Last week, all Virtua Health employees (more than 14,000 people) began a 26-week program focused on personal growth, building relationships, and holistically appreciating the human experience.
Virtua leverages an extensive library of peer-to-peer video “microlearning” curated by California-based company Practicing Excellence to help staff increase meaning in their individual roles and find deeper connections with patients and colleagues. We aim to support you in this way.
“Working in the healthcare industry is demanding and the stakes are inherently high,” said Dr. Reg Blaber, executive vice president and chief clinical officer of Virtua Health. “We want our people to have the tools and resources to feel inspired, challenged and passionate about the incredible impact they create every day.”
Virtua Health is the largest health system to simultaneously deploy the Practicing Excellence platform system-wide. In 2023, 100% of Virtua's leaders have achieved Patent Experience Teaching Certification and over 85% of its employees have achieved Patient Experience Introductory Program certification. This earned Virtua the Practicing Excellence 2023 Commitment to Caregiver Experience Award.
Virtua staff now have access to advanced content that builds on foundational knowledge.
Founded by Dr. Stephen Beeson, Practicing Excellence was originally designed as a tool and resource for physicians. Since then, its learning modules have expanded to include nursing and other health professions. Unlike many training modules, this program does not use quizzes or exams. Rather, weekly “Try this” tasks provide simple instructions for adopting new behaviors and techniques.
“Most people learn best by doing. A short video can serve as a springboard for action, and then teams can gather and share their experiences implementing the tips during the Daily HUG, a human understanding gathering. ,” said Chrisie Scott, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Virtua Health. “Our purpose is to celebrate self-discovery and the continued commitment to be the best you can be.”
“We are excited to partner with Virtua Health on a journey of continuous learning. Their progress and accomplishments will continue to benefit our committed leaders and colleagues, for each other and for Virtua, the services we serve.” This is a direct result of our efforts to do what's best for our patients,” Beeson said.
In addition to Virtua's overall services, several of our colleagues also participate in specialized programs that focus on specific skills such as leadership and effective communication. In March, Virtua recognized its first group of Practicing Excellence Certified Clinician Coaches. This group is 18 of his completed his six-part series on helping healthcare providers overcome burnout by developing their strengths.
“In my job, everyone depends on each other, which builds lasting relationships,” said Dr. Doug Stranges, an emergency room physician who participated in the first clinician coach program. said. “I am grateful to have new tactics that will allow my department to work in harmony and reach our full collective potential.”
The second clinician coach cohort is scheduled to convene in May.
