Someday I hope I get the chance to tell Lenny Marcus this story; I hope he will consider me a meta-leader.
After the dust settled from those successes, I went back to my computer to write up the final draft of my project and I was able to tell a much better story than I ever could have without that advice Eric Rice and the committee [gave me].
My new boss was at the presentation that I gave. We went to the American Medical Group Association conference recently, and he did not hesitate to walk around bragging about what we had done, often quoting the numbers I delivered in my presentation. In another coda to the story, the new service area senior vice president asked my wife and I to join him and his wife for dinner; we have struck up a very valuable friendship.
—Thomas McIlraith, MD, SFHM
Q: What would you say to others who are thinking about applying for the certificate?
A: What are you waiting for?
On a more serious note, we are all engaged with important projects to make our hospitals run better, to keep our patients safer, and give our patients better experience. In the certification process, you continue with that work while top leaders from the field of hospital medicine coach and advise you.
Not only do you come out with a better product in the short term, but also you have better skills for taking on projects in the future; you know what questions to ask and what stories to tell and to whom. That stays with you long after the certification project is over.
Q: How are the results of your project benefiting your institution?
A: My hospitalists are seeing increased productivity and my hospitals are seeing stronger contribution margin in tough economic times. Further, the successful completion of the project has elevated the reputation of my department.