Lawrence E. McManus, general partner of Integrity Management Advisors, LLC, has partnered with hospitals to develop Bridge PlanTM to improve financial performance since 2005. Bridge Plans help establish organizational goals, organize managers and directors to achieve individual and organizational targets, and redesign operations to encourage efficiency and change management. A well-established Bridge PlanTM can affect an organizational shift in responsibility and change management from the “C suite” to qualified managers and directors across the clinical and business operations. The bridge plan concept involves the empowerment of staff to develop and impement plans across the organization in a team-oriented approach.
Bridge PlansTM have been successfully developed and implemented across entire organizations: Health care systems implementing the bridge plan process has included Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, Chicago, IL and Eastern Maine Health System, Brewer, ME - including related hospitals and medical groups included below. Hospitals participating in the Bridge PlanTM include - Central DuPage Hospital, Winfield, IL, Delnor Hospital, Geneva, IL, Kishwaukee Hospital, DeKalb, IL, McHenry Hospital, McHenry, IL, Huntley Hospital, Huntley, IL, Woodstock Hospital, Woodstock, IL, Lake Forest Hospital, Lake Forest, IL, St. Josephs Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, St. Raphael Hospital, New Haven, CT, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, ME, Inland Hospital, Waterville, ME, Maine Coast Hospital, Ellsworth, ME, Blue Hill Hospital, Blue Hill, ME. Medical Groups supporting the hospitals have been included as an integral part of the bridge plans developed.
The bridge plan process has also been used to target specific aspects of an organization such as its revenue cycle: UMass Memorial Health Care, Worcester, MA.
The bridge plans are housed on a shared drive, with acess across the management group. Sharing initiatives and worksteps is encouraged to facilitate 'best practice' across the system and maximize financial impact. Completed initiatives that represent annuities are included in the subsequent years budget, while ititiatives in process are rolled into the subsequent years bridge plan.
A finance group improves internal control and fiscal impact by implementing a Bridge PlanTM process following completion of the budget. The process is implemented throughout the year with a target of 'beating budget' by 3 - 5% - thus developing a financial 'cushion' throughout the year. This 'cushion' - at year end - either covers budget variances or results in additional profits above budget. Staff have generally adopted the bridge plan process with enthusiasm due to their empowerment and support by senior management in this 'team-oriented' process.
Technology developed to support the Bridge PlanTM process includes the bridge plan template housed on the shared drive, as well as a bridge plan mobile app for monitoring by management.
Click here to read the bridge plan case study.