4 Resolutions for Hospital C-Suiters

New Year's resolutions can be a great way to commit to making positive changes, both personally and professionally. Some people vow to lose weight; others, to get more organized.

Resolutions can also be useful for hospital executives and the facilities they run. Aegis Health Group, a company specializing in hospital business development strategies, put together four resolutions it believes can help transform hospitals across the country. "Our resolutions focus on hospital business development efforts in four key areas that we believe will impact their profitability, and yet keep it simple as they set themselves apart from the competition and establish a healthier population overall," explains Pearson Talbert, president and CEO of Aegis.

The following are four resolutions for hospital executives to consider taking on in 2013.

Work on balance

Changes in the payment model are happening fast, with many hospitals slowly moving away from the fee-for-service model to paying their physicians for performance. Still others are going further and starting their own health plans. Aegis recommends that hospitals take a balanced approach to payment reform in 2013. "[This] balancing act is key to optimizing opportunities with insured populations while preparing the infrastructure necessary to launch and manage patients in an ACO environment," the company says.

Plug in with patients

In an era where patient satisfaction scores are public and tied to reimbursement, it becomes important for the C-suite to focus on connecting with patients in new ways. Aegis suggests using social media or sending "e-health" messages to patients that can be accessed from computers and smart phones. "Add at least one new tool this year that offers two-way communication with the growing number of consumers using technology to accelerate the care continuum in your market," the company suggests.

Make time to get healthy

While many individuals vow to get fit and healthy in the new year, Aegis says hospital executives should make it their goal to get their employees healthy. One way to get this done is to roll out an employee wellness program for hospital staff and physicians and use incentives to encourage health improvement. Following through on this resolution can lead to lower health-related costs, better productivity, lower absenteeism and fewer workers' compensation claims.

Spread the health

After setting up an employee wellness program, Aegis recommends that hospital executives go out in the community and spread the program to community organizations. "Take [the] wellness program into the community by working with local employers and other targeted populations," the company says. That way, the positive results from the internal program can spread to the patient population and lead to better health outcomes.