PHI Co-Presents at Joint Provider/Surveyor Training in Michigan

Over 1,000 people assembled on September 23 in Novi, Michigan for a conference on “Culture Change: Person-Centered Care in a Regulatory Environment.”

As is the practice in Michigan, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) hosted this event, which brings together providers and surveyors from across all regions of the state. This tradition of joint provider/surveyor training (JPST) aims to improve relationships, communication, and knowledge between providers and surveyors as they learn together how best to achieve their shared goal of quality care and quality life for Michigan’s nursing home residents.

As reported in previous blog posts, PHI facilitated a multi-stakeholder group in Michigan called “One Vision: Moving Forward” that over the last four years has published multiple clarifications to the reported barriers to person-centered services in the state’s nursing homes. Following the recent completion of the One Vision project, LARA chose to dedicate this conference to disseminating these clarifications in an effort to minimize barriers and accelerate the pace of person-centered services in the state.

PHI Organizational Change Consultant Anna Ortigara (left) keynoted the event, and she was joined by Mattie Warren from LARA and Cheryl Van Bemden, a nursing home administrator and Green House Guide at Porter Hills. These three women made for a dynamic trio as they energized the audience with music, laughter, and knowledge that set the foundation for understanding person-centered care and the possibilities it creates for both staff and residents.

“It was truly an honor to speak at this important event,” Ortigara said. “Providers and surveyors in many states have complicated and tense relationships that seem to distract from the true work at hand. Michigan is doing something very special, with a track record of collaborative events between the provider and surveyor community that allow both to put the residents first.”

Cean Eppelheimer, PHI Midwest Organizational Change Consultant, and Hollis Turnham, PHI Midwest Director, teamed up with representatives from LARA to design the educational content of the day. Each concurrent session was co-taught by one PHI staff member, one LARA staff member, and one provider who is actively implementing the topic being shared.

The sessions were based upon the regulatory clarifications created by One Vision, including food portions and food choices, potlucks and homemade foods, and the great outdoors. The design of each session not only debunked “we can’t because…” thinking — they also modeled collaboration between key stakeholders on behalf of person-centeredness.

“It has been my sincere pleasure to facilitate One Vision meetings, to be at the table where the regulatory clarifications were created, and to support the collaboration that occurred between the One Vision stakeholders,” said Eppelheimer of her role in this process. “And having the opportunity to share this work at JPST and to elevate the person-centered conversation in our state has been an added bonus. It’s very exciting.

“This is a high-involvement model that Michigan should be very proud of and I hope other states will seriously consider replication,” Eppelheimer added.

For more information about One Vision and to read the regulatory clarifications created, visit the PHI One Vision web page.

— by Susan Misiorski, Director of PHI Coaching & Consulting Services