Tip of the week: MSPs--know your audience when designing a presentation

As an MSP, you likely present to a wide range of individuals: medical staff members, committee and department chairs, hospital administrators, department managers, and board members. Some of these people may be your superiors. When at all possible, make suggestions and ask for recommendations. Don’t tell people what they should be doing. Use statements such as “Based on the information we have evaluated, I would like to suggest…” When working with a committee or team, use language such as “we” rather than “I.” People are more likely to accept the recommendations of a team or committee than those of a single person.

Also, take into consideration the audience’s level of expertise when creating your presentation. For example, how would you reference NCQIA or Medicare CoPs? Acronyms may be sufficient for a person working in medical staff services as he or she is likely to be well-versed with them. However, someone on a hospital board may not be familiar with the acronyms, in which case using the full term is helpful.

This week’s tip is adapted from The Medical Staff Meeting Companion published by HCPro, now available at a reduced price!