Q&A: The system tracers and interviews

Q: Do you have any recommendations for how to prepare staff for system tracers and interviews?

A: Schedule practice sessions for the interview-type group sessions. Amazingly, it is not unusual for staff members to attend mock survey sessions and seem totally unprepared. As a group, discuss your vulnerabilities and determine how they will be addressed. There is no excuse for not being able to address your dad. Determine who is in the best position to respond to a specific issue, but avoid having a single person answering all the questions. This gives you the advantage of having your staff well versed in the findings while the surveyors need to probe.

Another recommendation is to have a practice session with your leadership, including applicable board members. The strategic plan is a good documentation for leadership to have available for reference during this session. Include issues the board members will address. It’s amazing how some leaders are more engaged during this process than others.

During the practice session, determine which specific issue each leader will address. Also decide what examples you would like to highlight during this session in your responses. You probably have many good stories to tell regarding PI and patient care quality, and you should plan to highlight them during the interview when the time is right. You want to leave surveyors with a sense of confidence that you have good oversight of the care delivered in your facility.