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In This Issue:
The ICARE standardUHC Rates BWH Ahead of the Game
Energized by manager effectiveness scores from the 1999 Staff Survey, the hospital set its sites on refining the concept of leadership at BWH. Working hard to improve on Survey results, action teams assembled to address perceptions about management and leadership. The result, nearly two-thirds of BWH employees rated the organization as well managed in the 2001 Staff Survey. Now, working to increase that level of confidence even more, members of a new action team dedicated to leadership issues has formulated a new standard for leaders at BWH.
The team revisited and refined a BWH Leadership Standard, intended to provide a common set of objectives for hospital leaders, further defining the role for clinical leaders and executive sponsors. Once implemented, the Standard will serve as the foundation for hiring, goal setting and performance measurement and provide guidance for training and learning programs.
“We recognize that leadership is fundamentally tied to our ability to meet the expectations of the new BW/F Vision Statement, the BWH Strategic Plan and the Service Excellence initiatives currently underway,” said Gary L. Gottlieb, MD, MBA, president. “This is not a separate initiative. Instead, we should recognize that the BWH Leadership Standard is the foundation of other initiatives underway at the hospital.”
The team carefully examined a number of responses from both Staff Surveys that were directly related to leadership issues, including the manner in which staff perceives their interactions with managers. Issues such as poor performance, respect, teamwork and ethical behavior were all thoroughly discussed. Outlines of management training programs were developed to cultivate consistent leadership across the organization.
“We had an incredible group of people from throughout the hospital who were committed to addressing the feedback from both surveys,” said Kathy McManus, director, Nutrition, who co-led the team.
“Everyone on the team was engaged and dedicated to finding new opportunities to define and shape leaders at BWH,” added Christine Flanagan, RN, manager, Nursing, the team’s other co-leader.
The team is committed to setting individual and collective goals based on the BWH Leadership Standard and will work with directors and division chiefs to cultivate further development opportunities. In the meantime, progress remains steady toward achieving stronger measurements of leadership at the hospital. Copies of the BWH Leadership Standard are available by contacting Martha Pyle Farrell via email.