Thank you to those who recently joined our policyIQ Solution session on Developing an Effective Policy and Procedure Management Process. And special thanks to Donna McLean, from Surgical Care Affiliates, for presenting and providing her expertise on the subject! We stuffed the session full of tips on developing your own project plan, on successful implementation of that plan and on the use of policyIQ throughout the implementation, as well as for ongoing management of your documentation.

Write a “policy on writing policies”! What?!

One of the key steps in a successful P&P implementation is starting with a “policy on writing policies”. policyIQ users can access a sample within your policyIQ Help guide. Some key topics that you might consider for your policy on writing policies can be found here:

• Maintenance
• Format
• Responsibility
• Communication
• Approvals
• Revisions
• Retention
• Retiring a Policy
• Storage
• Tracking

Senior-level Sponsorship

A critical point that was re-iterated by session attendees is the need for executive level buy-in. Establish buy-in and the “tone at the top” early in the process. This level of support and sponsorship of the implementation will better ensure that users engage in the process and contribute to its success.

Lessons Learned

Outside of the typical project management traits (i.e. planning, communication, training, change management, continuous improvement), Donna shared some lessons learned from her experience in this and similar implementations. In addition to landing that top level support early, she recommends to project managers:

• Be willing to adapt: come in with a plan, but be prepared to revise or even abandon it and start again depending on the current state and needs of the organization.
• Build a strong, committed team.
• Provide training for tools and techniques.
• Listen!  Don’t assume you know how the business works in the various units.  Business Process Mapping can help to establish the foundation.
• Capture reality and move toward best practices. Your documentation must reflect what “is”, not what “should be”.

Want more information? See for yourself, read our materials, talk to us directly!

If you are interested in reviewing the recording of this P&P session or any of our solution-focused training sessions, you may access them on our Training Page. Click here to launch the latest recording, Effective Policy and Procedure Management, directly.

Check out our written guidance on developing your own effective policy and procedure management process within your online Help guide.

We can help you to lay out your plan, to configure policyIQ for your organization’s unique needs and to create and save key reports to your favorites. We can also put you in touch with an expert in your area to join or lead your project team–whatever your need might be. Contact us for more information!