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Introduction
Glytec’s eGlycemic Management System® (eGMS) featuring Glucommander has the ability to standardize glycemic management and improve outcomes for patients. But realizing the full potential of this technology requires buy-in from leadership, IT, providers, nurses and other stakeholders across departments and facilities – no small feat.
At Novant Health, that task is particularly daunting, as the nonprofit integrated healthcare system spans 18 facilities, each with their own glycemic management processes.
After Novant invested in eGMS, Hospitalist Clinical Lead Dr. Aman Amin was determined to champion its adoption. As Novant’s new Glucommander Physician Champion Lead, Dr. Amin acknowledged that gaining buy-in would be difficult. He knew from experience that communication breakdowns were likely to hamper the initiative if they weren’t addressed proactively.
Dr. Amin hoped to create a champion program that would open strong lines of communication between IT, nurses, providers and leadership, ultimately strengthening relationships and aligning policies and practices.
But could he establish ownership of the program and introduce a system that everyone could learn? Would they be open to collaboration and change? Dr. Amin was ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work.
| Novant Health is a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system that serves patients and communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia. Novant is known for its commitment to innovation and a culture of patient safety, especially in glycemic management. Novant invested in Glytec’s eGMS, and Hospitalist Clinical Lead Dr. Amin became the Glucommander Physician Champion Lead to support its adoption. But that proved to be a challenge. With Novant’s size and number of facilities came an Achilles heel: a disconnect in the flow of information, disparate processes and a lack of engagement with providers, IT and nurses. |
“By having Glucommander champions at every level of the facility, we have more of what I call an ‘elbow-to-elbow’ teaching opportunity, where I or the other group of champions can sit next to providers and show them in real time how we can impact patients.”
The Problem
Dr. Amin knew that great ideas can come from anywhere, but in his 13 years of experience as a hospitalist had seen time and again how hierarchical structures kept them from always being heard, especially when they came from the bedside.
And Novant was no different. Communication was often onedirectional, meaning high-level stakeholders were not receiving key insights into how programs were working on a day to day basis, or their overall impact. This often led to disconnects and lack of engagement between nurses, providers, and Novant’s IT team – all teams Dr. Amin knew were critical for a successful implementation of eGMS.
Recruiting advocates for Glucommander so that information could be more easily shared would be a big hurdle for Dr. Amin, as would dispensing the information across multiple facilities. But it was key to successfully implementing the new technology, and without it he doubted they’d see the increased patient safety and bottom line returns Novant was hoping for.
The SolutionDr. Amin identified three main goals for addressing these communication issues:
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Engage IT
Engaging IT meant looking beyond a one-and-done implementation program. Instead, Dr. Amin built a strong relationship with the IT team that he continues to cultivate year over year.
Improve Communications
Dr. Amin also reversed the top-down communication flow by first learning about what nurses were actually encountering at the bedside and then advocating for their needs with leadership. He figured, if he couldn’t help them directly address issues and answer questions about the new technology, how could he expect to get their buy-in — let alone anyone else’s?
Additionally, Dr. Amin worked iteratively to find best practices, which he believed would answer the “why” for stakeholders across the healthcare system and earn widespread buy-in.
Establish Ownership
Understanding that no practice change initiative can be successful without clear ownership, Dr. Amin established himself as the project owner. He became a source of knowledge for anyone that needed help with the new system, including bedside nurses, IT team members and providers. By making himself available, Dr. Amin demonstrated consistency and acted as a liaison between end users and the leadership team. This had the effect of encouraging communication and collaboration that flowed in multiple directions.
But no man is an island, and to keep things going Dr. Amin created a Glucommander Champions Program, which trained others to take ownership over the system as well. This program allows other heroes in the organization to support and teach each other.
The ResultsThanks to the work of one champion, Novant now has a Glucommander Champions Program. Dr. Amin was able to cultivate relationships not just between himself and nurses, IT, providers and leadership, but also within and among these different teams. |
Results Summary
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Dr. Amin secured buy-in at all levels of the hospital, from frontline workers to leadership. He established clear communication that flows in multiple directions and allows insights to move across departments. Additionally, clinicians now have more impact on IT. |
People across teams are trained in Glucommander, providing “elbow-to-elbow’’ opportunities for teaching in real time, and empowering workers at all levels of the healthcare system to offer better, more consistent and more specific glycemic care for patients. |
Novant used Glucommander to align policies, practices and technology. This has translated into real clinical practice and significantly impacted workflow. |