Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Administrative Fellowship

Projects in this area will allow the Fellow to gain experience and exposure to key components of the hospital as an operating entity. Project scope would include planning, analysis, and implementation for initiatives such as:

• Process improvement activities
• Space/facilities management
• Physician relations
• Staffing/scheduling
• Business plan development
• Project management (planning, financial feasibility, etc.)
• Risk management
• Clinical program development
• Service excellence and patient experience

Ambulatory care provides the Fellow with an understanding of the delivery of care in an outpatient setting and an opportunity to learn about the many support and ancillary services that are integral to the delivery of ambulatory care. Activities could encompass:

• Patient flow
• Operational reports
• Budget issues
• Staff scheduling
• Training issues
• Wayfinding

Financial activities will be included in many projects. In particular, projects are likely to include exposure to the following:

• Patient accounting/billing/collections
• Reimbursement and third party payer mix issues
• Budget development
• Financial modeling
• Volume forecasting
• Financial strategic planning
• NPV analysis

Exposure in this area provides a system level and hospital specific view of the functions of recruitment, salary and benefit administration, training and development, and legal issues.

From developing and implementing an information system master plan that is compatible with the systems at Froedtert Hospital, Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital, Froedtert West Bend Hospital, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Community Physicians and the Medical College of Wisconsin to designing and implementing new programs and applications system-wide, the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin IT offers challenging opportunities for a Fellow. Project scope would include exposure to operational and clinical challenges associated with implementing a legal electronic medical record across multiple settings, including both inpatient and outpatient.

This competency offers the Fellow an opportunity to gain experience in dealing with managed care organizations and insights into the dynamics of contract negotiations. Many aspects of the program will be covered, such as:

• Rate setting for defined populations
• Negotiation skills
• Provider network development
• Reimbursement, charges and cost issues

Projects in this area would provide the opportunity to understand the complexity of managing a clinical service. Nurse staffing, nursing standards, physician credentialing, quality monitoring, and resource management are all part of the many complex aspects of successful nursing/clinical management that would become part of the Fellow’s experience.

• Additional nursing related topics that might be covered include:
• Scheduling and staffing in an environment of flexible demand
• Managing a flexible volume budget
• Clinical pathways/case management
• Care delivery models
• Rounds with interns and residents

Project work in this area supports high quality, cost-effective care and continuous quality improvement. Potential project work may encompass:

• Quality management
• Patient safety
• CQI methodology
• Process improvement (Six Sigma/Lean)
• Benchmarking
• External reporting/database management

Strategic planning and business development are integral cornerstones of a dynamic, growing organization like Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. The Fellow’s work includes opportunities to access or participate in the following:

• Strategic planning
• Situational analysis/business plan development
• Competitor analysis
• Environmental assessment
• Regional business development

Others
Projects and observation of other key functions within a clinical enterprise are also possible. A Fellow could select from such areas as: Patient Relations, Customer Service, Volunteers, Government Relations, Ancillary Services, Public Relations, Marketing, Social Services, and Compliance & Regulatory Issues.

Outside Activities
The Fellow is provided with an opportunity to attend meaningful national and regional meetings, such as Wisconsin Hospital Association meetings where political and legal issues impacting healthcare are presented and discussed.