What we all want: If everything is priority one, then everything is priority none
As our friends from Chicago appear to be embarking in earnest on their charge to be as unpredictable as possible (I know of one instance in which a triennial survey “landed” about 10 months early—if that doesn’t merit a “yow,” I’m not sure what does…), the general concept of constant readiness would seem to be in flux (I think we all “knew” that the true survey window was considerably more limited than what it could be).
To that point, lately I’ve been working with folks who are well and truly within a survey window (lots of folks poking around in healthcare organizations these days…) and I’ve been noticing a tendency for folks requesting things to use “tomorrow” (or something similarly unrealistic) when identifying a requested completion date. And then raising a fuss when things are not repaired/replaced/refurbished almost instantly, which puts the folks who actually have to get the work done in a rather precarious position, depending on how quickly/dramatically the fussiness gets escalated. I think we can agree that expectations like instantaneous gratification do not lend themselves to thoughtful assessment of risk, or even (truth be told) basic triaging of tasks. I know that in crisis mode things can become a little unhinged, but the way the survey process is starting to turn, if we don’t find a way to really hardwire that classic finder/fixer dynamic as a way of like, the potential for chaos as a way of life is fairly strong.
So, the question I have for you out there in the studio audience is this: Does anybody have any unique methodologies they’d be inclined to share? I will freely admit to being at something of a disadvantage in that it has been a very, very long time (other than some interim gigs) since I’ve had day-to-day operational responsibilities in a hospital so there are probably technology solutions, etc., that could be leveraged in pursuit of focused order. But I also know that there is still a fair amount of what I like to call the “corridor work order request,” which, in my younger years, was probably not that big a deal, but now, as I approach my dotage, I find that I am not able to instantly recall quite as much “stuff” (I’m still pretty good, but the seams are much more apparent now).
I’m sure you are all following (with perhaps varying degrees of trepidation) the events unfolding in China relative to the Wuhan coronavirus; if you’re not making a regular stop at the CDC website for updates, etc., I would highly suggest it be a touch point at least every day or so. It’s starting to manifest itself a bit stateside and I suppose, given the omnipresence of travel these days, it’s only a matter of time before it starts showing up in less-populated regions of the country. You can find as much information as is available here. Hopefully, this one subsides quickly, but preparedness, it seems, is everything these days.
About the Author: Steve MacArthur is a safety consultant with The Greeley Company in Danvers, Mass. He brings more than 30 years of healthcare management and consulting experience to his work with hospitals, physician offices, and ambulatory care facilities across the country. He is also a contributing editor for Healthcare Safety Leader. Contact Steve at stevemacsafetyspace@gmail.com.