Educate and Engage All Team Members
Keeping employees happy and involved is key to continuity during a transformation — and conserving resources that go into recruiting and training. “Seventeen percent of hires leave within the first three months,” Kirby says. “It’s expensive — and think of morale.”
Kirby cited a CIO who posted staff photos and words of congratulations on LinkedIn after an EHR rollout. “You have to celebrate success,” she said. Not only does that keep staff engaged, it inspires them to want to do better. This also can help cultivate a talent pipeline for promotions.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
As leaders, CIOs must be able to make a clear, concise case for transformation to multiple stakeholders on a healthcare team. “Don’t just say, ‘I want to expand our footprint,’” said Kravitz. Develop a detailed roadmap and measurable performance objectives.
To ensure continued buy-in and goodwill, always be telling your story. After all, it’s easy for IT staff to be overlooked. “You certainly have to communicate when there’s a problem,” Kirby said. “But you also need to tell a positive message and really let everyone know what you’re doing.”
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