By: Susan Boydell | sboydell@barlowmccarthy.com
Since the pandemic started, liaisons have been yearning to get back to normal and back in the field calling on practices. Now that it looks like it’s sooner rather than later. It could be the biggest mistake we will ever make, going back to doing what we did before as if the pandemic never happened. Ok, that was harsh, but this is a pivotal point in the upcoming transition for physician liaisons. Unlike how we had to adapt quickly at the beginning of the pandemic, we have a chance to plan and prepare for this next transition. Consider this your “re-entry” plan. We owe it to ourselves, to our teams and our organizations.
Let’s dig into how to get started. Here are four questions to ask yourself. Your answers will help guide areas of focus and the actions to put in place. As you go through this process, think about what might take longer to transition and areas that are more urgent.
Question #1: What worked and what was difficult during the pandemic? I will warn you; there’s a catch to this question. Yes, let’s look at the good and the bad of the last ten months, and then answer the same question from a pre-COVID perspective. Getting past gatekeepers, to have meaningful conversations with physicians has been a challenge in a virtual world, but it was also a challenge pre-COVID. That tells us something, right? Perhaps it has nothing to do with whether you are in person or doing a virtual call. Maybe it’s our approach to the gatekeeper that needs to change. Going back to the way we did it before won’t change that. Opportunity to transition!
Question #2: What do your leaders need from physician relations? Growth remains front and center. After reading that US hospitals lost $22.3 billion delaying elective surgeries due to the pandemic, we have work to do. It’s going to be more important than ever that physician relations teams demonstrate the value and quantify the impact they are responsible for achieving.
Question #3: What are you hearing from your physicians? The pandemic really highlighted serious communication gaps with all physicians, especially independent practices. Liaisons are instrumental in gathering the voice of the physician. How that field intelligence is packaged and communicated to our leaders is extremely important to improving physician engagement.
Question #4: What support or new skills do you need to be successful for your organization? As you work through each of these questions, themes will start to appear. Take a step back and think about what it will take to transition to a better way of performing our roles. This is where you can begin to categorize the urgent vs. the longer-term approach. The long-term items require a thoughtful plan to ensure progress and effectiveness. It’s also essential to assess how you feel about getting out in the field again. For some, it has been a long time. What do you need to feel safe and supported as you begin your fieldwork again?
This is hard work, but there is a reward for the hard work. If you struggle getting started, we’re here to help. Click here to learn about our “re-entry” strategy offerings or just request a quick call at info@barlowmccarthy.com.