The Lens

Catalysis faculty member and author of Patient-Centered Strategy, Jeff Hunter to discuss some of the questions that he has been hearing from healthcare leaders on how COVID-19 is and should impact their strategy deployment process.

Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in New York City has built a culture of improvement on a foundation of principles. In this podcast Maytal Rand, Emergency Manager, shares the story of their Haircuts for Heroes program. This is just one of the ways that they are showing respect for their staff during the stressful time COVID-19 has presented. This story presents evidence of their strong culture and principle-based leadership. 

Jane Jerzak, a partner with Wipfli, CPAs and Consultants, shares funding opportunities that are available for healthcare organizations to help with the significant financial burden that the COVID-19 is causing. Jane works with healthcare organizations in both larger communities and rural settings.

We continue the discussion with Lucy Xenophon, Chief Transformation Officer, Brian Radbill, Incident Commander and CMO, and Art Gianelli, President, from Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in New York City. Being in New York City puts them at the heart of the crisis. They share what they are doign to support front line staff, how their improvement team has supported the organization during this time of crisis, as well as what systems they have put in place that have been particularly valuable in the fight against COVID-19. 

Lucy Xenophon, Chief Transformation Officer, Brian Radbill, Incident Commander and CMO, and Art Gianelli, President, from Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in New York City share learings from the COVID-19 pandemic. Being in New York City puts them at the heart of the crisis. Hear about the current state at the hospital as well as advice they have for preparing for a possible surge of COVID-19 patients. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed lives for everyone across the globe and has hit the healthcare industry hard. Our Catalysis Healthcare Value Network members have shared a lot of standard work and other information with us that can be helpful for hospitals all over the world.

We are grateful for the hardworking healthcare professionals who are working tirelessly under difficult circumstances. Catalysis is working to bring together resources to help our community learn, share, and connect around navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic. Catalysis will do all we can to leverage our resources and network to be part of the solution to this crisis. You can access resources on our website, createvalue.org, on the COVID-19 Resources page.

In this episode we discuss the management system at the model cell level with Kim Barnas, author of Beyond Heroes, and CEO at Catalysis. 

If you use the model cell approach to implementing a management system you are able to see where your opportunities to improve are and are able to work those out before you spread to other areas. Each time you spread the management system to an new area or unit it is a chance for PDSA. The model cell approach is intended to keep you from spreading systems and processes that don't work.  

The Model Cell is a critical first step in an organization’s transformation journey. It serves as a test center where operations can experiment with ideas, embrace failure as a path to learning, and put new concepts into action. This area will become the demonstration site as you spread continuous improvement throughout the organization. It is important to support this team to develop behaviors and learn tools for continuous improvement and problem solving as will as support them through building a daily management system.

The improvement team is more than a group of people who carry a toolbox to support operations with the improvement process. This team supports both the senior leadership team and that model cell through out the cultural transformation by teaching and coaching to ensure that everyone in the organization has the knowledge and skills, and practices the necessary behaviors to propel and sustain the cultural transformation to organizational excellence.

Executives and senior leaders are responsible for ensuring that resources are available, so they deliver on the organization strategy, daily operations, and continuous improvement. The management system allows leaders to deliver on these expectations while adhering to the aligning principles of organizational excellence, including creating constancy of purpose and thinking systemically.