The main suggestion of this writer is to focus not only on short-term project success, but on long-term success as well through taking some time for individuals throughout the process.

Check it out:

Recently, I was on Bradford Beach building a sandcastle with my two small children.  While the end result was a small, but successful castle, it was the process that was so enjoyable and memorable.  But, as I looked around, I also saw parents that were leading their sandcastle building project so strongly (and efficiently) that they ruined the experience for their now crying kids.  Even though they eventually finished their castle, it was a bad m … Read More

via Clear Matters

  Some of you may have already seen this story from Seth Godin, but it begs the question: "Who would you rather work with?"     A small island grows sugar cane. Many people harvest it, and one guy owns the machine that can process the cane and turn it into juice.     Who wins?      The guy with the machine, of course. It gives him leverage, and sin … Read More

via Clear Matters

This may be a trend…

We just saw this news come out, and since the MNA website crashed due to traffic, we reposted the original press release below: ST. PAUL (June 21, 2010) – In a historic stand for patient safety, 84 percent of Twin Cities nurses voted Monday to authorize an open-ended strike against 14 hospitals if a contract agreement cannot be reached. "This is a vote we never wanted to take," said Linda Hamilton, a Registered Nurse at Children's Hospital and Pr … Read More

via Clear Nursing Matters

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With graduation just about 60 or so days away for seniors, I wanted to share some thoughts with any students with an eye towards working in healthcare leadership once they graduate.

As part of the leadership team at Clear Medical Solutions, I get the opportunity to work with numerous interns that are in school. Over the years, I’ve developed some thoughts on who will succeed under the pressure that our industry brings and who will not…and who will find a job or not.

One of the key factors that I look for now when deciding who to mentor is their aversion to risk.  Yes, I believe that practitioners in a clinical setting should avoid risk when treating patients (unless in a research setting), however in the healthcare leadership setting, the same old strategies just aren’t going to work anymore. 

Safe is now risky!

Leaders are going to have to try new things and chart new paths, and that will take a “risk neutral” approach versus choosing a “risk aversion” path at all costs. One of my favorite writers had this to say about some college students that he ran into, and I see the exact same thing from many students that I find as well:

Anyway, they asked for my advice in finding marketing jobs. When I shared my views (go to a small company, work for the CEO, get a job where you actually get to make mistakes and do something) one woman professed to agree with me, but then explained, “But those companies don’t interview on campus.” Those companies don’t interview on campus.

Hmmm.  She has just spent $100,000 in cash and another $150,000 in opportunity cost to get an MBA, but…

The second occurred today at Yale. As I drove through the amazingly beautiful campus, I passed the center for Asian Studies. It reminded me of my days as an undergrad (at a lesser school, natch), browsing through the catalog, realizing I could learn whatever I wanted. That not only could I take classes but I could start a business, organize a protest movement, live in a garret off campus, whatever. It was a tremendous gift, this ability to choose.

Yet most of my classmates refused to choose. Instead, they treated college like an extension of high school. They took the most mainstream courses, did the minimum amount they needed to get an A, tried not to get into “trouble” with the professor or face the uncertainty of the unknowable. They were the ones who spent six hours a day in the library, reading their textbooks. The best part of college is that you could become whatever you wanted to become, but most people just do what they think they must.

Is this a metaphor? Sure. But it’s a worthwhile one. You have more freedom at work than you think (hey, you’re reading this on company time!) but most people do nothing with that freedom but try to get an A.

Do you work with people who are still in high school? Job seekers only willing to interview with the folks who come on campus? Executives who are trying to make their boss happy above all else? It’s pretty clear that the thing that’s wrong with this system is high school, not the rest of the world.

Cut class. Take a seminar on french literature. Interview off campus. Safe is risky.” (The Rest can be viewed at http://bit.ly/9uqTxQ)

I agree with Seth, and for all those students out there looking to get into healthcare leadership, you will need to take some risks. Find a great leader, work an internship for free, build relationships, and think outside of the box… The education system cannot completely prepare you for what you will need to be in our industry.

For that you will need mentors and experience, and you will probably only find that outside your comfort zone.  Think big.  Take calculated risks.  Be different!

About the Author: Aaron lives in Milwaukee, WI with his wife and two children and is the President & CEO of Clear Medical Solutions. When he’s not leading new initiatives at Clear Medical Solutions, he periodically takes on interim leadership or consulting projects. He enjoys teaching, writing, and sharing his passion for people and their healthcare.

The article below would suggest some reasons why that might be:

http://www.cfoinnovation.com/content/social-media-should-cfos-network-online?page=0%2C1

Although it cautions financial leaders against divulging too much info, it also reminds us that companies may be making a mistake if they don’t get involved or prohibit the use of social media outlets:

“More importantly, prohibiting the use of social media can make a company uncompetitive. The survey by Russell Herder and Ethos Business Law found that 80% of U.S. executives believe that social media can enhance relationships with customers or clients, 81% think it can build brand reputation, and nearly 70% networking can be valuable in recruitment. The most popular vehicles being used include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and blogs (in that order).”

With the various staffing shortages soon to be re-emerging as a major issue, I wonder if senior leaders may be rethinking their involvement.  I’m really curious what sort of experiences others have had.  Feel free to email me at Aaron@ClearMedicalSolutions.com if you have any thoughts.

About the Author:  Aaron lives in Milwaukee, WI with his wife and two children and is the President & CEO of Clear Medical Solutions.  When he’s not leading new initiatives at Clear Medical Solutions, he periodically takes on interim leadership or consulting projects.  He enjoys teaching, writing, and sharing his passion for people and their healthcare.

It is clear that simple mistakes during patient registration can have far-reaching consequences.  Such mistakes can take the form of duplicate records or even erroneous records due to the confused entering of information into other individuals’ files.

The problem begins at registration, which is typically burdened by time constraints.  Most registrars are instructed to enter a patient into the system within two minutes upon arrival so that treatment may be promptly administered.  Erroneous or duplicate file information can be either due to pure accident or, unfortunately, negligence during the registration process.

What is particularly problematic about faulty patient information is that it eventually filters through the larger and more circuitous medical information framework which could potentially cause incidences such as faulty billing, unnecessary treatment (which may prove quite dangerous depending on the circumstance), or wasted time and money in the pursuit of correcting inaccurate file information.

The operational gap between patient registration and HIM departments seems to have led to the exasperation of these problems.  This reality has been recognized by medical professionals and subsequently has lead to the creation of less distance between the two entities, effecting remarkable results.

It has widely become protocol for HIM departments to work more closely with registration staff, providing individuals with feedback and education regarding the consequences of faulty medical recording.  Not only this, but many institutions have set higher standards for the minimization of mistakes during the entrance process, some implementing layoff at three cumulative faulty registrations per year.  Alterations in communication between these departments has lead to vast improvements, the likes of a nearly 60% decrease in duplication rates within some institutions.

Essentially, what was once a considerable problem is now far less of one thanks to the ingenuity of HIM professionals.  The result is less correction, less patient injury, less time, and less money.

Questions: Do you think registration errors are a problem in the facility you work at? Do you have any ideas as to how this process can be improved?

About the Author:  Patricia Heise is a Staff Writer with the Clear Medical Solutions Communication Team.  Her work is regularly shared on the Clear Medical Agency newsletter and the ClearNursingMatters.com blog.

Resources:
Dimick, Chris. “Exposing Double Identity at Patient Registration.” Journal of AHIMA 80, no.11 (November 2009): web extra.

It was formed to provide an avenue for networking, discussion, and fun among all different healthcare professionals, as well as provide opportunities through consulting projects, leadership positions, and per diem work to all its members.  Members can also find supplemental health through the network.  Many people have already joined the free network and are intrigued about the opportunities that have already come their way. 

Members are also informed of any upcoming fun events in their area.  One example is a discounted 8 day cruise next year to the Mexican Riviera!  Starting at $319/person, this is not only great fun, but it’s a great value too.

Joining the network is free and takes less than a minute.  Once registered, members are informed of different forums they can join to network with other healthcare professionals within their specific profession as well as other areas of healthcare. 

If you are interested in joining, the site is www.ClearMedicalNetwork.com.  

There really is no downside, and it’s sort of fun to see the other side of things from the perspective of Doctors, Nurses, PTs, HIM Directors, or any of the other professions that are getting involved.

Questions: What do you think of the Clear Medical Network?

About the Author: Sarah Fore is a Staff Writer with the Clear Medical Solutions Communication Team.  Her work is regularly shared on the Clear Medical Agency newsletter and the ClearHIMMatters.com blog.

They believed music affected the soul.  Plato said almost 2500 years ago, “Music is a moral law.  It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”

Music is universal and despite it being used throughout the ages to soothe the soul, it’s only fairly recently that it became accepted within modern medical circles.  It gained accepted recognition in 1944 when Michigan State University offered the first accredited music therapy program.  Today there are more than 70 colleges and universities offering programs in music therapy and approximately 5000 music therapists.

Hospitals use music to aid patients in many ways, including pain management, to elevate patient’s moods, and to encourage movement in physical therapy.

As of 1994, music therapy services have been identified as reimbursable under Medicare.

But what about music promotes healing?  How does it work?

Every known culture has music.  Music touches us, affecting us physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Has a song ever come on the radio and you find your feet tapping?  Upbeat songs make us feel good.  Our body’s physical responses to music are observable and measurable.  Music can affect your pulse rate, blood pressure, respiration, temperature, and even your brain waves.

There are four types of brain waves; beta, alpha, theta, and delta.  Beta waves occur when we are alert and active.  Alpha waves occur when we are relaxed.  Theta waves occur when we are meditating or drowsy and falling asleep.  Finally, delta waves occur when we are in deep sleep.  Music can affect these brain waves.  Calm, relaxing music can induce theta or delta waves, whereas loud, fast music will put the brain into an alpha state.

Everyone has heard of “runner’s high”, it’s what happens at a certain point during physical exertion when the body starts to release endorphins, a group of peptide hormones that increase the body’s threshold of pain and can affect mood.

Many activities besides running can cause the release of endorphins, for example, eating spicy food, time spent in the sun, intense pleasure such as sex, strong emotions like laughing or crying, and listening to music.

Studies have shown that listening to half an hour of classical or instrumental music has the same effect as taking a Valium.

Many have heard of the exaggerated and unsubstantiated claims surrounding the so-called “Mozart Effect”, that listening to classical music, for example, will make you smarter or will turn your unborn infant into a genius.  Despite these fallacies, however, what the actual study showed was just as amazing without the hyperbole that has since been attached to it.

In 1993, at the University of California, Irvine, Gordon Shaw and Frances Rauscher conducted a study of 36 college undergraduates.  They listened to 10 minutes of a Mozart sonata, then immediately took a Stanford-Binet IQ test to measure their spatial-temporal reasoning.  The results showed an improvement in spatial IQ of eight to nine points, but the effect only lasted for 10-15 minutes.

Despite the fact that the “Mozart Effect” only improved spatial-temporal reasoning and that the effect was temporary, the study still showed the kind of power music has upon the mind.  Other studies have shown that students who study music in high school have higher grade point averages and physically develop faster than those who don’t.

Music has amazing powers in its ability to affect our body and mind and is becoming an effective healing tool.  As author Berthold Auerbach said, “Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”.

Questions:  Do you feel music has the power to heal?  Have you or a loved one experienced music’s healing power first hand?

About the Author:

Ed Pahule is a Staff Writer with the Clear Medical Solutions Communication Team.  His work is regularly shared on the Clear Medical Agency newsletter and the ClearHIMMatters.com blog.

Schwartz and Woloshin profile three drugs, Zometa, Lunesta, and Rozerem as examples of how drug labels are missing information.  All three drug labels were indeed missing information.  In their review of Lunesta and Rozerem however something stands out, both Lunesta and Rozerem had intense direct- to- consumer advertising campaigns.  Lunesta is reported have spent more than $750,000 a day in its 2007 advertising campaign and to have sales reaching almost $800 million last year.  Rozerem is described as being “aggressively promoted to consumers.”  This information could easily be omitted from the article without detracting from the issue of drug information not reaching clinicians; the inclusion of this information is interesting.

 In 1997 the FDA issued new regulations governing television advertising of prescription drugs; following this change direct- to- consumer drug advertising soared.  Prescription drugs became commercialized; direct- to- consumer advertising repackaged drugs into a shiny product to be sold to the public.  In this light, is it surprising that drug companies would over exaggerate the benefits of their drug and down play the risks?   The purpose of advertising is to make consumers think they need a product and make them want to buy it; drug companies are no different.  Consumers have learned to be skeptical of the dubious claims made by advertisements but direct- to- consumer drug advertising is new.  Consumers have more faith in the claims made by drug companies because the idea that drug companies might manipulate information at the risk of the consumer is so unsettling.

By including information on the direct- to- consumer advertising campaigns of Lunesta and Rozerem, Schwartz and Woloshim provide further insight into the motivations (money) behind excluding certain information from drug labels.  It also highlights how for years the public has accepted and believed the claims of drug companies without question despite numerous incidents of drug companies being exposed as less than forthright.  You can be angry with the drug companies for omitting information or mad at the FDA for not making it easier to access the information.  But isn’t it time we as consumers start to demand more from drug companies?

Questions: Do you agree with the above statement that as consumers, it is time to start demanding more from drug companies?  Have you experienced any type of negative side effects to your medication that was not listed on the label?

About the Author:  Erika Christenson is a Staff Writer with the Clear Medical Solutions Communication Team.  Her work is regularly shared on the Clear Medical Agency newsletter and the ClearNursingMatters.com blog. 

References:
Lost in Transmission- FDA Drug Information That Never Reaches Clinicians
http://healthcarereform.nejm.org/?p=2126&query=home

The health care industry is reorganizing in order to pursue a more efficient and higher quality model of care.  The cleverness of this lies in its adaptation of a particular manufacturing scheme known as “lean” organization.  Pioneered by the renowned Japanese automotive manufacturer, Toyota, in the years following the Second World War, the strategy was born out of pure necessity.  During the post-war period, Japanese manufacturers were faced with extraordinary deficits with respect to a variety of resources, subsequently leading them to change all facets of the manufacturing process itself.  What was situated at the center of this change was maximal efficiency; the removal and potential replacement of all practices which did not contribute to a product’s value.  Additionally, the model is extremely conscious of the consumer, basing all interpretations of value upon consumer demands.  According to the MAMTC, a more concise definition of “lean” manufacturing is as follows:

“A systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste (non-value-added activities) through continuous improvement by flowing the product at the pull of the customer in pursuit of perfection.”

Of course, the system entails a vast range of contingencies that theoretically lead a given enterprise to its ultimate goal of maximal efficiency and quality.  Such items include the elimination of overproduction, excessive inventory, motion, and space.  Given the nature of this analysis, the complexities of the matter will not be discussed.

This is all very exciting for the world’s manufacturers, but what of the health care industry? Naturally, when a model such as this is applied to the business of health care, similar results seem to occur. In fact, the phenomenon is so utterly profound that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is at the forefront of its research.

Simply expressed by the coordinator of the Lean program at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Sabi Singh:

“In manufacturing, lean principles are about adding value to a product… In health care, the focus is on improving the patient’s experience, which leads to eliminating waste and non-value added steps, which in turn improves finances.”

However, these abstractions seem to only supply so much to one’s understanding of the “lean” system.  Perhaps an illustration of such concepts will be of greater benefit.  For example, at a hospital in Iowa, a nurse suggested that the location of particular chemotherapy supplies be moved from a distant storage room to carts located in greater proximity to certain patients.  Not only this, but these patients were also grouped into pods which were assigned to various nurses.  Consequently, “those two simple changes reduced the nurse’s walking time by 90 percent, reducing the patients’ waiting time and increasing the number of patients the clinic could care for in a day,” according to Singh.

In essence, “lean” methods are staggeringly logical.  It should be no surprise that the implementation of a system of this nature is improving the efficiency, quality, and cost of health care. 

Questions: Have you had personal experience working with a lean organization?  Do you feel there are benefits with working in this type of environment?

About the Author: Patricia Heise is a Staff Writer with the Clear Medical Solutions Communication Team.  Her work is regularly shared on the Clear Medical Agency newsletter and the ClearNursingMatters.com blog. 

References:

“UI Helps Health Care Organizations Control Costs”, Ruzanna Harutyunyan. September 21, 2009. http://www.emaxhealth.com/2/10/33678/ui-helps-health-care-organizations-control-costs.html

“Intro to Lean”, MAMTC. http://mamtc.com/lean/intro_intro.asp