156: Mamba Mentality Meets Healthcare Quality with Brittany Fennell MBA, LSSGB, CPHQ

The Healthcare QualityCast

Introducing today's guest, Brittany Fennel who currently serves as the Director of Quality Metrics for MedCura Health with a role focused on establishing processes and infrastructure to continued improvement in healthcare. In this episode, Brittany describes her journey into healthcare, highlighting the intentional steps and methods she employed, lessons learned along the way, and her hopes for the future of Healthcare Quality. Top Takeaways [00:35] A quote that inspires Brittany is Kobe Bryant's 10 rules; "Get better every single day, Prove them wrong, Work on your weaknesses, Execute what you practiced, Learn from greatness, Learn from wins and losses, Practice mindfulness, Be ambitious, Believe in your team, and Learn storytelling". [18:35] Best moment of failure: This occurred when Brittany did her very best to prepare and deliver a presentation to clinicians but got a response that was not encouraging. She learned that she had to change her mode of delivery as a non-clinician in a clinical space, by engaging clinicians in one-on-one conversations that build trust and relationships. [25:56] Tools for building intimate connections: For starters, people need to know they can freely speak their minds without fear of judgment. Secondly, be yourself; know and be open about your strengths and limitations. Additionally, it's good for people to have the mindset to do their best knowing some days will be better than others. [30:20] Best "Aha" moment: This was also when she had the presentation that didn't get the expected response, particularly the realization that it is pivotal to know your audience and adopt the most effective means of communicating with them. [36:34] People need to be made to see healthcare as any other business, with several different aspects that would benefit from innovation by healthcare quality professionals while offering various opportunities to them at the same time. [39:37] Brittany is most inspired by her interactions with different areas of the business and the different roles they play as it relates to her work, creating the fundamental background for the business to thrive. [41:43] Best Career Advice: Everything does not require an immediate response or decision. [43:47] A personal habit that contributes to your success? Having a good information management system which includes putting things down meticulously such that they can just be checked up and the mind has space for creativity. [45:07] One Note and a handwritten planner. Other very effective tools for planning are Notion and "The Full Focus Planner". [48:28] Professional Society and Conference recommendations: National Association of Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) and Vizient. [50:34] Book recommendation: "The Price We Pay" by Marty Makary M.D [52:17] Brittany's message to herself in the past would be "It's going to be okay". To herself 10 years in the future, she would say "Just do it". [53:43] Connect with Brittany on LinkedIn. Key Quotes: "Beyond the data, beyond the regulatory impact, there's a story to be told" "Population health only improves when the outcomes of many individuals improve...and that's what value-based care is working to do" "Do everything you want to do, try to do it, if you fail, you know it's not fatal...go for it and believe in yourself along the way" Connect: LinkedIn – Brittany Fennel --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/healthcarequalitycast/message