Benefits of the Merger
Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Patel are two leaders of the combined health system, Virginia Mason Franciscan. They have both been in their respective fields for a long time, and they have seen the benefits of the merger. The pre-merger systems focused on quality, safety and patient experience, while also facing challenges due to changing environments. Through their partnership and work together, they have found success in deploying a management system that focus on improving quality, safety and the patient experience while lowering costs.
The merger between C HHI Franciscan and Virginia Mason Medical Center was a huge asset for the organization. It allowed them to scale the Virginia Mason Production System, which has improved quality outcomes, safety outcomes, patient experience scores, and employee engagement. Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Patel both worked together to make the merger successful, and Dr. Patel’s advice for those going through a similar situation is to focus on what is important to the smaller organization and determine if the merger makes sense.
Success Factors
Trust, curiosity, willingness to take a risk, and time limits were all important factors in the success of the merger. The CEO’s also had to be careful not to let their natural energies get the better of them and to avoid being Bob Iger, who was always looking over the CEO’s head.
Dr. Patel emphasized the importance of understanding the “why” behind a merger and investing time into communicating it to employees. He also discussed how he respected the culture of the smaller organization when merging them with the larger one, and that this was an important part of his strategy.
Virginia Mason Medical Cellular had to become more competitive with deep pocket competitors in order to thrive and grow. To do this, they formed a joint operating company (JOC) with 50/50 representation from both Legacy Virginia Mason and Legacy Franciscan. They also had co-CEOs to ensure that the rug was not pulled out from under them. Dr. Kaplan and the team communicated often with staff and community to build relationships and explain the changes. This took a lot of face time and presence.
Importance of a Strong Workforce
It is important for systems to understand their workforce and promote a culture that allows them to work and feel valued. Clinical excellence is also essential, and requires the best people, and an environment that facilitates the great work of clinicians.
Note: This is an AI generated transcript, not edited by a staff writer and is solely intended for educational purposes. If you have any questions/concerns, reach out to events@beckershealthcare.com
This panel was live on 04/03/2023 at the event listed here.
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