Best Practices
Keeping score: Implementing departmental scorecards
Part 2 of the series focuses on making them part of your practice’s M.O.
By Maureen Waddle
The use of departmental scorecards provides a reliable method of measurement and brings a disciplined, analytical approach to a practice. The discipline of measuring and reporting ensures continuous improvements and a greater likelihood of achieving the vision of the owners.
SETTING THEM INTO MOTION
Here are some tips for developing meaningful scorecard reporting that will improve the practice:
• Be patient. The development and ongoing use of scorecards is about the process as much as about measuring results. Owners and managers need to work together to determine measures that are important to the practice.
• Set practice goals first. Before people can determine if they are scoring their departments on the correct measures, management must know the overall practice goals. This helps determine departmental priorities.
• Teach the concept. Use articles and samples to introduce the concept to the team, and provide ideas of expectations.
• Share expectations. Inform the team that two years from now you expect the scorecard process to have helped them become better managers. This is not only useful for improving the practice, but it also helps leaders in their development.
• Start small. Ask each department leader to determine three to five measures for her or his department. Develop a method for reporting these measures.
• Customize measures. Looking at examples from others is a great way to start a project. However, to have meaningful scorecards, customize the measures so they are in line with practice goals and terminology.
• Determine baselines. Don’t be too anxious to set departmental goals. Let the entire staff get used to understanding the measures. That which is measured improves, so the measuring process alone should unwittingly yield positive results.
• Communicate consistently. Develop and schedule a regular forum during which each department reports its scorecard results. Over time, these meetings will evolve to include setting goals and using the results to shift operational priorities as necessary.
• Grant ownership to the team. Once team members understand the measures, ask them to set the goals for their department. This involvement ensures ownership and accountability for making the necessary changes to achieve results.
• Be persistent. Outline an 18-month plan for developing and implementing departmental scorecards. Encourage managers throughout the process and participate in the process.
LONG-TERM SUCCESS
The discipline of planning and execution is what sets great organizations apart from good organizations. Departmental scorecards help managers to measure performance across the entire company and become more strategic. Dedicating owners and managers to this process will improve business decisions and greatly enhance changes for long-term success. OM
Maureen Waddle is a senior consultant with BSM Consulting, an internationally recognized health care consulting firm headquartered in Incline Village, Nev. and Scottsdale, Ariz. More information about the author, BSM Consulting, or content/resources discussed in this article, is available at the BSM Café at www.BSMCafe.com. |