Making the transition from “I” to “we”
February 10, 2010
Last night the Group Health Permanente Annual Meeting left me feeling inspired and confident. In addition, on January 29 we enjoyed discussions with managers and leaders at our annual Leadership Conference.
At the Leadership Conference, featured speaker Len Nichols—a health care economist—challenged us on some of our targets to "think bigger." He also validated that we ARE the model for affordable excellence and that we’re on the right path.
Len is right. In the past three years, we’ve added more than 17,400 patients to our Group Practice while overall enrollment grew by 65,000 people. Throughout the organization, departments have been working together to redesign care and products to be patient-centered and sustainable. We saw a $50M positive swing during 2009 in our margin, largely related to our strategies. Just last month, 14,000 new members joined Group Health with 7,000 in the Group Practice.
Lean has given us useful tools and a solid management system—plus something else: it’s helping shift our mindset from “I” to “we” in the way the we provide caring, competent and coordinated health care.
When visiting Japan last summer, I was struck by the vast difference between the American emphasis on the individual and the Japanese emphasis on the team.
This balance is tough in America, where individual autonomy is a high value. At Group Health we’re beginning to strike the right balance. The medical home is a great example. We’ve traded some autonomy for more teamwork by not having all 26 primary care clinics invent their own version of the medical home. As a result, we’re seeing how quickly quality, efficiency, and positive patient experiences can become the norm.
Teamwork is alive between departments too. As you’ll read in today’s Open Mike, GHP Recruiting and Marketing have sparked tremendous synergy in recent years to recruit top docs to the Group Practice. Today Group Health enjoys the lowest number of provider vacancies in our “modern” history.
We’re forming partnerships in new ways, starting with the pact between each of us and our patients. Next are partnerships between clinical departments, so that patients experience us seamlessly as their health care team. From there, clinical teams are collaborating with the Health Plan Division so that we can design products that offer patients value and benefits while being sustainable for us to operate.
We also have great partners in the Group Health Research Institute which helps us try out innovative approaches to care, and the Group Health Foundation which provides start-up funds for innovation. I’m convinced that we’ll reap benefits from these partnerships for decades.
Finally, we’ve also got to look outward and collaborate with community partners, including other health care providers, government, and business.
We can do this, connected by aligned values. In 2010 we’ll continue to build new partnerships. We’ll hold ourselves to high standards of quality and continue to get better at the things we do. In doing so, we can assure a sustainable and thriving future.
President and Chief Medical Executive
Read Dr. Soman's latest Open Mike article.
- 2012
- | 2011
- | 2010
What if the “new normal” doesn’t feel normal at all, for many years? I try to remind myself and others that the current turmoil in health care is driven by market forces—not politics—and can only be solved by directly addressing the market. Our “new normal” is all about reaching across silos to work with partners in new ways.
Business problem? Diagnose it.
03/21/2012
I’m about halfway through my 2012 clinical immersion. When I tried this last year it was new for all of us, and it felt right to start our conversations around values. This year I'm trying to dig a little deeper.
What will your legacy be? 02/24/2012
What a night! It felt terrific to see over 700 clinicians and special guests at the GHP Annual Meeting on February 15. “A Legacy of Leadership” was our theme for the evening, touching on our shared past, present, and future.
Only nine Medicare Advantage plans in the country earned 5 stars overall, and Group Health Cooperative’s Medicare Advantage plan is one of them!
Looking back, and ahead: reflections on my first three years 9/17/2011
The last three years have passed quickly, largely because I’ve had such an amazing group of people to work with. What you’re capable of no longer surprises me. It inspires me.
Our people are our culture, and we’re constantly evolving 8/17/2011
One thing I’ve noticed since my last Q&A on Group Health culture with Scott Armstrong is that conversations like ours are spreading.
More than elbow room 7/6/2011
Growth is a good problem to have in turbulent economic times. But as I’ve heard in medical staff business meetings and conversations, growth is hard on daily life at work.
Erikson and Soman on partnership and growth 6/15/2011
Sustaining growth isn’t about Michael and I being leaders; it’s about teams of seasoned, excellent colleagues and leaders and clinical teams. We both have tremendous confidence in them.
The good, the bad and everything in between 5/11/2011
I went all over the state in March, talking with small groups of GHP physicians and other clinicians about critical issues.
Why are we here? 3/23/2011
Easily eight out of ten of you mention that our philosophy of medicine—the way we practice—drew you here. And paired with the people and relationships in your workplaces, it’s a major thing that keeps you here.
Culture at Group Health: 7 questions for Scott & Michael 3/9/2011
Scott and I kicked off some fresh thinking about culture and respect for people at our Leadership Conference about five weeks ago. Recently, we sat down to check in with each other about it.
Put some passion in your workplace 2/17/2011
What satisfies you, motivates you, or makes you want to tell your friends and family about your day? Do you know how your co-workers would answer these questions? Talk to each other to learn from each other.
Sometimes growth don't feel like it should 1/28/2011
We know that taking on new patients—and engaging them in their own good health—takes time. But it’s what’s unique and important about our kind of medicine.
About 350 leaders from the Group Practice and throughout Group Health gathered for the Group Practice Annual Fall Forum on November 12.
Demystifying clinical integration
11/3/2010
Clinical integration is the key, so let’s define what that phrase means.
Step back and take it all in. You’re making great things happen. 10/21/2010
In the last issue of Open Mike we had just learned that we had won the 2010 Acclaim Award from the American Medical Group Association.
Group Health sees a big jump in NCQA private plan rankings 9/22/2010
Group Health is one of the highest rated health plans and among the top 50 in the nation, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
Innovation is where we shine 9/8/2010
I am very excited to share that the American Medical Group Association (AMGA) has honored our work with its 2010 Acclaim Award.
Notes from the Colorado Health Symposium 8/11/2010
During the last week of July I traveled to the Colorado Health Foundation’s annual symposium in Keystone, CO.
Measuring up 7/28/2010
Quality. Ask a hundred people to define it, and you’ll get a hundred answers.
The risk and opportunity of Accountable Care Organizations
6/30/2010
Shared values, physician-led care models, and aligned incentives can bridge the distance between organizations in the world of accountable care.
Let’s start a conversation about our workplace 4/4/2010
People are our most important resource, our “secret sauce.”
Decreasing “unwarranted” variation in clinical care 3/24/2010
As you read this, we are in the midst of unprecedented reform to our national health care system.
Looking ahead to 2010 1/13/2010
First, for 2010, our goal is as follows: We will lead the top delivery system in the state.
