Welcome to SYNC 2022!

Why SYNC?

Today’s healthcare teams face a growing need for interprofessional collaboration, creative problem solving, and impactful leadership training to drive organizational performance. SYNC is an innovative, team-based learning experience that teaches collaboration and leadership through hands-on problem solving.

  • “While we were a relatively close group, we bonded even more, which lets us more easily move issues forward and gives us a cohesive voice.”  (CMO Participant)
  • “I loved SYNC and how it was a catalyst in having us examine our processes and find ways to improve leadership that directly impacted patient care.” (Hospital Participant)
  • “This program took committed individuals and made a a committed interdisciplinary team who also became friends.” (Nurse Participant)

How they did it: the SYNC podcast series

SYNC is an applied learning program where teams apply what they are learning in a real-world capstone project. In the SYNC podcast series our graduates share their breakthrough strategies and lessons learned about interprofessional teamwork, leadership, and innovation.

Click here to learn from our SYNC graduates!

Getting Started

Tuition Cost

  • The tuition cost of SYNC is $5,500 per team.

SYNC Scholarships Available through the Virginia Department of Health

  • A limited number of scholarships to cover full SYNC program tuition are available to qualifying teams from the Virginia Department of Health through a grant from the Center for Disease Control. Note: the tuition cost of SYNC is valued at $5,500 per team.
  • In exchange, Scholarship teams agree to focus their SYNC Capstone Project in one of the following areas: 1) Diabetes / Pre-diabetes, or 2) Hypertension/High Blood Cholesterol/Heart Disease/Stroke.
    • Each project will be subject to a set of required data reporting for tracking, trending, and analysis purposes.
    • For a complete list of projects, measures or to discuss an idea further, visit the Registration page and begin the registration process.
    • All  submissions will be reviewed by VDH staff and a phone conference will be scheduled to further discuss project ideas and terms of funding.
    • Questions may also be directed to Patrick Wiggins, Disease Prevention Strategist at Patrick.Wiggins@vdh.virginia.gov.
  • View Tuition Assistance Details 

Sessions will be virtual via ZOOM.

  • October 21, 2022
  • November 18, 2022
  • December 9, 2022
  • January 6, 2022
  • February 3, 2023
  • March 17, 2023

  • This activity has been approved for AMA, PRA Category 1 Credit, Continuing Nursing Education and Continuing Pharmacy Education.

The SYNC Program

  • SYNC is an immersive learning experience for healthcare teams of participants, ranging from practice managers and CMOs to pharmacists and LPNs.
  • Each team should include a physician and registered nurse in addition to other clinical and administrative staff you choose to send.
  • Teams learn together and tackle issues collectively with a new interdisciplinary lens and toolkit of skills.

SYNC participants will strengthen their knowledge and competencies in:

  • Interprofessional Collaboration
  • Leadership Fundamentals
  • 21st-Century Healthcare
  • Creative Problem Solving
  • Individual and Team Wellness

  • The core of SYNC’s program is built around workshops where teams learn, share, and practice skills aimed at enhancing leadership, collaboration, and problem solving from our nationally recognized faculty of field practitioners and our knowledgeable support staff.
  • Throughout the program, participants have access to SYNC faculty and the SYNC learning portal, which provides resources including curated literature, presentations, and additional training materials.
  • Participants sharpen their individual skills while building a stronger interdisciplinary team.
  • Sessions will be virtual via ZOOM.
    • October 21, 2022
    • November 18, 2022
    • December 9, 2022
    • January 6, 2022
    • February 3, 2023
    • March 17, 2023

  • Teams get the chance to put the latest developments in interprofessional collaboration, leadership fundamentals, and creative problem solving to use during the SYNC Capstone Project.
    • Capstone projects let each team identify a current challenge in their organization or community, apply concepts from SYNC, and implement a real-world solution. During the final workshop, teams present their project and share their learnings with the cohort.
    • Examples of previous Capstone Projects include:
      • Promoting community hypertension management
      • Building an interprofessional care consultation team for complex cases
      • Creating a community campaign to reduce AMI / coronary death
      • Improving patient flow for ED-admitted patients
      • Increasing community breast cancer screenings
      • Streamlining a prescription refill process
    • Scan the portfolio of SYNC Capstone Project titles to get a sense of the possibilities.

Podcasts:

Improving Prevention and Screening for Diabetes LINK HERE

In this podcast, SYNC graduate Marvella Rea, Medical Home Case Manager with Augusta Medical Group, discuss the August Health and Central Shenandoah Health District team capstone project which was designed to improve prevention and screening for diabetes in their region. Learn how this team developed a clinical-community partnership and engaged both providers and patients to increase referrals to their Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP).

A New CARE Plan: An Innovative Approach to Secondary Stroke Prevention LINK HERE

In this podcast, SYNC graduate Stacie Stevens, Stroke Program Manager with VCU Health shares her experience on an innovative project from a group at VCU Health and Chesterfield County Fire & EMS to improve secondary stroke prevention among a high-risk population. In this SYNC capstone project, the group came together in their shared passion for secondary stroke prevention without physically working together. Insights in personal learning and value to the organization are shared in the podcast.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Project (Valley Health)  LINK HERE

In this podcast, SYNC graduates from Valley Health, Larry Ponce, Corporate Director of the Oncology Service Line and Dr. David Switzer, a family medicine physician discuss their project which aimed to increase patient follow through on colorectal cancer screening. Assembling a representative team where all voices were valued, narrowing their focus, utilizing data, and identifying the patient experience beyond clinical walls were all keys themes they touch on in their success.

SYNC Podcast

Increasing Patient Volume for Oncology Clinical Trials (Valley Health)

In this podcast, SYNC graduates from Valley Health Larry Ponce, Corporate Director of the Oncology Service Line and Maureen Yarrington, Coordinator for Accreditation and Compliance discuss their team’s capstone project, in which they convened a team to increase patient volume for oncology clinical trials. Learn more about how this SYNC Team made this project happen.