Winning teams: a common vision yields uncommon results
Author: Bersch, Carren
The Department of Pathology at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas is this year’s Medical Laboratory of the Year for 2009, an annual honor sponsored by Medical Laboratory Observer magazine. As a result of lean process improvements, specimen rework caused by missing information was eliminated and turnaround time on key tests, such as urinalyses, was cut, freeing staff to focus on patient care. As part of the culture change, a mistake is now viewed as a flawed process, and individual blame is discouraged, although accountability is strong. When mistakes occur, the process is studied for the root cause. Individual error is simply defined as not following the standard process. In another innovation, a lab team conducts a weekly book study group targeted to managers and supervisors. (Published by Medical Laboratory Observer.)
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