Healthcare Providers--It's Time For Your Checkup!

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Article Title: Healthcare Providers--It's Time For Your

Checkup!

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I think this is a good time for a checkup, or physical as it is

termed in the healthcare industry. I mean this is a good time to

check the health of your site or setting. As healthcare

providers, we are dedicated to curing our patients of their

ills and keeping them healthy. My question is, “Do you have the

same attitude about the place you work?” Is your site meeting

its highest goals? If not, then it is time for a change.

I think that as a group healthcare sites are a lot like our

patients. Some patients don’t work hard at keeping healthy. In

fact, many engage in behavior that is very detrimental to their

well-being. You probably can easily image such a person. Maybe

they are very overweight. Well, there are many healthcare

facilities that are like that. They have many processes in

which there are steps which add no value, that are a complete

waste of time and effort. Then, there are patients who do a lot

of the right things. They eat correctly, get a good amount of

exercise, and generally have a positive outlook. There are a

few healthcare facilities that are fit too.

What does a healthcare site in not so good shape look like?

These sites, I believe, have as their goals just to meet their

compliance standards, those set by the state, JHACO, or the FDA

or some other body. As long as they are being accredited, they

are satisfied. Their attitude may be, “If it isn’t broken,

don’t change it.” They are like patients who are content to

just sit on the couch, watch TV, and eat whatever they like as

long as they don’t feel poorly.

What does a healthcare site in good shape look like? I believe

that such sites are continually looking for ways to better

themselves. They engage in “continuous quality improvement”

activities. They are really concerned about the health and

attitudes of their patients and clients. They use surveys and

they question and listen. Some even use a tool called quality

function deployment when designing new facilities or programs.

Besides listening to patients, they pay close attention to

their employees. They actively seek ideas from the employees on

how things could be done better. They want to have their

employees enjoy working at their site and support its mission.

The leaders of such sites actively reflect this attitude.

Further, such sites seek ways to improve the processes at their

site. They cut waste and save time and improve the bottom line.

Many tools for doing this can be found in quality disciplines

such as Lean Healthcare and Six Sigma. You can find a very good

white paper on Lean Healthcare at the http://www.IHI.org

website.

What are the results of these positive and active approaches?

Our patients are happier, fitter, and find time to do the

things they want. They generally live longer with fewer health

problems. Healthcare sites which are actively engaged in

continuous quality improvement programs generally find that

they have the time to accomplish their objectives and don’t

feel rushed, they have an improved bottom line, and they rarely

experience adverse events. The doctors don’t have to work

impossible hours to accomplish all they want. They work as a

team.

Let me encourage you at this time to sit down with your

colleagues and leaders and assess the health of your site. If

you find that you fall short of what you should be, I hope that

you put in the effort to reach the best goals. After all, we

expect the same from our patients, don’t we?

About The Author: helps healthcare providers meet

their challenges. If you liked this article and want more free

tips, visit http://www.bryantsstatisticalconsulting.com for a

free article to help you start making improvements at your site

immediately.

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