BACK TALK
Six steps for subject matter expert assembly
Just don’t keep busy physician, clinician partners waiting by Dee Donatelli, R.N., BSN, MBA
ings is the ability to get the right subject matter experts (SMEs) together to make a quick decision. How many times have you had to cancel and reschedule meetings to accommodate getting the right people in a room? Or have a group come together only to realize you need additional SMEs included because the standing committee or group does not feel they have the expertise to make a deci- sion? This task becomes increasingly more diffi cult when we are working to convene a group of already very busy physicians. The majority of us are still using a tradi- tional standing group of clinicians to drive value analysis teams. Some organizations have several value analysis teams that are category-specifi c, such as OR, Cath Lab/ Radiology, Laboratory, Med/Surg, etc. Leading practice would advocate for an executive oversight committee that helps to drive changes, hold value analysis teams accountable to goals or act in the role of confl ict resolution should teams be unable to make a decision.
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I would suggest that our traditional ap- proaches to meetings and making decisions may need to adapt to our new age of 24/7 connectivity and rapid decision making. We need to connect more effi ciently with subject matter experts to drive decision making faster; specifi cally when the deci- sions or changes could make a signifi cant fi nancial or clinical impact.
One reason we conduct a meeting is to
discuss a topic with experts that may in- volve a change or a choice. Usually, the fi rst meeting is a meet-and-greet and a setting of objectives, followed by a discussion on what information we need and then when to meet next to begin the process. Have you ever looked around at a group gathered in a meeting room and wondered what are we all doing here, how much “wasted”
uring my years of consulting I have observed that one signifi cant obstacle to driving effective meet-
time are we spending, and ultimately how much does it cost by bringing all of us to- gether? Sometimes you wonder, why am I even here?
Meeting fundamentals To host and manage an effective meeting I would like to suggest the following six-step battle plan. 1. Select the right group of experts. Keep the number small.
2. Provide all the necessary information electronically prior to the meeting.
3. Set the expectation that the experts re- view the information prior to the meet- ing.
4. Ask the experts to request any clarifi ca- tions prior to the meeting.
5. Establish meeting expectations that the participants will make a decision in one session.
6. Thank and disband the experts! Let’s think about how this approach might impact the way we run our value analysis programs. Rather than have a standing committee representing a variety of experts or even standing category-spe- cifi c teams, pursue a rapid-fi re approach. Select SMEs based specifi cally on the task at hand. Ask these SMEs to follow the six-step process. Meet to make a decision. Now I assume some of you may be thinking, “this would NEVER work in our culture!” Perhaps it is too radical a format from your current process. But try easing in to the change. Begin providing information and evidence to your value analysis teams prior to the meeting. Begin to expect they actually study the materials prior to arrival. Encourage team members to reach out to you and ask clarifying questions prior to the meeting. This will assist in the creation of complete business case reviews and make sure you are including the clinical infor- mation or additional business-based data that you may have forgotten, but is very important to the experts. Slowly eliminate
64 September 2015 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
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detailed review of the materials during the meeting. Instead, highlight the information necessary for the team to make a decision. Providing necessary information and evidence in a standardized workbook ap- proach will simplify review and prepara- tion. Consider these tabs in your workbook: 1. Overview and introduction — a charter. What are you asking the experts to do?
2. Financial data and business analysis. 3. Clinical evidence, outcomes, technology information and details.
4. Recommendation considerations and proposed next steps for approval. By sending a workbook out electroni-
cally, well in advance of the meeting, you will allow the experts time to review the information at their leisure. Encouraging them to ask for clarifi cation will save time when the experts actually meet. Sharing questions and your answers to the entire group of experts will expedite a thorough review of the data. Fundamentally, rather than meeting to meet — meet to make a decision. I believe you will drive change faster and more ef- fectively, and your experts will be more motivated and satisfi ed with the process and results. HPN
Dee Donatelli has more than 30 years of experi- ence in the healthcare industry, with expertise in the areas of supply chain cost reduction and value analysis. Donatelli currently leads the supply chain consulting practice at Navigant Inc. Prior to joining Navigant, Donatelli was the Senior Vice President of Provider Services at Hayes Inc., and Vice President of Performance Services at VHA. Donatelli is immediate past president of the Association of Healthcare Value Analysis Professionals (AHVAP) and an active member and Fellow of the Association for Healthcare Resource and Materials Management (AHRMM). She is a member of Healthcare Purchasing News’ Editorial Advisory Board. She can be reached at
dee.donatelli@
navigant.com.
BACK TALK
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