BACK TO BASICSPlanning and Program

Development

Unlocking the potential to build and grow your volunteer program

Presented by: Barb Wright, CAVS – Director Volunteer ServicesTennova Healthcare, Knoxville, TN

KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM

¨ Assessment¨ Service Guidelines

– Interdisciplinary and Community collaboration¨ Policies and Procedures¨ Joint Commission Requirements¨ Volunteer Resources¨ Reports and Records¨ Bench Marking¨ Strategic planning and program development

A leader is one who knows the way, shows the way and

goes the wayJohn C. Maxwell

ASSESSMENT

Merriam –Webster defines assessment as:

1. The action or instance of assessing : Appraisal

2. An opinion on the nature, character or quality of something.

LEARN TO ASSESS¨ L= Look at your hospital and your program through new

eyes; you have to understand the culture of your organization and where your hospital is headed.

¨ E = Evaluate who needs you/the volunteers the most; what impact will this service have

¨ A = Ask yourself what is going to attract volunteers to your hospital/program/service

¨ R = Reasonable expectation; don’t do everything at once

¨ N =Never underestimate the possibilities; budget is a factor, but don’t be held hostage if it’s something you believe in. You’ll find a way!

Assessing Your Current Programs

A = Assess the value and effectiveness of current services; have they passed their prime?

S = Staff willingness to work with volunteers and do they recognize a

need for volunteers?K = Know what’s expected of you and

your department. Be proactive.

“Success = dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see done.”

Frank Lloyd Wright

SERVICE GUIDELINES Once you determine the areas or a new service for volunteers, then you need

to set the guidelines for that service.

• Title• General description• Basic Information• Training Requirements• Competencies• Limitations or Health

requirements

¨ The right to know law¨ Physical assessment of

the program¨ Skills required¨ Steps/functions of this

service¨ Attach any support

documentation

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Two philosophies about policies and procedures

1. It’s a road map of what should happen in any circumstance.

OR

2. If you write it down you have to follow it.

Policies and Procedures

¨ State purpose¨ Who will be served by

this policy (staff, volunteers, both)

¨ Outline the policy and procedures as you see it.

¨ Review or revise annually or as needed

¨ Document that you’ve reviewed or revised either on each policy or with a cover statement at the front of the book.

¨ Does your administrator need to review?

THE JOINT COMMISSION

Survey’s 20,000 health care organizations in the US each year

The process evaluates a hospitals compliance with these standards

Began unofficially in 1910; created as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals

Since 1951 has maintained state-of-the-art standards that focus on improving the quality and safety of care provided by health care organizations

BENEFITS OF A SURVEY¨ Strengthens community

confidence in the quality and safety of care, treatment and services.

¨ Provides a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

¨ Improves risk management and risk reduction.

¨ Helps organize and strengthen patient safety efforts.

¨ Provides education on good practices to improve business operations.

¨ Provides professional advice and counsel thereby enhancing staff education.

¨ Enhances recruitment and development of professional staff.

¨ Provides deeming authority for Medicare certification.

Benefits, continued

¨ Recognized by insurers and other third parties.

¨ May reduce liability insurance costs.

JOINT COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS

What do we really know?

WHEN LOOKING FOR ANSWERS, LOOK AT THE FACTS

¨ Un-Announced survey process started in January 2006

¨ Mirror Human Resources Standards¨ Standards available on the JC web site

www. jointcommission.org¨ Follow your policies and that of your

hospital.¨ Ask your fellow members about their

survey.

UNDER Q&A

¨ Q: Do the standards in the human resource chapter apply to contracted and volunteer personnel? If yes, how is compliance with the standards surveyed? A: The standards in the human resource chapter apply to direct, contract, and volunteer personnel providing patient care and/or services on behalf of an organization, regardless of whether the contracted organization is accredited. 

¨ Patient care personnel can include, but are not limited to:• nursing, therapy, dietary, pharmacy, activities staff, drug and alcohol

counselors such as AA counselors, and nursing assistants/aides ¨ Patient services personnel can include but are not limited to:• homemakers, companions, sitters, chore workers, drivers, home

medical equipment delivery and repair technicians. ¨ Non-patient care or service personnel who would not be included

are, for example:• volunteers who deliver the mail or flowers, staff the information desk, gift

shop or library services, perform patient errands (e.g. writing and mailing letters or obtaining magazines and toiletries from the gift shop), conduct marketing or fund raising activities, or provide simple wheelchair transport services (e.g. discharging patients).

¨ Volunteers: When volunteers perform patient care or services the organizations must manage volunteer personnel just as they must manage services and personnel who are provided by direct employees 

HR STANDARDSStandard HR.1.20Staff qualifications are

consistent with his or her job responsibilities.

Standard HR 01.02.05Hospital verifies staff

qualifications and items such as criminal background checks and applicable health screenings.

Standard HR. 01.04.01The hospital provides

orientation to staff by determining key safety content, policies and procedures, specific duties, sensitivity to diversity, patient rights and ethical treatment

Standard HR 01.05.03Staff participates in ongoing

education and training. Participation is documented. Meet the needs of the population served.

Standard HR 01.07.01The hospital evaluates staff

performance every three years or more frequently as required by hospital policy

VOLUNTEER RESOURCES

If you build it, will they come? From where?

VOLUNTEER RESOURCES“Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent

out of shape!”

¨ Open the box and really think about what kind of people would be attracted to your program.

¨ Communication – how are you going to tell them about your needs

¨ Make time for them-get them in as soon as they’re interested

¨ Set limits but be flexible about their schedule

TARGET MARKETING

¨ Millenials = 36-14 years old – 95 million strong

¨ Boomers = 68-50 years old – 79 million stong

Where can you find volunteers

¨ Churches¨ Salon’s are closed on Monday’s¨ Businesses that want to adopt a service¨ College Students¨ College teachers¨ Retired Teachers associations¨ High School SOSE¨ Kroger’s during lunch¨ Health Centers¨ Technical colleges – secretaries, IS, health careers

Identify your problem areas

¨ What’s holding someone back from coming to volunteer for you?

¨ How could you resolve this?¨ Is there someone to partner with in the

community?

REPORTS AND RECORDS

¨ Record retention mirrors Human Resources– Application– Criminal background check– References– Documentation that they’ve received their

service booklet, handbook, orientation materials, competency check list

– Competency check list– Evaluations

Records…..– Complaints or problems you’ve addressed– Time sheets– Annual educational sessions– Recognition and awards– Correspondence– Letters of resignation– If they take medical leave– Exit interviewsNOTE: Health records are to be kept separate

REPORTSShow the value of your program

Currently the Independent Sector values volunteer time at $22.14.

What is valuable to your organizationIs it dollar value? Hours per month? Number of volunteers? Percentage of increase in hours, overall and by service? Year to date totals? How many patients you come in contact with? How many families you served? Talents and skills bank? Gift Shop records and fundraising reports

Collecting the Data

How do you collect this information?

- Each volunteer keeps track

- Have another volunteer who enjoys this process to collect the information

- Automated systems like Volgistics, or an Access program

Collect it, use it and know it…..

Other types of records or reports

¨ By-Laws¨ Annual reports/State Annual Reports for

Auxiliary¨ Newsletters¨ Minutes of meetings¨ Audited financial statements¨ Contracts and leases¨ Bookkeeping journals and ledgers¨ Income Tax returns

BENCHMARKING

How do you know how you’re doing?

What is Benchmarking

¨ From PubMed.gov “Benchmarking - the process of establishing a standard of excellence and comparing a business function or activity, a product, or an enterprise as a while with that standard – will be used increasingly by healthcare institutions to reduce expenses and simultaneously improve product and service quality.”

*PubMed.gov; Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC

Types of Benchmarking

There are three kinds of benchmarking¨ Internal – functions within an organization are

compared to each other¨ Competitive – doing business in the same market

and provide a direct comparison of products or services

¨ Functional and generic – are performed with organizations which may have a specific functions, such as payroll or purchasing, but which otherwise are in a different business

Quantitative Measurements

The process or activity that you are attempting to benchmark will determine the types of measurements used. Benchmarking metrics usually can be classified in one of four categories:

1. Productivity2. Quality3. Time4. Cost related*PubMed.gov; Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC

What Can You Measure and Compare?

¨ Full Time equivalency rate¨ Hours of service¨ Revenue managed¨ Cost per volunteer¨ Multiple roles of DVS’s¨ Department budget¨ Number of FTE’s as compared to other

programs

Results of Benchmarking

¨ Which services or programs bring the most value to your organization and support the organizations mission and goals.

¨ Helps you implement more creative, cost-effective ways to deliver services.

¨ Keeping track of your “successes” helps you promote the value of your department and the role it serves in meeting the goals and mission of the organization

Results – Best Practices

Best Practices are the best of the best! Services are performed in a more cost effective, efficient manner.

Where do you look for Benchmarking Information?

¨ Hospital may belong to an organization¨ Professional societies – AHVP, SHVL and

THVRP (state organization)¨ Web sites¨ Newsletters¨ Ask other DVS’s!

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Where do we go now that we’re

up and running?

HOW TO CREATE A STRATEGIC PLAN…….

IN 54 EASY STEPS

Step One…

Throw out 50 of the steps and ask yourself these four questions:

1. What do I see as the mission and goals of the volunteer department and are they in line with the organizations mission and goals?

2. What program's would add value and are they unique?

3. How can I/we accomplish these goals and in what time frame?

4. Who can help us achieve these plans? Volunteers, staff, community

Your strategic plan is your road map for the future. Look at it annually and revise when needed. Be collaborative in your plan and get others involved.

INTERDISCIPLINARY AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION

In making your strategic plan think about other departments you could work with as well as community groups. Partnering is a great way of accomplishing a big project.

Collaborative Ideas

¨ Music program at the local college to come and play in the hospital

¨ Local Business – Starbucks; Bonefish; salons closed on Monday’s

¨ Assisted Living facilities – often have their own transportation

¨ Special needs class at a local high school

THE FINALE!

The big secret to a successful volunteer program

THE PEOPLE…The volunteers you choose, the patients and families you

serve. They are the reason for your work

To succeed in life you need two things: ignorance

and confidence

Mark Twain