Working Cross-Functionally, Breaking Down Organizational Silos to Improve the Healthcare Experience
Persistent cross-functional teams throughout UCSF Health are collaborating to transform healthcare and create an optimal digital experience for both patients and providers.
UCSF Health Chief Marketing and Brand Experience Officer Sarah Sanders and UCSF Vice President of Digital Health Aaron Neinstein, MD, discussed this topic at the 2022 Healthcare Marketing & Physician Strategies Summit (HMPSS) and were invited to speak on the share their insights on how cross-functional teams break down organizational silos to foster a new way of working.
In their conversation, Sanders and Neinstein shared their learnings, experiences, and their commitment to digital transformation along with examples of what has been achieved by cross-functional teams so far.
Highlights of the podcast:
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Traditionally, marketing previously led the beginning of the patient journey (e.g. finding patients and bringing them to the organization), but the pandemic changed things
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With the new operating model, multiple disciplines are working together to solve customer issues and create an entire digital experience
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The cross-functional teams are focused on improving the patient journey and asking:
o What experience are patients – referred for care or need a second opinion – having when they come to UCSF Health for complex care?
o When patients receive care from us, how do we engage with them in between office visits?
Change takes commitment from the organization, and it has to start from the top down with leadership buy-in. Examples of working cross-functionally
1. Combining data together for a holistic view. Traditionally different teams were siloed, for example, one team received Press Ganey and HCAAP surveys, while another team monitored star ratings and patient reviews on the web. By working cross-functionally, teams are able to break out of historical silos and bring all of the data together to best serve the needs of the consumer and of the organization.
2. Creating end-to-end experiences. A campaign for the Head and Neck Cancer Surgery clinic included the full journey from awareness (advertising) through scheduling and appointments, which enables the measurement of the patient journey all along the way to better improve the journey through feedback and learnings gathered.
Learnings working as a cross-functional team
1. Role clarity. Role clarity is important when forming cross-functional teams. People were used to their own teams based on the organizational chart, which meant they didn’t know each other’s expertise and had to adapt to a new way of working together.
2. Decision-making process. People were used to a hierarchical way of making decisions. In the new model, decision-making is transitioned to teams, who are empowered and encouraged to make decisions.
3. Communication. It is important to ensure that people understand what “the rules are and what they aren’t,” overly communicate, and share success stories across the organization and with other cross-functional teams.
4. Trust. Earlier in the digital transformation process, people were unsure of the boundaries and nervous to cross the line. Build trust over time and cultivate an environment where people can be candid with each other.
5. Commitment. Recognize that there will be challenges along the way but stay committed to the bigger opportunity and vision.
Want to learn more?
• Watch the podcast to learn more about how cross-functional teams are transforming and impacting UCSF Health’s patient and provider experience.
• Read the article, “6 Takeaways from the HMPSS” by Aaron Neinstein, MD