Healthcare Project Management Success: The Importance of Including Decision-Makers on Coding and Auditing Project Calls

Healthcare Project Management Success: The Importance of Including Decision-Makers on Coding and Auditing Project Calls

In health information management consulting, success isn’t just about delivering results; it’s also about fostering collaborative partnerships with our clients. At YES HIM Consulting, we’ve embraced a philosophy that places management, our project stakeholders, at the center of every healthcare project management initiative we undertake.

We’ve seen firsthand how healthcare organizations improved their coding procedures, standardization policies, and revenue cycle operations with the help of a project manager. We’ve established why project kick-off calls are important since they help align stakeholders’ understanding of goals, scope, and deliverables. Project kick-off calls lead to improved project outcomes and the achievement of the organization’s strategic goals. To ensure a successful project kick-off call, download our template here.

Now, let’s explore the significance of including clients on project calls and share success stories that highlight the positive impact of this approach.

Collaboration as the Cornerstone in Healthcare Project Management

At YES, collaboration isn’t just a buzzword – it’s the cornerstone of our approach. When clients are involved in project calls, their perspectives, insights, and concerns become integral to the decision-making process.

This collaboration ensures that our solutions are tailored to the client’s needs and informed by their industry expertise. By actively involving management, we establish a transparent line of communication that facilitates swift decision-making, minimizes misunderstandings, and ultimately drives the project’s success.

Additionally, with each initiative we carry out, at least one member of the YES Executive Management Team serves as a point of contact between the key stakeholders and our consultants, offering their expertise and direction for the project’s duration. One of our certified Project Managers is involved with every project to ensure milestones are met, communication continuously flows, and deliverables are presented to the client.

If you need help identifying your key stakeholders, refer to our previous article for a list of example stakeholders. Or, you may want to develop a Key Stakeholder Map as outlined by David Miller and Mike Oliver in their white paper, Engaging Stakeholders for Project Success, for the Project Management Institute.

Success Story 1: The Power of Proactive Involvement

In a recent project focusing on streamlining coding processes for a large healthcare provider, I, as the Director of Business Strategy & Client Services, seized the opportunity to engage a key stakeholder, a vice president, from the client’s operations team. The stakeholder’s expertise illuminated critical bottlenecks in the existing workflow that had been overlooked during the initial project scoping.

By addressing these challenges early on, we were able to modify our strategy, resulting in a smoother implementation process and a 20% reduction in coding errors post-implementation. This success wasn’t just about delivering on the project; it was about nurturing a relationship that is now positioned for long-term collaboration and growth.

Success Story 2: Turning Feedback into Excellence

Another example that underscores the importance of client involvement comes from a project focused on revamping an educational program for a group of medical coders. One of our Project Managers scheduled regular project calls that included the client’s Director of HIM and training manager. This active participation allowed us to gather real-time feedback on the evolving curriculum.

When the training modules were piloted, the client’s insights led to refinements that significantly enhanced the effectiveness of the program. As a result, the coders’ accuracy rates improved by 15%, demonstrating the direct impact of listening to the client’s voice throughout the project lifecycle.

The Takeaway: Engaging Key Stakeholders for Enduring Success

Incorporating key decision makers on calls isn’t just a checkbox on our project management list; it’s a mindset that drives our success. The success stories above highlight that we’re not just executing tasks by actively involving clients – we’re building relationships based on trust, open communication, and shared goals. Collaborative involvement empowers us to identify challenges early, make informed decisions, and consistently exceed expectations. It’s one of the reasons we’ve been voted to consistently exceed expectations by our clients in our “First Look Report” from KLAS Research.

At YES, we firmly believe that success is a journey, not a destination. By including stakeholders on healthcare project management calls, we ensure this journey is paved with meaningful partnerships, transformative insights, and resounding achievements. As we continue to shape the future of HIM consulting, we’re committed to embracing the power of collaboration every step of the way.

Our talented experts are just a click away – schedule a free consultation or send us an email to discuss your next coding, auditing, or other HIM project.

Sources:

• Miller, D. & Oliver, M. (2015). Engaging Stakeholders for Project Success. PMI White Paper. https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/engaging-stakeholders-project-success-11199