Turnover in a hospital or physician practice setting is inevitable, but within the healthcare industry, continuity and consistency are the hallmarks of an efficient high-quality service line — the foundation of all successful specialty programs. As an Interim Manager with Corazon, I have worked in dozens of organizations across the country with the goal of serving as a leader during times of personnel transition and/or as an outside expert providing integrated, regular, on-site support to help a program realize full potential in clinical, operational, or financial performance.
Loss of a key leader within any specialty area can have a negative impact on the strategic and day-to-day functions, while also affecting productivity and care delivery in both the short and long term. And as the country recovers from Covid-19, hospitals are short-staffed in many areas. In fact, just reviewing website postings for hospital positions reveals a hiring surge unlike any other in recent memory. Hospitals will be challenged to recover to a new-normal post-Covid without the proper program leadership in place.
That’s where I come in…
Covid recovery is just one of the many challenges facing hospitals today. Consider also declining reimbursement, rising costs, changing regulations, new technology and techniques, workforce shortages in general, and an aging population of both patients and physicians. Any Hospital could suffer declines in volume and quality without a program leader in place, which is why an Interim Manager can be the best solution to bridge any gap in leadership while the hiring process for a vacant position is underway.
Organizations operating with gaps in service line leadership or those without a leader in place are certain to feel the effects of that lack of leadership. Unfortunately for those organizations, it will have a negative ripple effect across the organization, including lowered team morale, and stalled progress on service line projects or goals.
Gaps in leadership, whether due to an unexpected departure or reductions in workforce, usually result in another member of the organization assuming additional responsibilities. Although this approach can offer a quick fix, it is likely to be ineffective for the long term, and can lead to decreases in revenue and market share, confusion among internal stakeholders about particular job roles (for physicians and staff), and lack of focus on key strategic initiatives. Piling additional responsibilities onto someone likely already overloaded is no solution. Corazon has a better one! An Interim Manager like me!
- I’m A Quick Placement: Corazon’s interims are pre-screened and pre-qualified, and are therefore available within a few days of request….which is a valuable asset when time is of the essence. Their schedules are flexible and they are prepared to make an impact quickly.
- I DELIVER Outcomes: Interims are accustomed to producing tangible results in a short period of time – our reputation is at stake if we do not bring value to the job. Organizations can use our expertise to improve or maintain performance levels and ensure forward progress. Plus, we are typically overqualified for their assignments thus can function with little or no oversight.
- I’M UNBIASED: Interims bring an outside “fresh” perspective, no doubt, but we also aren’t affected by internal organizational politics. Whatever the issue at hand, we can bring an unbiased perspective to the situation and find a fair solution related to operational inefficiencies, financial issues, or workforce restructuring with objectivity and clarity.
Organizations sometimes avoid interim solutions because they feel it is cost prohibitive. However, considering the cost of a permanent employee, the equivalent daily rate of an interim is reasonable, and can bring better value and increased results more quickly. The interim manager charges only for the days worked, with no additional national insurance contribution payments, employee tax, holidays, or pension payments. An interim solution can be a full-time, part-time, or project based, with different terms for each. When you consider these financials aspects, an interim solution could SAVE you money! Which is something I also hope to do while on-site during the scope of my responsibilities!
In fact, during a prior assignment, I delivered a 13% increase in revenue, but many of the effects of the interim work translated to an even greater value for the team moving forward. I set a trajectory of increased clinical quality, affecting both the short and long term, all while the search was on for a permanent placement. Plus, I not only worked with the organization, but also with Corazon’s team of consultants to access the necessary resources to ensure growth and success for the client hospital.
It is vitally important to maintain morale, momentum, and overall program performance during times of change, despite any position vacancy, which is why successful organizations should partner with an experienced firm that can secure the right talent. The clinical and financial viability of the program is at stake. So, if you have a vacant role, consider Corazon for placing an interim like me in the role to help — my proven value will more than make-up for the cost while recruitment is underway. And that’s my personal guarantee, backed by the experts at Corazon!
