With government regulations, competition in the marketplace and tightening budgets driving healthcare decisions today, gathering data-and putting it to work-is as important to starting or growing a program as any other factor. Leaders across the country are working hard to frame their decision making and develop consensus within the leadership team with both objective and subjective sources of information. The data often becomes the key determination for developing and carrying out a strategic direction.

There's evidence of that approach at Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln, Neb., where the leadership team makes it a point to use strong data resources for their initiatives. The organization regularly uses the information to update its medical staff development plan. The data they uncover helps identify any gaps or surpluses in resources and provides hard evidence to refer back to. It also assists Leadership in taking an objective look at the marketplace to review gaps or opportunities.

Charlotte Liggett, vice president-strategic planning and business development, says her team takes two approaches to determining these gaps. One is straightforward: "What does the community or region need from us and how many people are available to address these needs?"

The second looks at the gaps from a strategic standpoint: "Do enough physician resources exist for us to appropriately and competently execute our strategic plans? What can we do to address any shortage?"

To stay up to date with the answers to these questions, Liggett and her team enlisted the help of Corporate Health Group. While the organization could find the information they need on their own, Liggett knows that an outside consultant provides-and commands-important objectivity.

"I'm always cognizant that physicians and business leaders will tell things to a consultant that they won't tell me," she says. "A consultant can offer a wealth of experience in asking good questions and getting good information."

Liggett was interested in what Saint Elizabeth physicians had to say about several areas:

• Their attitudes toward the health care system.
• Where their practice is in its life cycle and where they want it to go.
• Their plans for retirement.
• Thoughts about access, other specialties and any concerns about their practices.

The report also provided information how the organization measured up to industry models, including GMENAC, Longshore & Simmons and the Catholic Health Initiative. Results showed a range by specialty and if a specific area warranted more physician resources.

Based on the physician interviews and the comparison of the three models, as well as recommendations provided by CHG, Liggett received a plan that "crystallized our thinking in house."

The organization has used the data to support recruiting decisions, check government compliance issues and further their strategic planning. Liggett says she often uses the recommendations in the report as a reference point when discussing issues with the board of directors.

Beyond the usual implications of the plan, the data also helped Saint Elizabeth leadership recognize a need to develop more consistent communication with the medical staff. Subsequently, the organization has added three business development coordinators who are responsible for developing business in particular service lines.

"Previous to this, we've had two different models of trying to do physician sales, but they hadn't been as successful as we hoped," Liggett notes. "The data we received was helpful to us in setting up a new model."

"Having solid data to present lends credence to the administrative team," she adds," if you can say 'it's not just us saying what's appropriate for our organization, but it's also a consultant saying this.'"

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