Start with your early adopters, and use them as a testing group to work out the kinks in your By-Name List policies and protocols. Use your learning from this test group to bring disengaged providers on board.

Check Out this Bright Spot If…

• You need to increase the number of providers contributing data to the By-Name List (BNL)
• The main reason other providers are hesitant to participate is lack of a formal process
• You want to try it!

Summary

When the community leaders in Fayetteville, Arkansas began creating a BNL process, there were only a few providers involved. They chose to take the opportunity the small group provided to test various processes and protocols for the list, working through technological or compliance related issues, and ensuring that the process would be closer to airtight as they started recruiting new providers. 

As their process for the BNL continued to improve, the leaders found it easier to recruit disengaged providers with the BNL. They were also able to better communicate the rationale for the BNL and its benefit to clients, as well as to providers with concrete examples of how the process had worked well.

Key Action: Start with Early Adopters

Fayetteville, AR was able to greatly increase provider participation in their BNL by starting with their early adopters. Their veteran housing providers, including their local VA, had already established bi-weekly case conferencing, and formed the backbone team for engaging in PDSA cycles to improve the BNL process and recruit more providers.

The freedom to make mistakes and learn as a small group freed the group to try new change ideas. As they celebrated their successes and failures, the group distilled what they learned into a training for new providers who come on board. Having most of the kinks in the process worked out, along with examples of success were helpful in making the case to participate in the BNL to some of the previously disengaged providers.

Key Action: Run PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) Cycles

Fayetteville credits using a PDSA cycle as their key to success for enrolling more providers in the BNL. By starting with a small group making small tests of change, they were able to produce a more finished product and implement it at a small scale before attempting to implement it at scale for all providers.

Using PDSA cycles to improve the BNL process not only helped identify new veterans experiencing homelessness, but also demonstrated the need for additional, specific provider training and some changes to other existing protocols.

Want more information?

Contact Cari Bogulski (cari.bogulski@harknwa.com) at the Center for Collaborative Care.