Monday, July 12, 2010

Lions and Tigers and Bears...

This past weekend I went hiking and came across the following sign warning me on the danger of Mountain Lions and Bears. Clearly, some poor hiking outcomes led to some Process Improvements and the sign with a recommended 'process' when dealing with them:

- Do not scream...

- Make yourself as large as possible...

- Speak firmly...

- If attacked, fight back

Well, hospitals probably follow the 'Do not scream' mantra but the other points are better with Lions and Tigers and Bears...'oh my' (sorry - I couldn't resist). We are expected to be the safest place for patients and here is an update on 5 LEAn Six Sigma projects we are working on at SJMC. The combined projects will positively impact our medical staff, patient experience, nursing and support staff, financial performance and compliance.

- Hospital Acquired Conditions related to Blood Stream Infections

- IV Start/Stop Times to ensure documentation compliance

- Central Supply Rental Equipment to improve availability of tools and equipment for staff

- Room Notification and Handoff in Communication to improve the flow of patients
going from the Emergency Department to an Inpatient floor

- OR Instrument and Supply Availability to improve the flow of our surgical cases

Certainly we are pleased with our focus on these intitatives. They will help ensure we are the safest place for our patients and most effective place for our associates, physicians and volunteers to work.

When I compare our challenges to those posed against the Mountain Lion and Bear, I know we are in good hands.

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