A Day Very Well Spent

On Friday, we had an all day meeting of our department directors and nurse managers.  We used the day to get feedback and validation on the results of our recently completed department director survey and on our strategic plan.  

The WMHS Board approved the strategic plan in September, and we have been presenting components of our plan to the leadership group since then. On Friday, there were two primary objectives to be achieved during the meeting:  generate ideas to improve the community's perception of WMHS and build tactics to support the strategic plan. The ideas coming from the group on improving perception were amazing and will be put into action immediately.

In the afternoon, the group broke into five teams to build tactics around each strategic goal.  Attached is the strategy map outlining each strategic goal and their supporting objectives.  There are a series of strategies for each objective, and tactics will be developed at the department and patient unit levels around each strategy.  There was a great deal of information provided during the afternoon session, as well.  Numerous tactics were built around each strategy and over the next few months, the teams will continue to meet to finalize the plan with department and unit level tactics.  It was also determined that the plan will be a very dynamic document complete with performance measurement and accountability at every level of the organization.  In the past, the strategic plan pretty much remained at the management level.  

In the morning session, one of the suggestions for improving community perception was to have greater engagement of all WMHS staff.  We have over 2000 potential ambassadors who with the necessary knowledge, background and education could tell the story of what actually happens at WMHS, including the wonderful things happening every day through the work of some amazing people.  

Again, Friday was a day that was very well spent for all of us.  There will be more to follow in subsequent blogs on the specifics of a very successful day.