Step-by-Step SWOT Toolkit: ! Step-by-Step SWOT Toolkit: Improving Transitions and Communication

SWOT Toolkit Project Purpose: Improving Transitions and Communication Our local hospital team has decided that through the Small Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) grant, that we will be focusing some attention to transitional care to promote the safe and timely passage of patients across care settings. It is the goal to improve the “handoff” of our shared patients with our partners in the community, and to overcome some of the common challenges to these critical transitions. Our focus as a part of this program will be to improve our communications with patients and family caregivers, and with our partners in care such as your organization. As a part of our grant program, our local hospital will be inviting an expert in care management, transitions, and skilled nursing to come on site and moderate a conversation with various members of our team and the hospital team, as well as providing some shared education in this area. In a spirit of partnership, we hope to identify ways we can better work with one another and to improve each and every individuals care.

SWOT Toolkit Project Next Steps: Improving Transitions and Communication Project Next Steps: The first step of the project will be to ask you to complete a SWOT Analysis that is focused on the transition processes, relationships, and preferences when working with our facility in the transferring of patients. The program moderator will utilize this information to address mutual areas of need at the live meeting. It is recommended that the following participate in the SWOT activity at your organization to ensure there are various viewpoints captured at different processes and levels of your team: Administrator, DON, MDS Coordinator, Admissions, etc. – should include both front line and administration. Allow about 90-120 minutes to complete the activity.

WHAT IS A ‘”SWOT?” SWOT Toolkit Improving Transitions and Communication WHAT IS A ‘”SWOT?” A SWOT analysis is a group activity commonly used to identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats relative to your unit or organization. A SWOT analysis helps us to focus on specific areas and determine how you can leverage strengths, address weaknesses, maximize opportunities, and minimize threats. For the purposes of this project, we will be focused on all aspects of patient transitions from and to our local hospital.

Guidelines and Ground Rules SWOT Toolkit Guidelines and Ground Rules All responses are good responses (but let’s try to stick to facts and not opinions or blame!) Everyone participates. Keep in mind your perspective may be unique to others, so its important we all share. At this point, the goal is to capture as many ideas as possible. Some items may appear on more than one list. (For example, customer service may be both a strength and a weakness for your organization.) At this point, the goal is to capture as many ideas as possible. “What happens in this room, stays in this room.” Its important for a level of trust and privacy. We won’t be talking about solutions at this point; only brainstorming.

SWOT Toolkit Internal vs. External and Helpful vs. Harmful In this SWOT Analysis, we will look at both the helpful (strengths and opportunities) and the harmful (weaknesses and threats). We will be thinking about what is both internal to our organization (strengths and weaknesses) and the things outside of our organization that affect us (opportunities and threats.)

SWOT Toolkit Getting Started Select a scribe: On a whiteboard or large post-it pad where all participants can see it, draw and label the four SWOT quadrants. Allow about 45 mins to an hour for this first step.

1. Brainstorm and write down our strengths. Improving Transitions and Communication S 1. Brainstorm and write down our strengths. Strengths Capabilities that enable our organization or unit to perform well (as it relates to transitions) “What do we do well?” or “What is good about us/our service?” What skills do we have? What resources do we have? Etc.

2. Brainstorm and write down our weaknesses. Improving Transitions and Communication W 2. Brainstorm and write down our weaknesses. Weaknesses Characteristics that prevent or hinder our organization or unit from performing well (as it relates to transitions) What do our patients dislike about our service? What are we doing poorly? What is the competition doing much better than we are? What resources do we lack? What areas can we improve on?

3. Brainstorm and write down our threats. Improving Transitions and Communication T 3. Brainstorm and write down our threats. ! Threats possible events or forces outside of our control anything that could cause damage to your organization or service (related to transitions) Who are our competitors? Has there been an increase in competition lately? Where and why? What are the costs of our resources? Is it affecting our bottom line?

4. Brainstorm and write down our opportunities. Improving Transitions and Communication O 4. Brainstorm and write down our opportunities. Opportunities trends, forces, events, and ideas that affect our organization or unit. a combination of different circumstances at a given time that offer a positive outcome, if taken advantage of.

NEXT STEP: Prioritization Each participant should take a minute to approach the SWOT board and indicate which 2 strengths, 2 weaknesses, 2 opportunities and 2 threats they feel are the most important to address: for example, draw a star next to the ones each feels needs attention. Once all have had a chance to make their selections, total up the “stars” and circle the top 3 strengths, 3 weaknesses, 3 opportunities and 3 threats that were identified. Allow about 5 -10 mins for this step

NEXT STEP: DISCUSSION Allow at least 30-45 mins for this step. Make sure that someone is taking notes on discussion items. ! STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS What are some ideas for leveraging these strengths to improve transitions for our patients and with our community partners? What are some ideas for strengthening or addressing these weaknesses to improve transitions for our patients and with our community partners? What are some ideas for maximizing these opportunities to improve transitions for our patients and with our community partners? What are some ideas for minimizing these threats to improve transitions for our patients and with our community partners?

SWOT Analysis Summary Transitions in Care Determine who will compile a SWOT Analysis Summary. This should include: A list of all participants and their title/role Strengths (list all those identified, indicate top 3) Ideas for leveraging these strengths Weaknesses (list all those identified, indicate top 3) Ideas for leveraging or overcoming these weaknesses:   Opportunities (list all those identified, indicate top 3) Ideas for maximizing these opportunities Threats (list all those identified, indicate top 3) Ideas for minimizing these threats

NEXT STEPS Transitions in Care Please complete the SWOT activity and return your summary by Monday, October 15th , or as soon as possible. Please email your summary, as well as any other comments, needs, or feedback, to: Kerry.dunning@kerrydunningllc.com and Jennie.price@hometownhealthonline.com.