Your Planning Committee should be inclusive of the people you want to reach during Schwartz Rounds®. The team should be made up of a multidisciplinary group of staff, both clinical and non-clinical, and should represent various identities professionally (department, job role) and personally (race, gender, ethnicity, etc.).

During meetings, ensure that members understand the purpose of Schwartz Rounds. After defining the responsibilities of the Planning Committee, consider developing a team charter and mission statement, which will help clarify the goals of the group and members’ commitment to its success.

Consider:

• How does the purpose of Schwartz Rounds align with your organization’s mission, vision, and values?
• What can each member of the Planning Committee contribute to the team?
• How long will Planning Committee members serve?
• What will the responsibilities of each Planning Committee member be?

An example of a Planning Committee Mission Statement might be: “The Schwartz Rounds Planning Committee is committed to providing staff across the hospital with a regular forum for discussing our social and emotional experiences at work.”

Next steps:

• Establish goals and members’ roles.
• Select the next Schwartz Rounds topic and panelists.
• Determine who will reach out to possible panelists.
• Decide who will partner with your communications and marketing team to promote Schwartz Rounds.
• Determine who will support session logistics.
• Define the frequency of Planning Committee meetings. Most Schwartz Rounds Planning Committees meet monthly.
• Articulate expectations for member participation.

Planning Committee Meeting Tips:

• Try to schedule a Planning Committee meeting immediately after each Schwartz Rounds – even if it’s short – to debrief the session.
• Planning Committee members can help at sessions by hosting a welcome table, collecting evaluations, or moderating the online chat.
• Consider recognizing the Planning Committee at Schwartz Rounds by inviting members to stand. This serves two purposes: One, it celebrates their essential contributions to the program; and two, as they become known throughout the organization, staff will begin to approach them with feedback and topic ideas.