Inside another Nudge Unit: Embedding behavioural science into your organisation
Dec 16, 2022
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Dr. Mark Friedberg and Rebecca Oran from Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts discuss setting up a successful Nudge Unit in healthcare, including convincing senior leadership of its value, building wider engagement, and broadening the use of behavioral insights beyond initial wins.
Presenting evidence of the effectiveness of behavioral insights in healthcare decision making is crucial to gaining senior leadership buy-in.
Broadening the application of behavioral insights beyond communications to larger systems, processes, and digital experiences within the organization is a challenge for Nudge Units.
Deep dives
Application of Behavioral Insights to Healthcare Decision Making
The podcast episode discusses the application of behavioral insights to healthcare decision making. Dr. Mark Friedberg and Rebecca Horan from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts share their experience of starting up the Nudge Unit within the organization. They explain that presenting evidence of the effectiveness of behavioral insights in healthcare decision making was crucial to gaining senior leadership buy-in. The initial focus of the Nudge Unit was on communications to members and clinicians, and they achieved early wins by applying behavioral insights principles to existing letters and emails. The podcast highlights the importance of randomization and evaluation in convincing skeptics and showcasing the impact of behavioral interventions in healthcare.
Challenges and Future Directions for the Nudge Unit
The podcast explores the challenges and future directions for the Nudge Unit at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. One of the challenges discussed is the need to broaden the application of behavioral insights beyond communications to larger systems, processes, and digital experiences within the organization. The Nudge Unit aims to move the needle even further on behavior change and improve overall outcomes. They also emphasize the importance of understanding behavioral heterogeneity and tailoring interventions to different sub-populations. Looking ahead, the Nudge Unit plans to focus on choice architecture, equity, and scaling up interventions to tap into untapped potential.
Lessons Learned and Key Success Factors
The podcast concludes with lessons learned and key success factors for setting up successful Nudge Units. They highlight the importance of transparency in sharing outcomes and learnings, as well as building credibility with internal champions who can effectively communicate the benefits of behavioral science. The podcast also emphasizes the need for a data-driven approach and the use of randomized trials to convince skeptics. Additionally, it discusses the value of luck in finding the right opportunities and the importance of integrating behavioral science into the design of healthcare systems from the start to prevent problems rather than fixing them later.
Inside The Nudge Unit is a podcast from The Behavioural Insights Team. In Episode 13 we talk to Dr Mark Friedberg and Rebecca Oran from the non-for-profit health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts.
Over the last two years, they have worked with BIT to create a successful Nudge Unit that has run around 60 interventions to improve health and healthcare. Many thousands of people have been reached by this work.
But how did they go about it? And what lessons does this work offer for other organisations who are looking to set up their own dedicated behavioural science functions? To find out more, Mark and Rebecca are joined by Scott Young, BIT’s Private Sector lead and Michael Hallsworth, BIT’s Managing Director for the Americas. Together, they cover:
How to convince senior leadership in the value of behavioural science
Building wider engagement and overcoming scepticism
The need for an internal champion
How to broaden the use of behavioural insights beyond the initial wins