Make it happen
our people need to know what’s expected of them to help your company meet its goals. Molina uses scorecards, a method that Pollack was only too happy to bring to his division in South Florida.
“Everybody is on the same page with expectations,” Pollack says. “‘Here’s how your performance is going to be measured. Here’s what we think is important for you to be doing.’ Part of the process in developing the scorecards is the communication between, in our terms, we call it the player and the coach.”
Everyone in the company, including Pollack, has a scorecard that tracks three to five metrics for which that individual is responsible.
“You don’t actually do the scorecards until the player has suggested the scorecard that they feel reflects how they contribute to the organization and the coach has signed off and said, ‘Yes, we agree with that,’” Pollack says. “This is about finding out where your weaknesses are and working incrementally to improve them. You use it as a counseling tool and a coaching tool, because there should be incremental improvement. It’s not about finding a way to fire somebody. It’s about making sure the expectations are set correctly and that people understand what they should be doing.”
Pollack uses the scorecarding method to make sure that everyone understands what needs to be done in the effort to build strong relationships with hospitals and providers. Ideas are first discussed with people he has gotten to know and then put on a priority list to make sure they are addressed.
They then are funneled out to people’s scorecards to make sure those goals are accomplished.
“It’s having agreement that, ‘Here’s the tasks that are going to be done and here are the time frames they are going to be done in,’” Pollack says. “You can look at it and say, ‘We’re doing what we should be doing.’”
Eventually, the hospital contract renegotiations rose to the top of the list. Data had been gathered, relationships had been built, and Pollack and his team felt like they were ready to embark on accomplishing this objective.
“You have to understand the data,” Pollack says. “What are the pricing points? What are the operational points that are required to work with the hospital? We’re just on the cusp of finalizing those renegotiations on a successful basis. It really is a lot of communication and face-to-face discussions that this is the right time to go forward.”
Pollack’s company generated $102.2 million in 2009 revenue, and he feels confident that things are on the right track to keep growing.
“There’s really no magic,” Pollack says. “Treat people the way you want to be treated.”
How to reach: Molina Healthcare of Florida, (866) 422-2541 or www.molinahealthcare.com