Physician Voices are Critical for Quality of Care
It stands to reason that the most qualified individuals to make healthcare policy decisions would be those who are trained in medicine. Yet, physician voices have been limited in the decision-making discussions that have far-reaching implications for millions of Americans. In fact, an October 2020 survey commissioned by The Physicians Foundation found that “84% of physicians rate increasing the number of physician leaders in key decision-making roles as one of the most important future steps to ensuring high-quality, cost-efficient care to all.”
On a microlevel, physician leadership is just as important. Safeguarding clinical autonomy and relying on physicians to help craft policies and procedures are the best ways healthcare organizations can ensure quality of care.
Managing a Crisis from Every Angle
Safely caring for patients amidst a global pandemic is no small feat. To further complicate matters, COVID-19 restrictions and mandates vary from state to state, and even city to city. Immediately, QualDerm’s leadership understood that this crisis had to be managed from every angle and at every level. The Chief Medical Officer and the physician-led Quality Council researched and provided daily COVID-19 updates to all QualDerm-affiliated providers. This group also developed extensive safety protocols following the CDC and other national healthcare organizations’ guidelines. These protocols were then reviewed by each Regional Joint Operating Committee so that they could be adapted to meet local needs. This process is ongoing as the pandemic lingers and information rapidly changes.
Simultaneously, QualDerm’s IT team implemented and trained providers on a new telehealth platform in order to minimize disruptions of care for high-risk patients and those in regions that required dermatology practices to temporarily close. Other QualDerm departments worked to navigate the financial, legal and human resources elements of the pandemic. This teamwork approach allowed the physicians to focus their time on safety measures and quality patient care, helped ensure the practices’ furloughed employees were taken care of, and that the practices could remain financially stable.
Growing a Quality-Driven Network
QualDerm’s model is a True PartnershipSM. Physicians hold leadership positions on the Board of Directors, on each Regional Joint Operating Committee, and are the only voting members of the Quality Council. This keeps physician voices strong within the organization, ensuring decisions are made which benefit the patients, not just the bottom line.
QualDerm-affiliated physicians have clinical autonomy as well as a say-so in how the network grows. From the beginning, the organization has been selective in its growth strategy. QualDerm relies on its affiliated physicians’ input and seeks to partner with the type of dermatologists and Mohs surgeons who the organization’s partners will be proud to call colleagues. QualDerm’s commitment to physician leadership is the key to keeping quality at the core of everything we do.
Learn more about how QualDerm’s commitment to physician leadership and clinical autonomy can help your practice thrive.
Contact us to find out about partnership opportunities or to discuss selling your practice.