By Kate Traynor, RN, MC, FAACVPR | November 28, 2018

“We shall have no better conditions in the future if we are satisfied with all those which we have at present.” - Thomas Edison

Dear AACVPR Nation,

Over the past few months, I’ve been fortunate to have been invited to speak at a few state affiliate meetings. I so appreciate those opportunities to be with you, learn from you and interact directly with you, our members. I have a few more “dates” on my calendar that I am very much looking forward to.

Thank you for those invitations and the chance to meet you on your home turf! I truly believe that these chances to connect in person and share our thoughts, dreams and goals together make us a stronger organization, now and in the future.

And over these same months, I have been immersed in the “business” of AACVPR, which is robust and diverse and has challenged me in a number of ways.

I’ve reflected on my numerous conversations with you and our leadership and my message in Louisville — and I am more convinced than ever that a focus on our values is paramount, specifically to be proactive and have the courage to innovate.

Disrupting or changing the status quo is never easy or comfortable — especially if no real sense of urgency exists or there is a comfortable satisfaction with processes that are set in place. However, there is a hidden danger in doing things in the same way they have always been done.

Complacency has the potential to inhibit your ability to push yourself to become stronger or achieve new successes — quite possibly because there is a lack of acknowledgement of impending challenges or a satisfaction with the current state of affairs.

This is not the time for any of us to take our foot off the gas or show a reluctance to embrace change. AACVPR and our CR and PR Programs are in the crosshairs of a number of forces: financial pressures, payment reform, regulatory pressures, legislative challenges, need for practice innovations and program efficiencies; and partner organizations and groups have taken up arms to help us address our referral and enrollment gaps.

How can you tell if you have a comfortable contentment or feel satisfied with the current state of affairs? Ask yourself if you are being challenged, if you are learning — and if that is making you feel slightly nervous. (Nerves can be a positive!) Ask yourself when the last time was that you tried something new, or if your work life or program has become routine and predictable.

The best way to move out of complacency is to raise your standards and take a risk, plan for the future, avoid routines and correct poor performance. Then, celebrate and share your achievements. And that applies to each of us at all levels of the organization. Sustaining excellence is about getting better every day, and you can count on me to keep focused on that.

I am always happy to hear your thoughts and feedback so don’t hold back! My email is ktraynor@partners.org.

My sincerest wishes for healthy, happy holidays for you and your families.

Kate