Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS)

CAVHCS employees us huddle boards to discuss issues, disseminate information, and present challenges.

MONTGOMERY, AL – In December 2019, Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS) began using Huddle Boards in taking steps to become a Highly Reliable Organization (HRO). Huddle Boards, a whiteboard partitioned into six sections, is used by shifts, departments, or groups daily for meetings to discuss issues, disseminate information, and present challenges.
 
Huddle Boards, intended to enhance the communication of information, have since been installed in several areas. Marianne Green, nurse manager of performance improvement, said that since the rollout of the Huddle Board, CAVHCS has had to order more boards. “We had to order 30 boards to install in areas identified”, said Green.
 
“Huddle Boards reach a lot of goals with just this one thing. They increase communication, they look out for patient safety by identifying areas of concern daily, system processes that are not working that need change, allows the review of metrics to indicate if improvement is needed and so much more”, said Green.
 
Also, according to Ms. Green, using Huddle Boards allows the dissemination of information in all directions. In order to achieve the dissemination of communication in all directions, CAVHCS has also initiated what is called HRO Leadership Rounding. These rounds consist of an executive leadership member along with a Quality Management member visiting departments and service areas weekly to participate in group huddles.