Can I really affect the clinic's finances?

After participating in a three and a half-day Bonanza Financial Literacy program and practical application of the newly acquired knowledge is responsible activity and Heads consistently YES. At the Karolinska University Hospital a good working model has been developed to enagaed moderately interested managers to look at the business' finances with completely new eyes.

 

It started at Huddinge Hospital

Requirements from county politicians and hospital management for improved budgeting and more effective monitoring of performance was perceived as further pressure on already overworked managers. "We have enough to concentrate on business - the economy, we still can not do anything about," was a common perception among many managers at the former Huddinge Hospital in 2001 where the management decided to focus on internal management training in economics.

 

- I remember that we were looking for a training partner who could help us get started with your own long-term program, "says Lars Alexandersson who seven years later, the division controller at CS and one of the internal trainers then as now.

 

A different philosophy aroused curiosity and desire

- We got stuck for Bonanza special education with computer arrangement was said to be the most reluctant to recognize that the economy was both easy and fun. If there was even a hospital activities, however, was uncertain. But time was money, so it was decided to quickly get started with Bonanza-education of the hospital's 10-tal controllers, of which I was one, to see how we got into our pedagogy. In that case, it was not a question of learning about economics.

- But an unexpected effect was that both I and my colleagues tanned economy did experience a whole new dimension to the presentation of profit and loss statement. Without compromising on the quality of reporting they appeared suddenly as unusually readable and comprehensible. Now would be a challenge to test the methodology in the harsh situation in a number of business managers.

 

- The first time I felt a bit shaky. It became no better of course participants more or less pronounced wonder about the meaning of it all. Why should we put ourselves in the economy? Money is always? But just an hour later, when we had started from the private economy, came smiles that revealed that pedagogy went home. At the end of the first day was the desire and interactivity on top. However, since I had only taught basic economics. The next day we would enter the hospital's real economy.

 

Focus on the monthly balance report - all trained in critical thinking

Lars continues: "I do not think we could get to grips with the various activities the economy without the basic knowledge of private and public economy. Day 2 we couple that we had gone through the day before with the practical business finance and its application in the public sector. Day 3 was devoted entirely to the hospital and the various divisions of its own economy with a focus on interpretation of the monthly balance report. Guess it was meaningful

- All were involved and had questions and comments. And best of all, the participants questioned why they did it in one way or another in business and came up with concrete proposals on measures to improve the economy.

2001 placed education systems at Huddinge - and from 2005 also in CS - and since then has been run every year except 2007th I think we are really good at this. Bonanza basic teaching tools and their resonance is still the base, but over the years, we have also developed its own complementary materials.

It is interesting to see how quickly the new thinking goes in and shatter preconceptions about the economy and the hospital business is a slightly soluble equation. The realization has been to understand and track of the economy is a practical question of survival "notes Lars Alexandersson.

 

Enthusiastic educator is the key to success

 - If we are at the Karolinska by approximately 5 000 employees at two hospitals (Solna and Huddinge), can develop and manage this kind of training, mainly of internal resources has to ask what other hospitals can do, "says Dennis Forsberg, chief controller of the overall Research & Education Unit (Research, Development, Education) in KS since April 2007.

 

Dennis is also responsible for the training group on economics and was previously financial desk at the Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University.

- Either concludes that only the really big hospitals that can handle it or you turn it on logic and say that it probably is easier in smaller hospitals. For my part, I believe that all hospitals can do it. And why not get help from each other? In the long run, I can imagine comparing the economic outcomes, not only between clinicians and departments but also between hospitals. And then it's easier if we have Bonanza teaching basic plate to assume, like Dennis.

 

How to get hold of good trainers?

- When I came to KS was economics education has already sat in the system, but in 2008 we made a real fresh start through to reassess the old material and add new. The reason was that demand increased in the whole business so we needed both intensifying and upgrading education. Per year running we have five training sessions of three half-days with 20 people at a time. I see it as a constant work in progress. It will of course also new managers continuously in a big hospital like this.

- Obviously we are fortunate to have about 30 controllers at seven different divisions. Among those who assumed the additional task to be included in the training group is great interest and commitment. In several, there was a mild concern from the beginning: "How will the activity to receive it, we pass?" But the result was well above expectations, which spurred educators who find it fun and meaningful to break the controller task with an education that every now and then. Training group also meets regularly to discuss impressions, ideas and improvements.

- I believe that our model works in any hospital at any time and that on each hospital also has at least one enthusiast who can launch similar training. Call me otherwise so I rented out one, "said Dennis with a smile.

 

Feedback from the business generates a buzz

- Personally I think also that it is important to get out of the business for yourself to understand how the financial reporting and analysis can be translated into concrete benefits, "continues Dennis.

- In several places, we see a clear cost-consciousness associated with the responsibility out of business. Employees want a completely different way to understand how they may affect the entity's own economy and understand the relationships with divisional controller comes with its questions. And for us controllers, it has become a constructive dialogue where we feel that the employees give us valuable feedback. As controller, it is otherwise difficult to get information in a meaningful way. Resonance tool has really helped to communicate "hard" information in an accessible way, "says Dennis Forsberg.

 

How to do some course participants

Åsa Lindblad, nurse, Children's Medical, KS

"In everyday life I work not so much with the economy, except that I approve invoices and entering as the head occasionally, but I wanted to understand how the County Council's economy works behind what you normally see. It was the training interesting and in line with my expectation. I really liked the pedagogy to compare county economy, with even the private economy. All of the presentation seemed logical, so it was obviously receptive to the explanations. And I know now that I can use the knowledge when needed. "

 

 Malin Holmqvist, clinic administrator, Emergency Clinic, KS

"The fact that I, among other things, manages the clinic's research budget, but did not feel quite at home in economic terms, I reported myself to the course. I also thought it might be useful to have better knowledge to keep up with the discussions about the clinic reorganization. Much is all about economics. Now, after the course is the large amounts that spins around more easily understood and the connections clearer. I am simply confident in my professional capacity. "

 

Magnus Larsson, assistant. Chief, Pediatric Surgery, CS

"As doctors we are working of course with people. Figures and economy are more abstract, not just my special branch. But when we got to work with the fictitious hospital Tuna and follow the patient Mona economy suddenly became really interesting. I liked the presentation where the instructor was able to do it all both less dramatic and fun at a comfortable level. Working material was really educationally designed. Our international meetings around the economy has been given a new meaning when I now understand the context better, and dare to challenge one another. Hospital Economics is after all a bit special compared with ordinary business."