Gain physician buy-in when revamping your OPPE and FPPE processes
Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from our profile of the 2017 CRC Excellence in Medical Staff Collaboration Award winners. To apply for the 2018 awards, click here. To learn more about Ascension's OPPE and FPPE journey, register for our webinar, OPPE and FPPE Case Study: Award-Winning Professional Practice Evaluation Transformation, on September 12.
How do you make OPPE and FPPE more than just an item on the regulatory compliance checklist? Although it has been 10 years since The Joint Commission released its ongoing and focused professional practice evaluation standards, organizations are still struggling to develop meaningful processes that have true meaning, enhance practitioner performance and patient safety, and garner medical staff support.
In the hopes of meeting the aforementioned goals, Ascension Borgess Health in Kalamazoo, Michigan, spent the last year revamping its OPPE and FPPE processes.
“We have made changes in our approach and increased our collaboration globally across the organization,” says Raechel Rowland, RN, LSSGB, medical staff quality specialist for Ascension Borgess Health. “The most significant effect of this program build is we are completing FPPE more timely and accurately; physician leaders have a better understanding of why and how we complete FPPE; we are in full compliance with the Joint Commission standards; and we have eliminated much rework and non–value-added work.”
Once Rowland created a road map, she began the hard part—getting physicians to buy into the process. This is where Thomas Rohs, MD, Ascension Borgess’ chief of staff and trauma services medical director, played a crucial role, becoming the physician champion for OPPE and FPPE.
“Having a proactive approach [to OPPE and FPPE] is best for patient safety purposes,” says Rohs. “When done right, FPPE can be a catalyst for process improvement and better outcomes. I partnered with Raechel to share the merits of streamlining the process. I also shared the milestones of the program build so our providers would know we were moving forward to make the process better.”
Rowland met with every department chief/chair to ask them to be a part of the solution. She attended department meetings and gave a presentation to help physician leaders understand the requirements of FPPE and OPPE.
“Our approach to physician engagement is to celebrate our providers for their talents and strengths first. The evaluation process is based on process improvement; it is not meant to be punitive,” says Rowland. “I am extremely passionate about process improvement, and I strive to help that passion catch fire with our physician champions.”
She also met weekly with Rohs to continually review and make necessary changes to the A3 diagram, which she considers a living document. “Dr. Rohs truly championed this process and made sure the provider chairs and chiefs understood the importance of meeting with me. Additionally, our chief medical officer, Robert Hill, backed the importance of their oversight. Many physician leaders were very excited about this coming to fruition and willingly gave their input.”
Rowland now has doctors coming to her with questions about how to complete the evaluations—instead of ignoring them. Since premiering the new process, her list of delinquent evaluations has diminished from 48 entries to seven.