Message from AHVAP Treasurer
Engaging Physician Champions in Value Analysis
Physician champions are essential to practical Value Analysis, bringing clinical expertise, peer influence, and evidence-driven insight that elevate decision-making and accelerate adoption. Engaging them successfully—despite busy clinical schedules—requires a clear focus on clinical purpose, early involvement, and a streamlined process that respects their time. Physicians connect most strongly when Value Analysis initiatives are framed around patient care rather than cost alone. Linking requests to clinical outcomes, safety improvements, workflow efficiency, or evidence-based practice establishes meaningful context and builds early support. Providing concise research summaries or benchmarking data helps reinforce the clinical relevance of each project.
Physicians should be engaged at the very beginning of the process, before solutions or products are discussed. Inviting them to help define the clinical problem, shape the criteria, and participate in the evaluation fosters ownership and minimizes resistance later in the decision-making process. Maintaining their engagement requires efficiency: short pre-reads, flexible participation options, focused agendas, and clear decision pathways ensure that their involvement feels purposeful rather than burdensome. Tools such as scorecards, dashboards, and comparison summaries help streamline their review and reduce meeting time.
Data is a critical trust-builder. Presenting strong clinical evidence, safety information, outcome metrics, utilization patterns, and total cost of care makes the conversation objective and reinforces the credibility of the Value Analysis process. Clear side-by-side comparisons of competing products help physicians assess actual clinical value. Just as important is leveraging physician-to-physician influence; respected clinicians can often create alignment and consensus far more effectively than administrative communication alone. Encouraging champions to present findings, lead trials, or share outcomes amplifies their voice and strengthens peer engagement.
Recognition sustains long-term involvement. Highlighting physician contributions in newsletters or committee updates, sharing clinical or financial wins linked to their leadership, and offering roles in advisory or steering groups demonstrate appreciation and reinforce the partnership. Ultimately, physician engagement must be continuous rather than episodic. Maintaining open communication, regularly reviewing service line performance, and incorporating feedback into process improvements create a collaborative environment built on trust, transparency, and shared goals.
Value Analysis is most powerful when it is clinically led and operationally supported. By engaging physician champions early, grounding decisions in data, respecting their time, and acknowledging their expertise, VA professionals strengthen decision-making, reduce practice variation, and support AHVAP’s mission of advancing high-value, patient-centered care.
Sincerely,
Sharon Roberts, BSN, RN, PNAP, CVAHPÔ
Treasurer, Board of Directors
AHVAP
