CMO Notes

Matthew Miller, MD
Chief Medical Officer, WCHN

2016 Strategic Objectives:
What do they mean for the Network?
What do they mean for you?

Network Senior Leadership has developed five strategic imperatives based on what our Board of Directors expects from us. Each imperative carries measurable and specific goals and objectives. The Board will hold us accountable for these results.

So what are they and what do they mean for the Network and for you?

• Quality and Service:
  The Network – We must achieve significant reduction in serious safety events, certain surgical infection rates and hospital acquired C-diff. We must also improve our patient satisfaction scores in the ED, in our hospitals and within WCMG.
  The Medical Staff – When it comes to safety, “being careful out there” is only the beginning. We must follow agreed upon policies, protocols and checklists---every time. As for satisfaction, all of us play a role in patient satisfaction wherever we practice, but we recognize that patient satisfaction is directly related to the satisfaction and engagement of our Medical and Support Staff.


• Physician Partnership:
  The Network – We must expand our primary care base, deploy multiple technologies to improve electronic access for our Medical Staff and reduce the outmigration of patient care services through better support of our Medical Staff.
  The Medical Staff – Our first priority continues to be the deployment of effective IT systems to support the Medical Staff. As for outmigration, we know that patients and doctors have choices, but if we provide the needed service for your patients in our Network, at equal or superior quality and access, we can be their first choice. We need your help to keep our patients’ care local. If there are barriers to that, we need to know what they are, so please tell us.


• People and Culture:
  The Network – We must improve the engagement and satisfaction of our employees and our Medical Staff as measured by survey scores and communications tools such as DOC-Line and the Medical Staff Advisory Councils.
  The Medical Staff – Support our staff, certainly, but please keep telling us how we can support you better as well. Bring it up at department meetings, medical staff meetings, with your chairs, at our Medical Staff Councils or with a simple phone call or email.


• Population Health:
  The Network – We must reduce costs of care for our employees, increase the number of covered lives within our PHO contracts and reduce unnecessary referrals to skilled nursing facilities.
  The Medical Staff – It’s complicated, but your broad and committed membership in our PHO is the first key to better understanding how we can achieve better value in the care we deliver; improved quality, higher satisfaction and lower cost.


• Financial Strength:
  The Network – We must maintain an “A” rating with bond agencies through improved financial management, increased market share and philanthropic support.
  The Medical Staff – Our Network’s financial strength requires a high quality Medical Staff; one that works to keep care local, that maintains high quality, access and service, and that understands the new demands of value based care. Simple, right? As for philanthropic support, any opportunities to identify or refer grateful patients would be invaluable.

The numbers, explanations and details behind all these goals, can and will be reviewed further in staff meetings and Medical Staff Advisory Councils. If you want more detail now, email me.

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