CONFERENCE CAPSULE
Snapshots of recent healthcare events attended by Jarrard Inc.
EVENT: 2023 AAMC Conference for Institutional Advancement
WHERE & WHEN: Phoenix, AZ, March 29-April 1
Growth was on the minds of many American Association of Medical Colleges members gathered in Phoenix to – among other topics – share public health lessons from the pandemic and discuss ways to bolster the healthcare workforce. Meanwhile, our colleagues Lauren McConville and Milli Vincent led a workforce burnout workshop and offered these takeaways from their time in Phoenix:
- Trust in the healthcare system is waning. Media and public perception of provider organizations has worsened somewhat in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. For academic medical institutions, that can be attributed in part to dissonant messaging during the public health emergency. Good faith attempts to address community concerns and safeguard public health were thwarted by pressure to say something – anything! And loudly! – and guidelines that differed across state lines and at the federal level. The result? Contradictory messages from various institutions, public confusion and polarization.
- Recent history taught that consistency is key. To rebuild trust, move forward and prepare for what comes next, academic provider organizations will need to coordinate with and lean on one another. Messages pertinent to public health should ideally be unified not only within individual organizations but also across different institutions. Competitors can be collaborators in times of uncertainty, working together to use approachable language, elevate expert voices to reach different audiences and combat health misinformation.
- Defining moments need to be embraced. Every health institution eventually reaches an inflection point. This moment can create opportunities for growth in redefinition. Yet too often, a well-intentioned focus on the details and words can create tunnel vision and distract from actual meaningful action. That can lead to milquetoast efforts and interminable attempts to boil the ocean. Use focused, actionable, intentional language to drive necessary change that backs up the inspirational words muraled along your campus hallways.
- All stakeholders must be engaged in those defining moments. Take a thoughtful approach by including frontline and ancillary workers in conversations about evolution. Their insight is valuable. Moreover, when changes are rolled out, they’ll already feel a part of the process. Invest in efforts that empower your teams to do their best work, support their wellbeing and streamline menial work via technology. Your frontline workers can be your biggest advocates—or your biggest detractors. It’s imperative to nurture culture and trust through your shared mission and on the ground efforts to improve their work-life.
- Speak with a purpose guided by your mission when the conversation carries immense weight. Whether you’re trying to find the right words amid a global pandemic, during outcry over women and transgender individuals’ healthcare restrictions or in harrowing instances of gun violence, lead your messaging with an emphasis on your culture and collective mission. Foster clarity, internally and externally, ensures that when you have pertinent information to share with the public, who you are and what purpose you serve is understood and consistent.
