Theda Care: System Strategy Harvard Case Solution & Analysis

Theda Care: System Strategy Case Study Solutions

Introduction

Theda Care is a medical company headquartered in Wisconsin, serving residents throughout the northern Appleton area. It was formerly known as the Appleton Medical Center and Appleton Memorial Hospital. It was chartered by the State of Wisconsin in 1949. The hospital opened its doors in 1958. Theda Care Regional Medical Center-Appleton serves residents of northern Appleton, and it's one of Wisconsin's largest healthcare organizations. It is a non-profit health care organization committed to providing quality care to people in the area. The company employs nearly 7,000 people and is the third-largest health care employer in northeast Wisconsin. Theda Care has met or exceeded the state and national benchmarks for clinical quality in 2001 and 2002. Its leadership team is constantly striving to improve patient care and surpass national standards of care. (Jain, 2007)

Problem statement

Theda Care has been in business for 110 years. The company has also committed to being a leader in Population Health, by engaging with communities to better understand their needs and promote health awareness. Its physicians have been tasked with creating a standardized process that improves patient outcomes. This new model of care coordination is making the company a leader in the area. Theda Care, is looking for strategies to deliver better value to its patients in a payer environment and also satisfy its staff and physicians with the change.

Situational Analysis

Relationship with Physicians

Theda Care and its physicians have been involved in an ongoing process to redesign its clinics. Its employees have lived the IDCOP process, and now they guide other practices through it. Currently, almost all 21 of Theda Care's owned practices are in some stage of clinic redesign. Staff members at each site are trained in IDCOP principles and how to implement it in their clinics.

Theda Care has blocked its employees from leaving the interventional radiology team, which specializes in treating blood-related conditions. The company said the decision was necessary and that the company was experiencing a crisis. Theda Care's management also sought to block employees from leaving the team and did not allow them to take their job elsewhere. The company's restraining order was eventually overturned, but the decision still leaves open a difficult question about the future of the hospital and its relationships with its physicians.

In response to the challenges of the new management, Theda Care has sought a court order to keep some of its employees. The company has also sought to keep a majority of the interventional radiology and cardiovascular teams. While it is unclear whether Theda Care will be successful, it appears to have a solid chance of winning the case. Theda Care's lawyers are working to ensure that Theda Care does not lose its lawsuit in the courts.

Strategies to Transform the Organization

Achieving breakthrough results in a healthcare setting requires a multi-disciplinary approach. Theda Care has used BPS tools to prioritize improvement opportunities and set a standard work for unit leaders. These tools have paved the way for a consistent alignment of daily work with the hospital's strategic goals. The system has improved the culture of problem solving and has resulted in a highly-productive, high-quality workforce.

Theda Care's Appleton medical center redesigned a 12-bed inpatient medical-surgical unit. Over a dozen people from multiple departments came together to redesign the entire process. The team mapped value streams, organized over 30 redesign events, and listened to input from front-line workers. The result was a completely new way to deliver care. These efforts have sparked a culture shift at Theda Care.

In addition to implementing IDCOP, Theda Care created internal collaboratives to guide other practices along the same path. IDCOP has been implemented in nearly all of the company's 21 owned practices, and staff members from all sites have been trained on the concept. By the end of 2014, nearly all practices have been redesigned. The change has had measurable effects, including lower turnover and higher staff satisfaction

The top three Priorities

1. Lean management is the cornerstone of Theda Care's approach to patient care. Theda Care is already applying lean methods to its inpatient care. For example, it's developed a Collaborative Care Unit, which incorporates Lean methods to identify key components of patient care. Then, a physician, nurse, and pharmacist sit down with the patient during the first 90 minutes of their visit to create a unified care plan for the patient.
2. Creating a culture of compassion and service is important. Theda Care needs a culture that embraces the new generation. By embracing Lean, a team can improve patient care and engagement with the community. And that means that the culture of a healthcare organization needs to adapt to the new workers. Fortunately, this change can be achieved through the right approach and culture.
3. Taking leadership in the transformation process requires that the Board of Directors takes ownership. It is the primary responsibility of the Board of Directors, which makes the organization accountable for its outcomes and fosters the practice of high-value care as an institutional priority. While the Board of Directors is the most important group within the organization, it is not the sole decision-maker. A strong Board of Directors will help ensure that the Board is focused on the best interests of patients and the health care system. The implementation of Checklist items will require close collaboration between the executive team and the board of directors. Board members must embrace higher quality care while reducing costs, create a culture of high value care, and guide the transformation. Board members have responsibility for clinical and financial success, as well as the reputation of the organization in the community. They partner with the executives to shape the mission of the organization.

Conclusion and Recommendations

It is important to note that a large-scale transformation of Theda Care will require a strategic approach. Employers must take the lead on reducing costs and improving health outcomes. However, it will require a long-term commitment from leaders. In the meantime, they should make a plan for the transformation.....

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