To improve the patient experience, maximize provider time with patients, and reduce revenue loss from unauthorized services, the Los Angeles Department of Health Services (DHS) recently brought together under one department key functions that facilitate patient access to medical care into unified units within each hospital and clinic. DHS enlisted FUSE executive fellow Eric Mattenson to partner with this new 800-person department to create a DHS-wide departmental identity across facilities, and to enable standard processes and metrics.
Eric facilitated a process, in partnership with the leadership team and staff, to define their vision and a set of operating principles. These principles were introduced to all employees in a series of six weekly, interactive, supervisor-led, work-team sessions. The rollout process created a common language and purpose, generated ideas for improvement and fostered a spirit of collaboration across the whole team. The principles were then leveraged for an organization-wide dashboard of common metrics and as a structure for organizing strategic priorities.
