Vol. 3. No. 2

Step Three.
This is, perhaps, the most challenging step. Establish the ongoing assessment and promotion of a positive environment. In so many instances, corporate America has ceased to recognize the value and contributions of their employees. There is no sense of loyalty from or to anyone and there is the belief that everyone is replaceable. How sad! If employees are unhappy with their jobs and employer, you can be assured customers are not getting the care and service they need and deserve. Effective human resources and performance improvement initiatives go a long way to creating and maintaining a healthy climate in which people are valued and therefore empowered to create value. Incorporate these basic elements of a healthy work place climate: supportive management, clarity of job roles and expectations, encouragement of individual contributions, recognition and appreciation of individual and organizational efforts, the freedom to ask questions and make suggestions, challenges to learn and grow, and, most importantly, collective harmony.

Step Four.
This is a critical step. Everyone in the organization must understand who their customers are, both internally (employees) and externally (those who receive our product or service), and what they expect and need. Any organization that does not make its customers the top priority will not enjoy long-term success. One's finger must always be on the pulse of customer satisfaction and immediate measures taken whenever problems are identified.

Step Five.
The focus of this article. Create a living, breathing, highly visible performance improvement program and mindset. In order to be effective, performance improvement must belong to everyone in the organization from the top down. It is not about empty words or paper compliance. It is about a dedication to quality and a constant striving for improvement. It is based on understanding the important aspects of the care and/or service provided and the objective measurement of performance in the meeting and exceeding of established goals and expectations. It is not about assigning blame or passing judgment, but it is always about acknowledging problems and determining improvements. A successful performance improvement program is focused and structured as well as flexible enough to meet changing needs and requirements. It is based on effective communication that consistently travels up and down -- up to the executive staff and Board as well as down to the line employees. It employs a scientific approach through the collection, assessment and reporting of relevant data. It measures progress and recognizes patterns and trends. It consistently meets and endeavors to exceed regulatory and legislative requirements. It is understood by everyone in the organization and is embodied by the leaders and embraced by the employees. It should be dynamic, visible and, here's a revelation, fun. Essentially, performance improvement is the fabric that holds an organization together and makes it whole.

Step Six.
The final step. Evaluate. Never stop checking what has been planned and done and always act on opportunities for improvement and change. Never accept second best and always focus on the customers.

About the author: Lynne A. Wolff's mission is to maximize performance, both for Scheur Management Group clients and for the health plans owned through SMG's new business initiative, Venture Health Partnership Group (VHPG). With 20 years of proven results in guiding quality and performance improvement for health care businesses and managed care plans, Ms. Wolff puts that know-how to work in identifying and implementing best practices across the board. Ms. Wolff conducts comprehensive evaluation of processes, policies and practices, from administration and operations to clinical services and staffing. In each case, the goal is to identify, document and implement best practices and to establish performance accountability standards that both meet regulatory requirements and assure organizational and financial effectiveness.