What values and vision does your practice have that makes it different than other medical providers? Organizations big and small have established a set of guiding principles to better define their mission, engage and inspire their employees and better serve their patients.
On this episode of MGMA’s Ask an Advisor podcast, senior editor Daniel Williams speaks with senior advisor Cristy Good about the fundamentals of MVV – mission, vision and values – and a new tool MGMA has created to help practices more easily develop their own MVV statement of principles.
As Good explains, a clearly-stated MVV serves as a foundational tool for shaping culture and guiding decision making. While many practices understand its importance, they often struggle to implement it effectively to make a positive impact.
Good says that MGMA’s new MVV Checklist and Playbook have been developed to simplify the process for practices. These free tools provide a structured, step-by-step approach to developing and implementing mission, vision and value statements.
A fundamental for day-to-day success
A well-orchestrated MVV statement is important in helping to build employee retention, job satisfaction, patient trust and consistent leadership, which can help create a more engaged and productive workforce. In an era of high turnover, it can also offer the fundamentals to make employees feel that they are members of a team.
“It helps the practice and gives them a roadmap not only to develop but sustain that process,” Good says. “By prioritizing your MVV and your workplace culture, leaders can navigate those challenges more effectively and build resilient, high-performing teams.”
Instilling pride in your staff goes a long way to creating a legacy of care and excellence that benefits both employees and patients, she adds. Employees directly and significantly impact your patient care and your patient experience, and keep your patients wanting to come back to you.
Making the MVV a part of the daily discussion
To that end, Good says the completed MVV statement needs to be a visible and active part of every conversation at a practice. More than just posting it in break rooms or work areas, it needs to be incorporated into team meetings, training sessions and even performance evaluations.
“That’s a big piece of it, because people then see the value, and know it’s part of what they’re going to be evaluated on,” she says. “Recognize that and reward employees that are exemplifying those values in their work.”
A practice’s MVV statements can also be communicated externally through patient interactions and marketing efforts, helping to create a branded identity: “This is what our vision and mission is, and what our values are here at this practice.”
Employee involvement is crucial in formulating MVV
Good says a first step to developing a mission, vision and values statement includes preparation and planning. A leadership team needs to be assembled and stakeholders engaged, and then organizations can begin the work by setting clear objectives and reviewing any existing MVV statements.
“This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page before diving into the process,” she says. “The second step then puts focus on data collection and input, which is serving your stakeholders – your staff.”
Rather than a leadership-focused exercise, Good says it is important to have all levels of practice staff involved in providing input on MVV statements. Feedback generated from company-wide brainstorming sessions can then be analyzed to identify common themes and priorities.
“Bringing staff in early ensures that your MVV reflects their perspectives and resonates with everyone in the organization,” she says. “It really helps foster buy-in from the start, making it more likely that employees will embrace and live out the MVV in their daily work.”
Christy adds that staff involvement also helps identify blind spots and opportunities that leadership may not have recognized on their own.
MGMA’s eight-step guide to MVV
Check out MGMA’s free MVV Checklist and Playbook for a simplified way to establish your practice's mission, vision and values.
Additional Resources:
Email us at dwilliams@mgma.com if you would like to appear on an episode. If you have a question about your practice that you would like us to answer, send an email to advisor@mgma.com. Don't forget to subscribe to our network wherever you get your podcasts.
