Trauma programs depend on C-suite support for organizational and financial resources. That is why it is so important to understand the goals and priorities of hospital and health system executives.
Three health system executives addressed this issue during a panel discussion at the 2016 Annual Conference of the Trauma Center Association of America (TCAA). The executives provided an insider’s view of their current challenges, and they offered unique insights on how to strengthen a trauma program by aligning program goals with leadership priorities.
New healthcare landscape
Dan Gross, executive vice president for Sharp HealthCare in San Diego, spoke about the high-level issues that hospital executives face in the current healthcare environment.
“It is important that trauma leaders understand the high-level challenges, because these issues will have a trickle-down impact on trauma program funding, resources and ultimately care delivery,” Gross said during a separate interview. “My goal is to give trauma program leaders the tools to understand leadership priorities and decision-making. That will help them understand how they can better support their organization.”
According to Gross, the big issues facing the C-suite today include growing hospital competition, payer consolidation, the rise of patient consumerism, the development of new delivery models, increasing healthcare regulation and, of course, payment reform.
“We have seen big changes in reimbursement, for both hospitals and physicians,” Gross said. “I call these the carrots and sticks.” He noted the increasing efforts to tie payment to quality performance.
“One important takeaway is that all providers need to focus on driving down the cost of care, improving the quality of care and increasing patient satisfaction,” Gross said. “In the trauma world, these goals are important to making your program economically viable.”
Building strong ties
The session also featured Eileen Whalen, president and chief operating officer at University of Vermont Medical Center. She described her system’s efforts to implement the principles of Patient- and Family-Centered Care. Whalen also spoke about developments in population health payment models and talked about the opportunities these models create for trauma centers.
Quinn McKenna, chief operating officer at University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics, spoke about why it is important for trauma program leaders to maintain a positive working relationship with hospital executives.
“It is important for the trauma program and the executive team to have strong relations,” McKenna said in an interview. He encourages frequent meetings between trauma leaders and their program’s executive sponsor. “It’s not rocket science, but if you don’t set up these channels of communication, you will have disconnects between your trauma program and hospital leadership.”
One key to strong communication is “speaking the language” of organizational leadership. “Trauma programs are most successful when their initiatives are aligned with the mission of the broader organization,” McKenna said. “When you achieve that kind of alignment, all of the sudden resources begin to flow into your program.”