Clinical Leadership Council Update
The Clinical Leadership Council (CLC) continues to identify opportunities to advance the clinical vision and program development strategies for CHOC. As we rapidly approach the opening of the CHOC South Tower, scheduled for April 2013, the CLC is working in concert with CHOC Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to complete a number of important projects. Most recently, our focus has been directed to the following:
Clinical Program Development Process:
The CLC, in partnership with Elaine Bauer, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and the SLT, has been working to create a formal CHOC Clinical Program Development Process. It is evolving into a detailed, thoughtful, and collaborative process for clinical program review and approval, whereby medical staff leaders partner with physician colleagues and administrative leadership to discuss clinical program visions through concept proposals for program growth and development. If recommended by CLC and approved by SLT, the goal is to follow through with the development of a formal business/strategic plan. The formal plan, once completed, will come back to CLC for review and approval, and would then be forwarded to SLT for final consideration. The evaluation process will provide a formal mechanism for timely review of program development proposals in order to evaluate, prioritize, and implement those that are approved.
CHOC Clinical Program Presentations:
Sleep Center Expansion:
As one of our first formal program reviews, the CLC worked closely with Bruce Nickerson, MD and Mary Zupanc, MD, along with CHOC Operations and Business Development teams, in obtaining SLT approval to expand the CHOC Sleep Center. As a result, within the next year, facility upgrades to our three sleep rooms will be made to allow for certification through The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). As part of the expansion, CHOC and the CHOC Specialists will begin recruitment for a Sleep Center Director certified in Pediatric Sleep Medicine. Additionally, the Sleep Program Team plans to establish outpatient clinics dedicated to sleep disorders and will continue exploring expansion into South County through a proposed satellite site based at CHOC at Mission Hospital (CCMH). We are very excited about the program expansion project and will keep you posted on our progress.
CHOC Institute Presentations:
As part of our process to advance CHOC’s clinical vision, the CLC is scheduling a series of concept/vision proposal presentations to include the CHOC Institutes. As a first step, the CHOC Neuroscience Institute presented its concept/vision proposal to the CLC. Dr.’s Mike Muhonen, William Loudon, and Mary Zupanc, along with administrative lead, Linda Campbell, provided their multi-year vision to advance the CHOC Neuroscience Institute toward becoming a nationally recognized center. Their concept proposal was endorsed by the CLC and was subsequently presented to SLT for approval to proceed in development of a formal business/strategic plan. We are pleased to announce that the SLT approved development of an updated plan based on the concept/vision proposal. Once completed, the formal plan will be reviewed by CLC for formal recommendation to SLT.
As we continue to finalize the CHOC Clinical Program Development Process, we look forward to on-going opportunities to partner with physician leaders to advance the clinical programs at CHOC.
Pediatrician-in-Chief/Chair Interview Project
In my role as Pediatrician-in-Chief (PIC) at CHOC, I recently had the opportunity to complete a series of interviews with Pediatrician-in-Chief/Chairmen or their equivalent at 13 Children’s Hospitals across the country. Debra Beauregard, my Interim Chief Administrative Officer, and I partnered in the completion of this project.
The interviews were focused on children’s hospital and university partnerships, physician integration and leadership models, and on strategies and processes to advance clinical and academic programs. We selected the children’s hospitals and universities based on a variety of factors, including their national stature, size, and their current models of affiliation and physician alignment. The Institutions included in the interview project were:
- Children’s Health Center of Atlanta/Emory University
- Children’s Hospital of Boston/Harvard Medical School
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia/University of Pennsylvania
- Children’s Hospital of St. Louis/Washington University
- Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin/Medical College of Wisconsin
- Children’s Medical Center (Dallas)/University of Texas Southwestern
- Akron Children’s/Northeast Ohio Medical University
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center/University of Cincinnati
- Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital/University of Tennessee
- Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford/Stanford University
- Rady Children’s Hospital/University of California, San Diego
- Seattle Children’s Hospital/University of Washington
- Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor University
Through the interview process, a number of clear, universal, themes emerged. One of the most critical factors to successful relationships presented by all 13 PIC-Chairs was the importance of a campus-wide dedication to strategic partnerships; including relationships with physician partners as well as relationships with partnering institutions. The success of these partnerships lies in the alignment of a shared mission and vision. The large majority of the institutions interviewed had decades of experience in integrating cultures and working toward alignment of mission and vision, and all shared that this is an ongoing process, requiring continuous effort and dedication. The PIC-Chairs encouraged us to remain committed to nurturing and growing our partnerships as we continue on the path toward clinical and academic excellence.
It was inspiring for us to have the PIC-Chairs invite further discussion, and we plan to continue engaging in dialogue with them. Their willingness to openly provide information; and to welcome ongoing discussions serves as a reminder that there is an extreme wealth of information available for the asking; as we have colleagues throughout the county who will share their knowledge and experience with us.
We are extremely pleased with the outcome of our interviews, and we look forward to sharing more insights with you in future PIC Newsletters and through other CHOC forums.
CHOC House-Based Medical Directorship Recruitment Updates
I am pleased to announce that in preparation for the opening of the CHOC South Tower, several key house-based physician recruitments are in process. There are currently three active Search Committees for recruitment of CHOC Medical Directors of Emergency Medicine, Radiology, and Pathology. These committees consist of both physician and administrative leadership. We are working in close partnership with Emergency Medicine Specialists of Orange County (EMSOC), Moran, Rowen, and Dorsey (MRD), and Orange County Pathology Medical Group (OCPMG) as we collaborate on the recruitment of these critical positions. We will keep you posted as to the progress of these important recruitment efforts.
