thinking and plan each day. The protected time is before or after the normal business day, and it really helps me feel more in control when I've thought through the most important tasks and have a plan." — Teri Fontenot, President and CEO of Woman's Hospital

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