The energy was palpable in DTC Oct. 29 and 30, as Jackson management and SEIU Local 1991 members launched an exciting new partnership to transform Jackson’s culture into one of constant learning and collaboration at all levels.
The Labor Management Partnership (LMP) was negotiated in the current contract. It is modeled after the successful, long-running partnership agreements at Kaiser Permanente, (covering more than 100,000 union employees, 14,000 managers and 18,000 physicians in seven states and Washington, D.C.).
The partnership launch at Jackson included more than 100 members and managers from a variety of units. The group came together to learn about the process and begin training to work in teams to tackle issues in their areas.
“For way too long we have been in an environment where we have been on the reactive side, not on the proactive side,” said Jackson CEO Carlos Migoya. “Our patients are expecting different things than they did 10, 20 years ago and we need to be prepared for that. It’s important we all work together as to what that future looks like.”
Several projects were chosen as the tests on which to develop a process that will then be used to solve any challenge that arises. It’s about building smart, flexible teams of employees and managers who work together as a true team to improve the quality of care we deliver. Each project is sponsored by one Local 1991 leader and one top Jackson manager.
Five units at JMH will be working on ways to improve HCAHPS scores. The units include SW 5, SW 6, WW 6, WW 10 and WW 11. Each team, which includes nurse managers and front-line staff, will be coming up with strategies to increase patient satisfaction ratings by improving elements such as effective communication among nurses, doctors, patients and families, among many other factors.
These Unit Based Teams (UBTs) are the guinea pigs, so to speak. Their experience over the next year will help us all tweak the process that will eventually roll out to every unit across the system.
Other projects include:
- A team in Trauma ICU will be working on a project to reduce or eliminate ventilator-associated pneumonia in the trauma ICU.
- The Safe Patient Handling team will set new goals for our patient-safety measures and tactics to reach and permanently sustain those standards.
- A group of ER veterans will establish a clear method for improving processes such as routing low-acuity cases through a fast-track system.
- Primary care strategy: for Jackson to deliver world-class care for all its patients in a complex and changing market, we need to spend more energy keeping people well instead of just treating them when they’re sick. SEIU will work closely with management on this transformation, which will take shape over the upcoming year.
