and track commitments and outcomes on a form developed especially to track the organizational huddle process. Conduct “live” organizational huddles. It is recommended that each department- or unit-based huddle have at least two Champions. This allows one Champion to facilitate the process with the other Champion maintaining the tracking form. The huddle process should be conducted two to three times per week at the same time and in the same location. Those departments selected to participate must have a representative who is prepared to listen to and respond to internal customer requests. Throughout the entire Organizational Huddle Process, support from senior leadership is essential. Huddles in Action Champions ensure all departments participating in the Organizational Huddle Process are in attendance. They will note any department that is missing on the tracking form. The Champion will go in rotation asking huddle participants if they have any specific issues requiring resolution or updates that are important for others to be aware of. All commitments made are noted on the tracking form. Champions follow a two-minute rule for each issue raised. If an issue is too complex to resolve in two minutes, the Champion will collaborate with the parties involved to find the best way to resolve the issue outside of the huddle. This will be noted on the tracking form and followed up on. The Champion moves through the process usually within 10 to 15 minutes, ensuring all departments represented have had the opportunity to collaborate and resolve as many issues as possible. It is not unusual to resolve 10 or more issues within this time frame. This process does not have a predetermined agenda. Unlike typical meetings, participants come to organizational huddles with an open mind and a clear focus—to listen to each other and be accountable for serving each other. We recommend that during the start-up phase of a new huddle group the participants should be primarily managers and supervisors. They need to become comfortable with the collaborative process before involving other staff members. Over time, managers and supervisors should bring other staff members to the huddle and teach the collaborative process. This process builds high staff engagement and enhances staff understanding of the interrelationship between various parts of the system. As the process matures, any staff member can be called upon to represent his or her respective department. Continued Legacy. Proven Experts. Results Delivered Performance Improved The former Principals of Wellspring Partners LTD bring you Prism Healthcare Partners LTD. Our legacy continues as we help hospitals, health systems and academic medical centers improve their financial, operational and clinical performance. Call (312) 610.4850 or visit us at prismhealthcare.com Healthcare Executive nOv/DEC 2013 49