For the upcoming learning sessions in October I would like to ask each hospital to bring at least two documents you have either developed for this initiative or have changed due to this initiative i.e. policies you have written or changed, parent education sheets etc.  Please bring enough copies to share with the other hospitals in the initiative, tools for everyone's toolbox... 

For culture change to occur you first have to be aware that change is needed.  Culture is complex; one of the main reasons change efforts fail is a lack of understanding about culture and the significant role it plays.  There is a growing realization that, despite the best-laid plans, any significant change must include not only changing structures and processes but also addressing the underlying culture (Kimball, 2005).  Are you aware of a change that is needed in your unit? Have you addressed the underlying culture in your change plan?

The main objective of improvement is to make changes that result in improvement from the viewpoint of the customer.  Customer's can be in the form of patients, families, providers, payor's or outside agencies.  Remember all improvement requires change but not all change will result in improvement.  Improvement comes from action:  from developing, testing and implementing changes.  Why should we engage in change? Simply put we have no choice.  Change is going to happen.  The choice is to let the change happen to you, or be more proactive and make the changes (Langley, Moen, Nolan, et al 2nd ed 2009).  

Over the next few months we will discuss many things including models for improvement.  One specific model we'll discuss is based on the book entitled:  "The Improvement Guide:  a Practical Approach to Enhancing Organizational Performance."    

This model has 3 main questions for every improvement activity:  

1.  What are we trying to accomplish? 

2.  How will we know that a change is an improvement 

and 3.  What change can we make that will result in improvement?  

Before improvement can occur all 3 questions must be answered...

Contact

Tammy.Haithcox@pqcnc.org