How to collaborate effectively: break the sound barrier

I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that many of us have been neglecting this timely resource for developing an effective architecture for healthcare-provider learning and the framework for content that influences clinical decisions at the point of care.

The Learning Healthcare System is a summary document from 2007 that fuels all of my collaborations and should be a "go to" guide for all stakeholders committed to making a positive difference in how we deliver healthcare in the US and beyond. As I caution in all my posts "your mileage may vary" but many colleagues have left comments that lead me to believe some of the best practices highlighted in this humble blog are actually making a difference.

This post is special. Those of us working on the weekend are likely tending to a persistent business need, a last minute client request (guilty), or find the quiet time away from the office--best time to catch up on reading. I thought I would share a few best practices and a few highlights from this book (dog-eared for quick access) that will unequivocally influence your mindset.

---

---

3 business practices to adopt for immediate benefit...

I hate these "5 ways to", "How to" headings. They tease you into believing that you have been missing important short-cuts. I created this title to encourage you to read on with the hope that you will now stick around for the discussion. But since I started it I will see it through...

1. Create a style-guide for your projects. My clients appreciate the branded "welcome" guide that I create for smooth collaborations. The document is sleek, professional, and succinct. You can get a copy when you donate (see side-bar) or send me an email with your specific need and I will send a quick outline.
 
2. Utilize a framework for staying in touch. You are not a writer or content provider--you are a solution provider. Clients call me because they need  a solution. Typically what they don't have ia an abundance of time. If you deliver organization and "just in time" access to solutions you will be head and shoulders above other vendors. You need a project management tool to address pain points in your clients business plan. Give Freshdesk or Basecamp a try. Customize whichever platform that you select across your brand and offerings. Eliminate the noise of "free" platforms.

3. Be a resource (see snapshot below) Your client base is diverse and their needs evolve by the day--often by the hour. Each week I collate FAQs and comments to address a persistent business need either as a content provider or strategic questions posed by industry executives. Find relevant news feeds that address your business niche to stay informed. Your ability to edit the fire-hose of information for your client's business needs is valuable and will help establish your credibility. I always say--first be of service.

---

Quick snapshot...
a useful resource

A persistent pain point for the individual healthcare provider continues to involve EHRs, data capture, and creating "value" at the patient level.

Determinants of health—like physical activity levels and living conditions—have traditionally been the concern of public health and have not been linked closely to clinical practice. However, if standardized social and behavioral data can be incorporated into patient electronic health records (EHRs), those data can provide crucial information about factors that influence health and the effectiveness of treatment.Such information is useful for diagnosis, treatment choices, policy, health care system design, and innovations to improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs.

With this goal in mind, a committee was convened to conduct a two-phase study, first to identify social and behavioral domains that most strongly determine health, and then to evaluate the measures of those domains that can be used in EHRs.--Institute of Medicine

I continue to collaborate with physician practices to capture EHR data to inform practice decisions. Capturing Social and Behavioral Domains in Electronic Health Records Part 1 and Part 2 is a helpful resource that I use to create disease specific templates. As healthcare practices transition EHR  from digital filing cabinets to improving patient outcomes,  social and behavioral health data will bring true "meaning" to meaningful data...

At the point of care, healthcare providers engage in decision processes that exist outside of available evidence. As research evolves at a dizzying pace in the context of health policy, economics, and clinical medicine, the gap widens. Adapting the EHR in practice (beyond administrative and process data) can narrow this gap by substantially increasing real-time access to knowledge directly relevant to everyday clinical decisions.

Standardized social and behavioral data...

Sociodemographic Domains

• Sexual orientation
• Race and ethnicity
• Country of origin/U.S. born or non-U.S. born
• Education
• Employment
• Financial resource strain: Food and housing insecurity

Psychological Domains

• Health literacy
• Stress
• Negative mood and affect: Depression and anxiety
• Psychological assets: Conscientiousness, patient engagement/activation, optimism, and self-efficacy

Behavioral Domains

• Dietary patterns
• Physical activity
• Tobacco use and exposure
• Alcohol use

Individual-Level Social Relationships and Living Conditions Domains

• Social connections and social isolation
• Exposure to violence

Neighborhoods and Communities

• Neighborhood and community compositional characteristics

Thoughtful discussions about content development and outcomes analytics that apply the principles and frameworks of health policy and economics to persistent and perplexing health and health care problems


freelance content marketing, journalism, and branding...