Sharing performance metrics

[NomadicMedic]

What’s the best way to share EMS system data with your field providers? A poster showing graphs of performance metrics? A monthly briefing with a few ppt slides? A monthly email? All of the above? What works to keep your team informed, engaged and goal focused?

 

[VentMonkey]

What works to keep your team informed, engaged and goal focused?

That’s a great question that swings an extremely wide pendulum, at least where I am. We have providers who are completely engaged, providers who are resistant to change, providers who are “one foot out”, providers who swear it’s part of some sort of administrative “agenda”, and a mixture of any or everything in between.

To be the taskmaster in charge of steering the masses in the right direction for the greater good is by no means impossible, nor is it easy. I think the first step is often convincing your team that you are truly there for the greater good, meaning not just your own personal agenda. Or that you’re driven by some company, or service-oriented goal or number.

What about going after points of contact for systems you’d (we’d) strive to emulate with standards proven across the board at their respective services?

Surely their QA/QI/ clinical folks have to be reachable, and willing to share some of the trial and error that got them from where they were to where they are.

We’ve all built our foundations, however these services have established, and effectively implemented the changes necessary to ensure a complete team approach. They’re undoubtedly out there. Good luck, man.

P.S.- I know you’ll do well.

 

[MonkeyArrow]

I think the biggest issue is getting providers to understand why you are showing them the metrics and what that means for the patients first and foremost. I'll echo what Vent said in saying that people often think you are trying to push your/some agenda in showing metrics and trying to get numbers up to make the suits happy. If you are a suit, and will not be working in the field in your new endeavor, I don't think that does you any favors (on multiple fronts).

I also wouldn't say this is a EMS issue. I see it all the time in the hospital. We get monthly Press-Gainey graphs posted in our break rooms. If there is something "important", we get an email telling us to fix it, often to the chagrin of staff. We never get emails about anything good or the numbers being satisfactory. Only get emails to get "yelled at", which I would suggest maybe making this a monthly thing where you highlight both the good and bad parts.

 

[NomadicMedic]

First, I’m going to be a white shirt, but I plan to work on the truck as often as I can. I’ve always thought that it shows you’re still one of the field guys. It also helps if you’re a little slower than the field guys so they can say, “the boss was on the truck today, and I had to show him X and Y” Letting the team show off and teach YOU is a great motivator.

And I agree that you need to celebrate the positives and not just focus on the negatives. I’m going to look for ways to do that, without making it feel like I’m just driving the company line. Of course, there will be several who won’t play, but I’ll win those guys over individually. I think the first step is to get all the FTOs on board. Thts the first mission for me.

 

[NPO]

What’s the best way to share EMS system data with your field providers? A poster showing graphs of performance metrics? A monthly briefing with a few ppt slides? A monthly email? All of the above? What works to keep your team informed, engaged and goal focused?

Every 2 weeks we get a memo along with our paycheck. It's 2-3 pages and it's just small updates from each dept, like updates on fleet modifications (cold weather, new truck, etc), changes in policy or protocols, EMS news, etc...

Monthly the board for directors meets and the entire meeting minutes and notes are posted online. This includes more long term things like new purchases, changes in company policies, detailed monthly income and expenses reports, transport rates, call volumes, response times, etc...

Annually we have a sort of "State of the Union" where they discuss where they wanted to be a year ago, where we actually are, and where we want to be a year from now. This is attended by all management and a "council" of 4 elected field employees. We are nonunion but have this council to work closely with management on employee issues.

Most of that stuff is more dept and management oriented. We have a lack up "follow up" on most calls. It's hard for me to find the outcome on most patients without asking around in the ER.

The only exception is cardiac arrest. Every week the clinical administrative staff does a review of the weeks cardiac arrests. They analyze everything from 911 tapes, to unit routing, to the paramedics report and monitor data. If there was a positive outcome they follow up with the hospital.

 

[RocketMedic]

Improve both the quantity and quality of follow up outside of arrests and sentinel events and make QI calls generally positive, not negative.

Also, promote a standardized narrative format that works best for billing and for you. Be transparent with it and help the salty folks adjust, and take what you can out of the useless clicking.