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Trilogy Tidings
November 2010
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The most
difficult part of any project is getting it started. I see this
difficulty all the time in our consulting practice, and I offer a
prescription for getting over this hurdle.
Healthcare delivery needs help. Whether its awkward and overly
costly processes or dangerous opportunities for human error to
cause mayhem, healthcare needs fixing. I highlight two kinds of
existing problems and invite medical-product suppliers to step up
to the plate and contribute solutions.
Regards,
Joe
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The
Hardest Part: Getting Started
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You
might remember the following from high school science class: "A
body at rest tends to remain at rest; a body in motion tends to
remain in motion". This principle pretty much applies to people,
too. It seems like the hardest part of taking on a project that
you know must get done soon is to start applying your efforts to
it.
There are really two issues in play. First, there's that momentum
principle you learned in high school. But there's also another
retarding force; you don't quite know what to do to get
started productively even after you get your motor running. And
here's the thing: these two factors reinforce one another, often
resulting in paralysis - at least until your deadline looms so
large that you panic and start doing just about anything to
convince yourself that at least you're doing something.
I'm not a fan of waiting until
the last minute to get started, primarily because the quality of
one's output often suffers with this approach. So why am I raising
this basic characteristic of human behavior? I'm raising it as a
matter of self-interest! In my consulting practice I very often
see clients and prospective clients really struggle with getting
started. It's common for them to agonize over exactly what they
want me to do - nailing down every conceivable detail before asking
for my plan of attack. At one level this is great because it
results in a tightly defined engagement plan. But consider this:
The resulting engagement plan just might be wrong, or at least
sub-optimal.
I have a better idea.
Involve me sooner in the process. Let me help define not only the
plan of attack but the objectives and requirements, too. The end
result is likely to be better and arrive quicker. And, best of
all, it will help you get started.
Obviously, this principle
applies to just about any initiative requiring outsider or
inter-organizational resources. Involve helpful people early in
the process for a better, and often quicker,
outcome.
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Hospital
as Factory
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Everyone knows that the processes by which healthcare
is delivered are archaic, wasteful, more costly than necessary, and
sometimes needlessly troublesome. Industrial methods can make
things better, if we would just apply them. Some hospitals are
trying to do just that with some success. Check out this article describing those
efforts and their results.
I think suppliers of
medical products (equipment and devices, not drugs) deserve a good
share of the blame for the status quo. We have the skills and
techniques to make things better, but we have chosen the easy road
- adapting our stuff to existing processes. We refrain from
recommending process changes because it's really hard to change the
delivery of care. Clinicians and administrators resist
mightily.
But there is opportunity for suppliers who are willing to make the
investment required to stimulate change in hospital practices. It
could be a long road, and you won't get much public applause, but
the economic rewards could be substantial. Try it.
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