Effective Communication and Internal Campaigning Strategies That Facilitate Practice Buy-in to PCMH
| Strategy | Exemplary Qualitative Data |
|---|---|
| Ensure clear and concise communication and support from accessible practice leadership | “We have monthly staff meetings…communicate with everybody when there are any changes. I send group e-mails out to update things or new ways we are going to do something. Of course, I see everybody every day, so anything that is new or different or any problems that anyone is having, we try and address them, so that people don’t get too frustrated.… As the director, I’ve always directed with consensus as much as possible. Sometimes things come from the top that can’t be flexible, ‘we just have to do it this way because of whatever reason,’ but generally, they are rational decisions that we make. I think everyone has bought into it, felt like it lets us provide better care. We want to see our numbers doing better, and everybody likes each other, and everybody has the same mission or goal.” |
| Educate about PCMH: not just what and how, but why | [In response to why there was lack of buy-in at the beginning]: “There was not much information that was given to us when it started…that’s why one of our physicians just said no…. Why would I want to do this? What’s the benefit?” |
| Provide concrete information and guidance on known or learned techniques that achieve PCMH-like medical practice | “[We] brought in a rep from [Company] who had a really…a formal…program—Motivational Interviewing, smoking cessation. So now…they start the process…query the patient on every visit about smoking.… They’re maintained those measures for the diabetics. They take it on very seriously.” |
| Provide constant feedback on PCMH implementation | “I bring the graphs in, and I’ll show them, and we try to do little celebrations. We try to give positive reinforcement. And then I think they can see the benefit of it as they see patients coming in.” |
| Use external and internal data to benchmark, reinforce benefits, highlight success | “The only thing that has changed for me is the pride that I feel in this agency, and what we have been able to accomplish because of the data. And I think that communicates out to the whole staff. I also feel that I have grown a lot in terms of skills and tools to use.” |
| Leverage respect of PCMH champions to foster buy-in | “You have to have very strong leadership that is going to pursue those things with everybody that comes into the practice…. The administrative people working with the docs to get it taken care of and convincing the staff that they have to do it and have enough time to do it and be paid enough money to do it.” |
| Concentrate advocacy efforts on skeptical or hesitant members, dispel misconceptions | [In response to how to handle skeptical clinicians]: “And trying to explain and have a more global picture of ‘yes, I understand it adds 2 steps to your process, but it cuts down on 6 other steps.’ ” |
PCMH = patient-centered medical home.