In this article we share observations on how the most successful value-based care and population health organizations are prioritizing their culture.
Health systems shifting to value-based care and adopting a population health strategy know first hand how difficult the shift can be. To be successful, you have to transform both your financial and clinical models. But are you considering the most important transformation of all? Your people.
For operational changes to succeed, you have to start with human transformation. Creating a culture where people are aligned, engaged, and empowered ensures you can deliver on your brand promise and the promise of better healthcare.
Transformation is not possible without a shared vision. The Advisory Board notes that change management is one of the biggest barriers for value-based care organizations. Leadership needs to align on a vision and articulate it. More importantly, they need to inspire and rally team members across every facet of the organization for what value-based care and population health means for the organization. People need to understand their role in the change before they can effectively contribute.
A regional health system partnered with Core as they were beginning their population health transformation. With a bold vision for the future in place, the system partnered with Core to unify and inspire teams around a shared vision of creating a healthier future. The internal campaign rallied team members and empowered them to be part of the transformation. From team town hall events to signage, videos, personal purpose cards and promise training, each communication and touch point demonstrated how each team member could contribute to the system’s vision of better health through population health. Focusing on culture and reinforcing the vision created unity and excitement for the future and built momentum for their external campaign and brand movement.
Collaboration across teams drives value-based care and population health success. From primary care to specialty care, from finance to operations, teammates have to communicate and collaborate to deliver the right care, at the right time, and at the right place. When organizations build a culture rooted in communication and trust, teams are more likely to break down silos to deliver patient-centered care that supports better health outcomes.
Data proves that a strong culture creates a better patient experience with engaged employees providing better care. Press Ganey’s 2023: The state of workforce engagement report shows:
A strong culture is built purposely and with intentionality. And if done well, it will drive your vision and promise of better healthcare.
Core’s say it.live it. philosophy is rooted in the simple belief that an organization’s actions need to match its words. You have to believe it and live it. Successful organizations build a culture in which team members are empowered to create experiences that deliver on the brand promise every day. When team members are driven by your organization’s brand promise, they will be the change agents that help transform patient care, clinical outcomes and financial performance.
TriHealth, a Cincinnati-based health system, is a shining example of how cultural transformation can drive population health success. TriHealth’s CEO Mark Clement emphasized “the importance of building a culture that's change-ready because embracing value [based care] and population health is going to require fundamental change in how you operate, and your people need to get behind that.” The system had multiple hospitals and business units that had been operating semi-independently without an overarching strategy. Clement knew that, “in order to really deliver the right care on the right part of the continuum, we needed to build up an integrated system that was able to seamlessly provide whatever care a patient needed in the right part of our health system.”
The system, under Clement’s leadership, set a vision of culture and care that uniquely defined the organization. According to Clement, “Pretty quickly, we developed a TriHealth way of leading, a TriHealth way of serving, and a TriHealth way of delivering care, evidence-based practices that we brought to the organization.” The “Be seen. Be heard. Be healed.” brand campaign not only embodies their unique culture of care and commitment to the communities they serve, it furthers their population health strategy.
Meaningful transformation starts with people. As more and more health systems continue to shift their financial and clinical models, culture should be a top priority. Organizations that effectively unify teams behind their vision will drive better patient outcomes, better financial performance and a stronger workforce.
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