Society for Health Systems Newsletter

June 2016

Comparing Lean and Quality Improvement

"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the old masters. Seek instead what the old masters sought."

Basho (1644-1694)

A recent Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) white paper compares the relationship between the IHI model for quality improvement and Lean, and how you can best utilize one or both approaches to improve your own care systems. The authors additionally describe how these approaches can work together for greater impact. Click here to read the article---free registration required to access the document.

Did You Know?...SHS Book List

SHS has compiled a list of more than 400 suggested readings and references. This list has been developed by Charlie Protzman, managing member of the Business Improvement Group LLC, over the course of his career. He shares it voluntarily for the SHS membership, and we thank him for this invaluable contribution. The list can be downloaded and sorted by categories and topics.

If you have suggestions on books to add, please email [email protected].

Access the list here.

The National Prescription for Nurse Engagement

It's more important than ever for frontline nurses to be engaged in their work, committed to their organization's mission, and capable of delivering high-quality care in a complex and constantly changing environment. Among all frontline staff, nurses are the least engaged-a troubling situation for the largest segment of the health care workforce. The fact that 7.4 percent of RNs are disengaged becomes even more disturbing when you consider the critical role nurses will need to play in care transformation. The Advisory Board looks into best practices to improve engagement.

Price transparency doesn't cut healthcare spending

Expanding healthcare price transparency didn't prompt lower outpatient spending, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers analyzed an online cost calculator offered by Truven Health Analytics that provides out-of-pocket cost listings for services such as outpatient surgeries, doctor visits or lab tests. They compared 149,000 employees of two national companies who were offered the tool compared to 296,000 employees from other companies who did not have access. The analysis found no association between access to the tool and lower outpatient spending, nor did those employees with access to the tool favor lower-cost settings over outpatient hospital care.

Read the statement.

Inside North America's first all-digital hospital

The Toronto hospital involves the patient in their digital experience before they even arrive. From robots sorting medication to automated lunch tray delivery, the hospital has moved beyond electronic health records or even telemedicine to create a seamless, paperless, connected experience for patients, staff, and clinicians.

Check out the article here.

SHS Early Career/Young Professionals

Member Highlight

This month's SHS Young Professionals Highlight is Brent Costa:

Brent is a Performance Improvement Specialist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center in San Francisco, California. He has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from UC San Diego, a Master's degree in Health Administration from the University of Southern California, and is also a certified Six Sigma Green Belt. Brent is a wonderful addition to our Early Career/Young Professionals Committee because he is looking to network with other Young Professionals and learn best practices from others. In his spare time Brent enjoys traveling, snowboarding, golfing, and supporting the SF Giants and Golden State Warriors.

Click here for information about how to contact the Young/Early Career Professional Committee.

If you have any questions feel free to contact us at [email protected].

Upcoming Webinars

Industry to Healthcare: Leading Sustainable Improvement

Presented by Society for Health Systems
June 23 | 2 p.m. Eastern time

Presenter: Bryan Krieg, lean Six Sigma black belt, Genesis Healthcare System

This webinar will show how the affiliate hospital system used tiered visual management, the Plan, Do, Check, Adjust (PDCA) process and systems thinking to create intense focus that resulted in sustainable improvements.

More information and registration

Check out the full list of IISE Webinars

These free* one-hour presentations are a benefit of your IISE membership. They are presented by knowledgeable professionals and experienced volunteers who provide deeper insight into topics and issues involving industrial engineers and industrial engineering-related disciplines.

Find out more!

* Webinars presented by the Society for Health Systems and the Society for Engineering and Management Systems require membership in those societies to attend.

Save the date!

Healthcare Systems Process Improvement Conference 2017

Join us March 1-3, 2017, at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort in Orlando Fla., for the best insights into efficient healthcare delivery with high quality outcomes.

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