On this final episode of a three-part series, Tomas finishes his discussion with two experts on high-reliability organizations who examine the crucial role of learning areas in the success of top performers. High-performing organizations take care of not only their patients but their staff and indeed enable staff to be at their best.

Host: Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM Senior Principal, Performance Improvement Consulting Vizient

Guests: Suzanne Miller, MSN, RN Senior Consulting Director, Reliability and Management Systems Vizient

Katerie Chapman, MHA Senior Principal, Safe and Reliable Healthcare Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:54] Need for change-ready units in the organization

[01:32] Overcome the perception “this is one more thing”

[03:17] Example: skeptical ICU nurse – “This is going to fail”

[04:56] Taking a phased approach

[05:37] Measuring success of learning areas: the benchmarks to use

06:22] Excited staff members

Links | Resources:

To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com

Vizient Safe and Reliable Healthcare site: Click here

Suzanne’s email: suzanne.miller@vizientinc.com

Katerie’s email: katerie.chapman@vizientinc.com

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On this episode, Tomas continues his discussion with two expert guests about learning areas and how they are proving effective and essential in developing high-reliability organizations.

Host: Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM Senior Principal, Performance Improvement Consulting Vizient

Guests: Suzanne Miller, MSN, RN Senior Consulting Director, Reliability and Management Systems Vizient

Katerie Chapman, MHA Senior Principal, Safe and Reliable Healthcare Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:41] Who engages in learning areas?

[03:17] A flood of kudos in the ED – an example of lifting morale

[05:10] Team participation in barcode scanning – an example of improving compliance

[07:02] A resource for senior leaders

[07:55] A safety concern that, once identified, was quickly corrected

[08:44] Real-time nature of rounding and issue resolution

Links | Resources:

To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com

Vizient Safe and Reliable Healthcare site: Click here

Suzanne’s email: suzanne.miller@vizientinc.com

Katerie’s email: katerie.chapman@vizientinc.com

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Learning areas have become an effective aspect of high-reliability organizations in healthcare. Employing floor or departmental huddles as the focal point for these learning areas, the experience of the huddles has been augmented and reinforced by bulletin boards and whiteboards. Even more effective is the newest wrinkle in the experience – LENS (Learning & Engagement System) boards, which are dynamic, digitally-based visual boards that can transmit messaging on a 24/7 basis in a designated learning area. On the next three episodes, Tomas discusses learning areas with two expert guests, who will share the rationale behind them and how to make them work for you.

Host: Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM Senior Principal, Performance Improvement Consulting Vizient

Guests: Suzanne Miller, MSN, RN Senior Consulting Director, Reliability and Management Systems Vizient

Katerie Chapman, MHA Senior Principal, Safe and Reliable Healthcare Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:58] Developing and sustaining learning areas

[03:02] Elements employed in a learning area

[05:00] The cornerstone of high reliability

[06:07] The visual management role

[07:37] Advantages of the LENS board

[09:07] Selecting a unit to be a learning area

Links | Resources:

To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com

Vizient Safe and Reliable Healthcare site: Click here

Suzanne’s email: suzanne.miller@vizientinc.com

Katerie’s email: katerie.chapman@vizientinc.com

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The healthcare workforce is in a state of crisis: shortages of healthcare workers, rampant burnout, schedules in flux and outbreaks of violence in the workplace. On this episode, Tomas continues his discussion with a leading expert on the healthcare workforce on steps organizations can take to alleviate this crisis.

Host: Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM Senior Principal, Clinical Operations and Quality Vizient

Guests: Eric Burch, MBA, RN, FACHE Executive Principal, Operations and Workforce Services Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:32] Need for collecting and leveraging data

[02:12] Reflecting the community in recruiting and retention

[03:28] Addressing regulatory issues

[06:10] Unions

[07:06] Taking the pulse

[07:35] Expanding the pipeline

[09:23] Fostering wellness and resilience

[10:52] Short- and long-term strategies

Links | Resources:

To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com

Eric’s email: eric.burch@vizientinc.com

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Before the Covid outbreak, the healthcare workforce was already in a state of crisis. Covid made it much worse. On this new series of our award-winning podcast, we examine the varied causes behind workforce challenges and shortages of nurses, physicians and other related disciplines. We’ll also explore steps we can take to alleviate this crisis. Joining is us a leading workforce expert to provide an overview.

Host: Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM Senior Principal, Clinical Operations and Quality Vizient

Guests: Eric Burch, MBA, RN, FACHE Executive Principal, Operations and Workforce Services Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:21] The workforce issue and the pandemic

[02:04] Drivers of the crisis

[04:19] Changing the traditional model

[05:48] Potential technology role in alleviating the crisis

[08:47] Recruitment and retention approaches

[11:22] Leadership and retention

Links | Resources:

To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com

Eric’s email: eric.burch@vizientinc.com

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On this episode, Dr. Tomas Villanueva and a leading clinical documentation expert finish their discussion on the need to correctly document everything involving spial surgery. Spinal surgery represents a complex challenge for documentation specialists and clinicians alike, and this episode will clear up what is needed to be successful in coding and documenting these procedures.

Host: Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM Senior Principal, Clinical Operations and Quality Vizient

Guest: Rachel Mack, MSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, CRC Consulting Director, Clinical Documentation Improvement Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:31] Query opportunities and low-hanging fruit

[01:53] Blood loss and the whole clinical picture in querying

[02:50] Using that “magic word” can make a difference – coding to an MCC

[03:43] Other query opportunities

[10:36] When the documentation is wrong

[12:44] Reconciliation and feedback needed

Links | Resources:

To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com

Rachel Mack’s email: rachel.mack@vizientinc.com

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On this episode, Dr. Tomas Villanueva continues his discussion with a leading clinical documentation expert on the need to correctly document everything involving spial surgery. Spinal surgery represents a complex challenge for documentation specialists and clinicians alike.

Host:

Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM

Senior Principal, Clinical Operations and Quality

Vizient

Guest:

Rachel Mack, MSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, CRC

Consulting Director, Clinical Documentation Improvement

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:41] Rise in spinal surgeries

[01:23] Coding challenges and parameters

[01:53] Predicaments for coding and CDI specialists

[07:22] Common DRGs for spinal surgeries – the need to use the “magic words”

Links | Resources:

To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com

Rachel Mack’s email: rachel.mack@vizientinc.com

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Spinal surgery represents a complex challenge for clinical documentation. Difficult to code and representing query situations that can be demanding, this is the area of focus for this episode of Modern Practice. Joining Dr. Tomas Villanueva is a leading expert returning to the podcast to talk about the challenges of spinal surgery documentation.

Host: Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM Senior Principal, Clinical Operations and Quality Vizient

Guest: Rachel Mack, MSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, CRC Consulting Director, Clinical Documentation Improvement Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:26] Around 1.62 million procedures per year

[02:22] Procedures on the increase (2.4 times the level of 15 years ago)

[03:54] The most common spinal diagnoses

[05:15] Often not caught by primary care

[06:20 Less common reasons for spinal surgery

[07:09] Reasons for planned surgeries—often a last resort

[08:45] Risks for avoiding surgery

Links | Resources:

To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com

Rachel Mack’s email: rachel.mack@vizientinc.com

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