Continuing education: the key to advancement and job satisfaction

Continuing education is the key to advancement and job satisfaction according to numerous surveys conducted in the last six months by Healthcare Purchasing News. There are many educational venues available from various associations, GPO annual meetings as well as service providers and manufacturers regional and national meetings. HPN has had the privilege of attending many of these conferences, on-site seminars and Web seminars this past year. Sitting with healthcare professionals from many disciplines, it is clear they have a need for information. They often express gratitude that their supervisor allowed them to attend – and frequently mention other co-workers they wish were there, or that they would recommend for future classes.

HPN had the opportunity to attend the 9th Annual Georgetown University Healthcare Leadership Institute. The Institute focuses on quality and patient safety issues and content is taught at graduate levels on the university campus. Presented by the Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies and The McDonough School of Business, the Institute is underwritten by an educational grant from Kimberly-Clark. The Institute was held on the Georgetown University campus in Washington, DC, July 10-15, 2005. Kimberly-Clark partners with the School of Nursing & Health Studies and The McDonough School of Business to produce one of the most respected educational offerings for healthcare professionals. Each year approximately 60 professionals in healthcare management, particularly directors of surgical services and directors of materials management from major institutions, attend the Institute.

Class overview

James P. Bagian, MD, PE, presented a course on "Creating a Culture of Safety" that can be successfully implemented at your healthcare facility. Bagian was chosen as the Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for Patient Safety and a former astronaut. Bagian presented methods to help you reduce patient safety issues by changing the current culture at your facility. Safety system designs have already been implemented in other "High Hazard" industries, such as Aviation.

"Implementing System Based Patient Safety Programs" presented by Bernard Horak, Ph.D. Horak emphasized the "Categories of Quality Issues" such as misuse, overuse, and underuse, as well as the required elements of risk reduction by determining root-cause analysis. Horak recommended reading the Institute of Medicine report from 2000 "Crossing the Quality Chasm," which sets forth a model to make change possible. It emphasizes the need for leadership and organizational supports, performing teams to achieve to outcomes that are safe, effective, patient centered, timely and equitable.

Dr. Bill Sirois, from the Circadian company, presented the session on "Extended Hours Issues in Nursing." Sirois made us all cognizant of safety issues for night shift workers as well as overtime healthcare workers.

Best selling author, Deborah Tannen, explored reasons whyhealthcare professionals fail to communicate effectively and the reasons why. Tannen explored the ritualistic conversations we are involved in every day and the resulting perceptions that can alter the intended meaning.

In an interactive session, presented by Robert Bies, Ph.D. of Georgetown University, attendees to the institute participated first hand in learning what all effective managers and organizations need to know about "Negotiation and Conflict Management." Bies focused on what he refers to as BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement) techniques. He highlighted techniques needed in preparing for negotiation meetings and universal interactions.

"The Seven Crucial Conversations for Healthcare," by David Maxfield, clearly showed how silence can kill the best efforts of care givers and the need for crucial conversations that can effectively attack relationship problems in your organization. Silence in your organization is deadly. From his latest study, 50 to 80 percent of healthcare workers will stand next to someone and see them cut corners or make mistakes that border on dangerous incompetence. Worse yet, only 1 in 8 of the employees observing these incidents will confront the problem. Maxfield is the director of research for VitalSmarts, a firm that consults and researches projects on the role crucial conversations play in medical errors, employee retention and performance and patient satisfaction within the heatlhcare facility.

"Healthcare Marketing in the New Competitive Landscape" presented by Ronald Goodstein, Ph.D. of Georgetown University, taught how important proper marketing and the presentation of your facility are to your success and customer satisfaction.

"Labor and Employment Issues" was taught by Kathleen Talty, Esq. of Georgetown University. Talty explored areas of common labor and employment issues that anyone in management needs to be cognizant of in order to have successful relationships with their employees and ultimately maintain excellent and efficient patient care.

Capitol Hill trip

Our group of Georgetown Healthcare Leadership Institute attendees was treated to a specially organized discussion panel at the Capitol Hill Club. Richard Kimberly, President of Kimberly Consulting LLC, and who also serves as company liaison for government affairs, started out with a historical overview of the internal workings of the Senate and House majority and minority committees, before the panel arrived. The panel members included members of the Senate Finance Committee, House Energy and Commerce committee, Senate Finance Committee, and Ways and Means Committee. The discussion focused on the current healthcare budget reform and policy bills slated for vote in September – primarily involving Medicare and Medicaid issues. Georgetown attendees were encouraged to ask questions and comment on issues that could potentially change the direction of some of these bills by making panel members more aware of current hospital problems. Rep. Nancy Johnson, (R-CT) also addressed the group on the need for healthcare reform.

Explore ethical and legal issues and physician incentives

Joseph Procaccino, JR, JD, MFS brought home some surprising realizations with his illustrations of how we walk a fine ethical line every day, in decisions we make and how it affects us and others. He pointed out how difficult it can be in discerning the right moral components, especially in healthcare where we are dealing with families, legal issues, and hospital policies.

Dr. Robin Goldenberg’s session on "Physician Incentives in the Hospital: Can We Get Them on Board?" examined ways of winning physician support and how critical it is in keeping patient safety, maintaining quality and managing costs. He explored what incentives hospitals are allowed to offer in order to promote a true partnership in purchasing decisions. HPN