Breaking Down the Silos
in the Health Professions
AACRAO | April 2013
University of Nebraska
Medical Center
Margaret Winnicki
Academic & Student Affairs | School of Allied Health Professions
UNMC – 5 Colleges
College of Medicine
School of Allied Health Professions – 13 professions
College of Nursing
College of Dentistry
College of Pharmacy
College of Public Health
TOTAL UNMC ENROLLMENT: ≈ 4,000 students
Degree Audit Tool
Health Professions Institutions of
Higher Education are not like
traditional institutions
HP institutions use this line of
thinking internally as well,
creating internal silos for all
things academic and student
affairs related
No degree audit software since
we do not have need for course
equivalencies, but need for degree
audit tool since all programs
require transfer credit
Degree Audit Tool
Find the right opportunity to introduce change
MUST be a group effort with input from all involved, especially
functional users
Communicate need and solution to stakeholders
Provide appropriate training for all involved so that everyone feels
comfortable before change is implemented
Seek and USE feedback from stakeholders
Make sure new tool represents each unit, taking into account each
unit’s unique needs
Do not FORCE change; Build it and they will come
University of New
Mexico
Todd Hynson
Registrar | Health Sciences Center
UNM HSC - 4 Distinct Units
College of Nursing – 235 Students
College of Pharmacy – 250 Students
School of Medicine (MD) – 314 Students (up 400 in 2 years)
Health Professions and Public Health Programs (HPPHP) –
227 Students
Inter-Professional
Education/Practice
IPE is becoming more of a reality for
all health professions.
HSC programs work together to find
common ground and overlapping
educational themes. Ie, Public and
Community Health
Common opportunities include
retreats, seminars, cross-listed short
duration elective credit courses.
Leadership from the top is key to
success!
IPE Combined Calendar
Loma Linda University
Erin Seheult
Director of University Records
Rick Williams
Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services
About LLU
Health professions university founded in 1905 in southern
California
Eight schools:
Allied Health Professions
Behavioral Health
Dentistry
Medicine
Nursing
Pharmacy
Public Health
Religion
About 4,600 students (25% UG – no first-time freshmen)
A Multiplicity of Silos
Student Services departments fragmented
Reporting to four different VPs
Separation between university processes and school/department
processes
Inability to communicate changes efficiently
Break the Silos!
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Outcomes So Far
Heightened communication through WikiRecords,
Wednesday Morning meetings, Enrollment Management
Committee (EMC), and ad hoc meetings with key players
Focus on electronic processes
Smoother service evidenced by lessened student traffic,
phone calls, emails, and feedback
Lessened friction between Student Service offices, students,
faculty, and staff
Takeaways
Communicate!
Develop rapport and relationships
Look for and foster buy-in at top – if not available use the
power of the idea from the front lines – to generate policy
and process
Let people know what they are getting out of any change –
demonstrate win-wins
Questions?
Todd Hynson (thynson@salud.unm.edu)
Erin Seheult (eseheult@llu.edu)
Rick Williams (rwilliams@llu.edu)
Margaret Winnicki (mwinnicki@unmc.edu)