By John Kelly, CEO, IDN Summit
Recently, as my mother has been dealing with some serious health concerns, I saw firsthand the importance of clinical integration in healthcare delivery today.
IDN Summit offers the opportunity to hear healthcare industry leaders discuss the latest strategies in optimizing a clinically integrated supply chain during the 2011 Fall IDN Summit. Let me offer some observations from a few days of sitting with my mom at UK Hospital. I realize that these few items are very simplistic and are just a few observations, but they would have really improved my mom’s patient experience.
1) Nurses should run the hospital. They get it. They understand what the patients and their family are going through more than anyone. And it’s the simple things like having deodorant optimized for a female instead of Speed Stick for males. No worries though, the nursing staff understood this and had a supply of baby powder that would provide my mom a bit of dignity.
2) Cheap water pitchers that had condensation dripping from them and almost impossible for a patient to hold. Does it really cost that much more for a decent water pitcher?
3) When you check into a hotel, there is generally a note from someone letting you know you are welcomed. How about the same kind of note from someone at the hospital giving a number or at least a name in case you need something and aren’t getting it. Maybe it’s a note from the chief supply chain officer explaining how to get something you need that would better highlight supply chain functions.
4) Is it really necessary to buy cleaning products that have offensive odors? It amazes me that clinical staffs could not wear perfume or cologne, but the cleaning supplies had an offensive odor that made my mom nauseous each time the floor was cleaned.
5) Much more emphasis on environmentally friendly products and services. It amazes me how many products were used that I have read can cause cancer. That is one of those ‘duh’ issues.
I could go on but I ‘interviewed’ each nurse or tech that worked with my mom and each of them had great ideas about improving the patient experience that were simple and, quite frankly, would have saved this hospital money. I wonder if they are being listened to, because they should be. As I write this blog post, I find it ironic that the new president of UK is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for a consultant to assist with updating a business plan. My suggestion to him would be to just go ask a nurse about the UK Hospital and save your money on the consultants.
In the next few weeks, we’ll be announcing a lineup for the Thursday morning general sessions which will focus on learning from others and improved communications with the clinical functions of your system. It’s going to be a great lineup and will compliment the work of the IDN Summit Advisory Board for the Clinical Integration track.
