MedStar maintains the focus on transparency
MedStar's David Mayer addresses an important process improvement imperative--transparency--in this recent post and gives an example of how his institution is trying to overcome inertia and fear on the matter:An important part of this journey includes creating a learning culture built on transparency that many in healthcare are still uncomfortable with. Overcoming these barriers requires consistent and repetitive role-modeling and messaging around core principles that help instill and reward open and honest communication in an organization. One of the ways we continue to reaffirm thes...
Source: Running a hospital - February 24, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
Not "Not Running a Hospital"
For those interested, I have gradually copied posts related to transparency and Lean process improvement to my other blog (aka, "Not Not Running A Hospital") to serve as an archive and resource to people in hospitals who might want to review the experience at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and other hospitals and apply lessons to their own institutions. I've also included stories from training programs I've conducted around the world on this topic. What a pleasure it has been to meet thoughtful and well-intentioned people in other countries who are interested in enabling their hospitals to become l...
Source: Running a hospital - February 24, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
Hope is on its way
As we consider the imperatives for a health care system that Gene Lindsey espouses, we have to wonder who will get us there. Clearly it will not be the government, for the government is paralyzed by the conflicting interests of those who seek to extract their share (or more) from the 18% of GDP represented by the health care system. Legislators and presidents are not very good at resolving what they view as zero sum game. In that world view, any changes are viewed as what we negotiators call value claiming: "If I get more you get less." It's hard to build a coalition for change if you view the world...
Source: Running a hospital - February 23, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
Why should our industry expect success?
Several of us are lucky to be on a weekly email message list from Gene Lindsey, former CEO of Atrius Health, the largest multi-specialty group in Massachusetts. Drawing on a variety of life situations, Gene is always able to make connections and comments about the state of our health care system. Although he generally refers to issues in the US, his comments are applicable to other jurisdictions as well. This week, he asks and then answers a question, and then he offers a concise summary of the attributes needed in health care delivery organizations. Let's consider his advice after reviewing two descriptions I have offe...
Source: Running a hospital - February 22, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
Medicine for Managers and Entrepreneurs at MIT
I was pleased to be invited by Dr. Richard J. Cohen, Whitaker Professor in Biomedical Engineering, to address a new class he is offering at MIT, called "Medicine for Managers and Entrepreneurs." The goal of the course is to teach a bit about medicine to individuals who have a career interest in starting or managing a biomedical company. The students in the course are a mix of MBA students and graduate students in various science and engineering departments at MIT.As always, I promised (threatened?) students who asked good questions or gave good answers that they might end up on this blog. I don't have room ...
Source: Running a hospital - February 22, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
Nominations for the John Q. Sherman Award for Excellence are Now Open
Jim Rattray wrote and asked me to let you know:Here's your opportunity to spotlight the exceptional work that your organization is doing to advance patient and family engagement! Nominations are now open for the John Q Sherman Award for Excellence in Patient Engagement. Full details are available here. Visit now to review award criteria and to download the official award nomination form. Standard Register Healthcare in partnership with the National Patient Safety Foundation's Lucian Leape Institute will be conferring an award on one individual and one healthcare organization at the 16th Annual NPSF Congress in ...
Source: Running a hospital - February 22, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
MITSS Tweet Chat
Medically Induced Trauma Support Services, Inc. (MITSS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support healing and restore hope to patients, families, and clinicians who have been impacted by adverse medical events. They invite us all to the following:Join us for a live Tweet Chat on Thursday, February 27th, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm ESTSupporting patients and families following medical harm -- it's the right thing to do, but is healthcare missing the boat? MITSS held an educational program this past November dealing with this important topic. Click here, then scroll down if you wou...
Source: Running a hospital - February 21, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
A commendable record in dealing with conflict of interest issues
I received the following message today from Bill Burton, Interim Associate Chancellor for Public Affairs at the University of Illinois, presumably in response to my blog post concerning the propriety of the Dean of Medicine being on the board of Novartis, and specifically my question: How can this person exercise a proper duty of care and loyalty to both institutions, not only in terms of time commitment, but also in terms of the overlapping scientific research and clinical interests of the two organizations?The following statement is issued on behalf of the University:"Dean Dimitri Azar has adhered to various policies ...
Source: Running a hospital - February 20, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
The Chicago Tribune reports on the University of Illinois
Karisa King and Jodi Cohen at the Chicago Tribune have published an excellent story about how some doctors and admininstrators decided to use the name and reputation of the University of Illinois in support of a medical device company. With access to internal emails, it becomes clear that an explicit decision was made to do so by very high-ranking officials:Benedetti, the head of surgery, sought advice and permission from Jerry Bauman, interim vice president for health affairs, and Dr. Dimitri Azar, dean of the College of Medicine, according to an Oct. 23 email obtained under the Freedom of Information Act."On one...
Source: Running a hospital - February 20, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
Zack Berger explains what noncompliance means
Dr. Zackary Sholem Berger offers a pithy definition of patient noncompliance. Excerpts:Noncompliance means I think the patient should do it this way and the patient didn’t do it this way. “Noncompliance” makes no effort to figure out why the patient did what they did, or what alternatives they might have selected instead.“Noncompliance’ makes no effort to figure out if the alternative suggested (or: mandated) by the doctor was the best of all possible alternatives in the first place. (Source: Running a hospital)
Source: Running a hospital - February 19, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
She refuses to say "bibbidy-bobbidi-boo"
While the overall goals of the Affordable Care Act are spot on, there are various unintended consequences. As the Administration tries to fix some of these, others are left standing. I think what people find frustrating is that there seems to be little transparency about the process and the standards by which some changes are permitted and some are not. As is often the case, complaints arise not so much because of the decision that is made as the process by which it is made.An example concerns a request by Massachusetts, summarized in a recent blog post by the Associated Industries of Massachusetts:Massac...
Source: Running a hospital - February 19, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
Helping the underdog
We all like to support the underdog, and Patricia Salber, host of The Doctor Weighs In, gives us a chance. She writes:I am trying to support some Hopkins engineering undergrads who are competing in the Qualcomm Tricorder XPrize against the big well-funded guys, like Scanadu: They are trying to raise a small amount of money (10K) on Indiegogo. If you could help spread the word, it would be terrific. Here's her story. Or you can go directly to the Indiegogo page, here. (Source: Running a hospital)
Source: Running a hospital - February 19, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
25 days to go in Illinois
In 25 days, the president of the University of Illinois is due to receive the report from the Vice President for Research that will evaluate the circumstances surrounding the use of the University's name and reputation in support of a private medical equipment supplier. Recall that the VP was charged to "conduct a methodical assessment of policies, guidelines, procedures and practices, and where corrective changes are required we will take the appropriate action."I know how things are sometimes left to the last minute in academia, so I thought I'd offer now some suggested questions that might be answered in this re...
Source: Running a hospital - February 18, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
Jim Dougherty emphasizes culture as part of the business model
Here's a very nice blog post by entrepreneur Jim Dougherty about the importance of cultural issues in a firm. He titled it "Company Culture is Part of Your Business Model." Key point:Culture, in my mind, is the single most important attribute to successful companies. Inevitably, when things don’t go well for a company, the culture is what has a lot to say about whether or not you make it.I think leaders should think of their culture as the first and most important business model that they create. It is the platform from which the more traditionally thought of business models emerge. A g...
Source: Running a hospital - February 17, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
Tile will find your lost keys, or whatever
Every now and then, a really clever device hits the market. I just saw this one, Tile. It is a small plastic square that can be attached or hooked onto something you don't want to lose--keys, computer, backpack, bicycle. When you need to find the item, your iPhone acts as a homing device--visual and oral.You can also use the gizmo to report a lost item, at which point everyone else's Tile acts like a detective agency to find it and report back to you.I guess I missed the launch back in 2013, but this will surely be on my gift list for the future.Thanks to Carla Berg, at the Society for Participatory Medic...
Source: Running a hospital - February 17, 2014 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs
