All About the Process
Re: "Process Improvement to Lower Surgery Risks" by Cynthia Greising and Coleen Smith in H&HN Daily, Dec. 20
These four categories all have one thing in common: process. As the evidence shows and author after author write, we in health care continue to struggle with providing the expected level of safety patients deserve. Until we can consistently follow a best-practice process and hold the entire team accountable, regardless of role, events will happen.
Minimizing variation through process has demonstrated positive results. With leadership commitment, we can implement a process, drive behavior and belief changes, and then begin to change the culture.
— Jeff
A Missing Word
Re: "Berwick: Quality Leaders Need to Step Up" video with Donald Berwick, M.D. in H&HN Daily, Jan. 2
I would have hoped to have heard the word transparency. Transparency of data, transparency of outcomes and transparency about the Affordable Care Act and its total cost.
— Jen Misajet
Trash Talk on Robots
Re: "Surgical Robots: Worth the Investment?" in April 2012 H&HN
I work in an OR. I see surgeons all the time talk "trash" on the robot. I also find them to be the ones "peeking" in the robot room all the time. In my opinion, they talk trash because they feel it is a threat to their laparoscopic business. It "levels the playing field." Those who wait will be left behind. They should realize if they are the most skilled at laparoscopic, they can be the most skilled robotic surgeons.
— Christy
Boomers' Legacy
Re: "Boomers. Let's Talk" podcast with Mary Grayson in H&HN Daily, Jan. 14
This was great. It was especially good coming right after the president's [recent] speech, which reminded us to shoulder our responsibilities for the future. I liked your recognition of the accomplishments of our generation (and the contrast with the Mad Men), and hope we manage to leave the legacy you suggest!
— Molly Coye
What Accountable Care Is
Re: "The Nuts and Bolts of Accountable Care" video with Michael Dowling in H&HN Daily, Jan. 7
I really like the statement that it is not just about medicine but it is about the health care of the community. Three cheers for this type of leadership [and] may we all find ways to contribute to the goal.
— Betty Noyes
Navigating to a New Career
Re: "Patient Navigators: Good for Patients — and Hospitals," by Bill Santamour in H&HN Daily, Jan. 8
I recently graduated with a master of arts degree in health and wellness psychology and have been trying to figure out where to go from here. I have worked in health care settings in the HR department (benefits manager) and loved it, and I am a benefits counselor right now, which means I get to educate people on insurance and what really meets their needs. I thought about becoming a wellness coach, and I may still go down that road, but a patient navigator seems to take everything I love and put it all together in one job. It's taken me a long time, but I think I have finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up!
— Pamela Haskins
Linking Data, Quality Improvement
Re: "Crunching the Numbers for Better Quality," Rachel Saxe in H&HN Daily, Jan. 15
Fantastic article, Rachel, and spot on. Continuous quality improvement requires access to real-time performance data across the health care environment and the tools to aggregate and interpret that data accurately and efficiently. This empowers leaders to intervene in a timely manner with fact-based insights where corrective actions are required, inspiring a culture of continuous improvement through positive behavioral change.
— Vince Sonson
