PartnerSHIPS: aligning your department with administration for smooth sailing

Healthy partnerships with hospital administration are essential for any neurodiagnostics program to experience growth and development. The differing backgrounds of business-oriented administrators and clinically oriented technologists can result in challenges with various departmental initiatives and lead to ineffective outcomes when seeking to balance high-quality, patient-oriented care with efficient and profitable operations. Over the course of a two-year period, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB Health) implemented several changes that have led to better patient care outcomes. These changes were possible because of a remarkably effective collaboration between neurodiagnostic technologists and hospital administration. Proven business principles were combined with evidence-based healthcare and clinical-practice guidelines to facilitate the following initiatives: 1. Combining EEG, electromyogram and nerve conduction studies (EMG/ NCV), intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM), long-term monitoring (LTM), and epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) into one department. 2. Cross-training of technologists. 3. Policy and procedure development. 4. Strategic planning and relationship building. a. Partnering with local community college neurodiagnostic program. b. Building a per diem nurse (PRN)/float pool for coverage. c. Contracting for IONM services. Implementing these changes has resulted in many improvements within the department, such as an overall increase in procedure volumes, professional development and growth opportunities for staff and the availability of additional services for improved patient care.