In the past few weeks I have subscribed to over 20 blogs on healthcare and change innovation. I was turned onto the www.Ted.com site and have found it an inspiration for my personal and professional life. The power of the ideas on this website are amazing and transferrable to any area of interest you may have.
I recently watched a talk by Tony Robbins about how we can create change and I wanted to explore how his message of personal satisfaction could translate into creating change in healthcare. A quote I found very interesting and appropriate to most of the countries view on healthcare was this:
“Society thinks we are our past” he goes on to say “We are if we THINK that way”.
What better quote then that to define how healthcare as evolved. We can see examples in:
1) The tradition of 12 hour shifts even though they are proven unsafe.
2) 36 hour call for interns, again unsafe
3) Teacher centered teaching and lecture, because that’s how “I” learned
4) “Eating” new grad nurses, because that’s what happened to me
5) Rewarding task orientation and “doing” something, because I grew up in the industrial age.
I am sure you can fit these examples into many aspects of your work or interaction with the US healthcare system. Healthcare is notorious for thinking that the past traditions should rule the future, just think of how hard it is to implement a change…
I recently entered into a debate with a fellow blogger about the use of technology changing physician practices and making office visits less necessary. He wrote back and argued that the telephone was just as effective as online interactivity. This is an example of tradition holding back an innovation.
As Mr. Robbins continued his talk he made another interesting quote.
“The defining factor is not RESOURCES, it’s RESOURCEFULNESS.”
Now how does that apply to healthcare. I think it really defines the future of healthcare. We are increasing costs, cutting resources, seeing sicker patients, and having to control the resources we use. If the mentality of resourcefulness overcame one of resources our system would be in a hell of a lot better shape.
Can you imagine the practitioners treating a patient using resourcefulness rather then worrying about litigation? I think it would be remarkable. No more wasted labs on a patient with obvious strep throat. No more serial enzymes of a low risk patient just to rule out an MI. No more antibiotics for the viral infection just so you can say you “did something”. What a concept!
In the educational arena how can we make better practitioners using the concept of resourcefulness. I like to substitute the word resourcefulness with the name McGyver! If every nurse, every doc, every housekeeper, every tech had the mentality of McGvyer do you think we could create some ground shattering innovations. I would love to work in a place that emphasized creation and resourcefulness.
Now as an aside, let me be clear, I am not talking about cutting corners or endangering patients because we reuse the Foley Caths, no, I am talking about looking at the resources you have and inventing new ways to use them effectively and safely.
The final topic Mr. Robbins discussed was that of growing. He described one of the major drivers of human existence is growing. Not on the cellular level, but in the spiritual and emotional sense. If one does not grow, or have the ability to grow, they become depressed. Walk into any nursing unit and observe… I bet you’ll see examples of this.
I know in my own work I have seen nurses stuck in the job, trying to make money, not attempting to learn more, not accepting new evidence, not rocking the boat when poor change decisions are made, and not taking responsibility to change the way healthcare is delivered and managed. That, my friend, is my definition of depression.
As leaders, as innovators, as friends, as family, as coworkers of these poor souls we need to reframe their thinking. Well, rather help them reframe their own thinking! Find what excites them, find their passion, find that drive within, and then give them the chance to grow. Give them a few resources to be resourceful with, give them encouragement to make a change, support their passion, and most of all be there for them to share their energy.
I want to leave you with a final quote that I think sums up my beliefs of leadership and change management. It goes as follows.
“Effective Leaders have the ability to consistently move themselves and
others to action because they understand the invisible forces that shape us”
---Tony Robbins
Focus those forces and change the world!!!
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