On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dr. Jim Cole joins the podcast to share how process improvement has guided his work in both military and healthcare settings. Dr. Cole introduces tools like the Marine Corps Planning Process, OODA loops, and operational risk management. Jim shares how these military methods helped him tackle challenges in civilian healthcare. To that end, Dr. Cole reflects on creating efficient systems for bed availability and managing variation to establish standard work. This conversation highlights how practical tools and strong leadership can transform even the toughest situations into opportunities for improvement. Plus, for you music fans, there are references to AC/DC, Cheap Trick, and Stray Cats!

 

In this episode, you will hear about:

2:41 - Jim's background in the military and medicine

4:39 - Growing up in Suburban Chicago

7:05 - College, the military, and medical school

7:53 - The Navy Seals

10:52 - Process Improvement and  Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer Training

15:28 - The OODA Loop: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act

16:45 - Operational Risk Management

19:57 - Using military training in Process Improvement for civilian healthcare

24:02 - Addressing hospital bed availability

29:17 - Introducing Process Improvement to an initially reluctant team

31:33 - Variation and Standard Work

34:07 - Reviewing the data and performance metrics

35:59 - Keys to leadership

38:17 - Depictions of surgery in movies and TV

41:21 - From chaos to order

 

Additional Resources:

Trauma: My Life as an Emergency Surgeon

Dr. Jim Cole on LinkedIn

Dr. Jim Cole at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

MoreSteam's YouTube Channel

Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook

Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram

Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn

MoreSteam's Website

Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter

MoreSteam on LinkedIn

Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn

 

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