*Food for Thought

Become a member of the ACHE!

For all of you interested in healthcare, there is a really great organization, Amercian College for Healthcare Executives (ACHE) to become involved in.  If you have been in healthcare for a number of years you have the opportunity to become a Fellow in the ACHE.  However, for those of us just starting our careers in healthcare administration, it is a great organization to join.  They plan early careerist networking events where we can meet others in our industry in the area and learn from them as well.  There are always roundtable discussions and speaker events about latest breaking news in healthcare. Lots of valuable information can be learned from these events and I would definitely recommend it for anyone in healthcare.

They also have a conference in Chicago each year in March which I will be attending this year.  I know there will be over 4,500 healthcare managers, administrators, and leaders in attendance.  It should be a really great event and I'm excited to have the opportunity to go! Plus, who doesn't want to visit the Windy City?! Just another reason to join our group!

 

Also, as an extra plug - I along with 4 of my classmates have planned a great panel discussion for March 9th at 6:30pm in the law school. The topic will be Patient Quality and Safety and we have 3 great speakers lined up. I hope to see you all there!

Is it spring??

Today it is nearly50 degrees outside! It's funny because all of a sudden you see everyone dressed like its spring. But fear not...we will soon be reminded that it is only the middle of February and the temperature will drop to mid 20's!  This nice weather just makes everything seem more managable; more motivation to do all of the homework that's assigned! Unfortunately, this nice weather doesn't mean all of the homework will do itself.  The nerd in me really does like all of the homework - the papers to write and reading assigned is usually pretty interesting which is positive considering that is how it should be with a graduate program.  It's just extra intense to work basically full-time and go to school full-time as well which brings me to my next point...

The question a lot of prospective students ask me is if it is managable to go to school full-time and work at the same time. I really think that is a personal opinion but very doable if you set your mind to it. For me, I like having a strict schedule so that I don't have a lot of time to procrastinate doing my work. I feel it works out better and I'm not awake at 3am the night before a paper is due  finishing it.  It is definitely an adjustment but it is well worth it in the end.   

Last semester!

Last week marked my last first day of school, ever! I'm very excited to report that I will be graduating in May!  It is sometimes a hard concept to grasp. Ever since I can remember I have gone to school day in and day out, had homework to do and projects to finish and this May it will all be over! Exciting, yet a little scary but I'm anxiously awaiting this change.  I must say, I have really enjoyed this whole grad school experience (I might not be saying that in a few weeks when I have loads of homework but for now...). I like Suffolk's MHA program for many reasons but the most important reason for me is that the professors really do want to see you succeed and as long as you put forth some effort they are willing to help you. It is easy to get to know them and they are always available for you to talk to.  As it is true for any grad program, students are there because they want to be, not because they have to be.  Therefore, the level of learning is high, especially in smaller programs.  The conversations we have in the classroom can be taken back to our places of work and really help to make a difference in the way we understand our jobs and responsibilities within the organization.  The intelligent conversations that take place within the 4 walls of a classroom is what I will miss most about school.  It actually may be the only thing I will miss, because I know I won't miss the assignments. Can you blame me?

On a different note, can you believe all of this snow we're getting? If you are not currently living in the northeast you're missing out on some serious snow. I'm glad that class has not been canceled as a result of these storms because then we would just have to make it up at a later date and that is no fun!  However, if you are living in the northeast it is the best time to go skiing, snow tubing, etc.! What a great time for these fun wintery sports. The best part about going to school in Boston is being able to take advantage of the different seasons.  My favorite place to ski is Killington - it does not get much better than when I am there with a group of friends in a cabin or condo.  Definitely something to look forward to as a student in New England!

Well that is all I have time for now. Come back to follow me through my last semester of school!  Stay warm out there.

IHI National Forum

 Last week I had the privilege to attend the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) National Forum in Orlando, Florida.  The IHI encourages healthcare providers all over the world to continually innovate and create new ways to provide high-quality care.  They believe everyone deserves safe and effective care and strive to help organizations find and adopt best practices to make this happen.  I went there not really knowing what to expect. It was my first "conference" and I assumed I would be hearing some great speeches and learning a lot through the mini-sessions I attended. What I did not expect was the high level of energy present. We were all there for the same reason: to learn from each other ways to better our own organization. Everyone genuinely cares about the same thing:  reducing the number of preventable errors to our patients - the third leading cause of death.  Studies have shown preventable errors cause up to 99,000 deaths in the United States per year.  The IHI believes these numbers can be significantly reduced when best practices are implemented. 

I heard many keynote speeches and attended many mini-lessons but I would like to give you an excerpt from one of the keynote addresses, The CEO of the IHI was the first keynote speaker and she was just so inspiring. Here is an excerpt from her speech when referring to speaking with patients all over the world: “I see empathy and technical excellence, but the conversation is medical, focused on the disease and often not on the total burden.

[Citing from Henry Ting and Victor Montori at the Mayo Clinic:] When we can’t lessen or ease the burden of illness, we can redesign to lessen the burden of treatment – they call this “minimally disruptive medicine.”  Sometimes we can't lessen the burden of the disease but we can make treatments bearable for patients by making it easy for them - making care more patient-centered instead of provider centered.

The theme of this year’s forum was "Taking Care". She inspired us to take care of our own health first so we can take better care of those who rely on us.

Over 6,000 people attend this forum and for a process improvement organization they sure do have it planned out extremely well. Breakfast and lunches were prompt and efficient, simple maps were provided so we could easily navigate around the premises, and over 70 staff members were available at all times to help us, the 6,000 healthcare employees looking to find a better way to provide high-quality care.   

All in all it was a great learning experience and I would encourage everyone (physicians, nurses, administrators, etc.) in healthcare to attend at least once in their life.  As an added bonus the conference is in Florida and who doesn't want to go to FLORIDA?! Except it was only 30 degrees when I was there...that didn't really help my tan.

Mentor Program

The mentor program within the MHA degree is definitely something you should take advantage of while in the program.  I have had the privilege of being paired with an awesome mentor who has been in the healthcare field for quite some time.  She is very knowledgeable and has provided me with a lot of advice and guidance for my career path.  We learn from each other, I provide her with current healthcare articles she should be reading as well as some professional advice and she has helped me establish connections in healthcare in Boston as well as prepared me for interviews I have been on.  We meet usually once a month at a local restaurant for some lunch or dinner to discuss what has been happening in our lives.  It's a really good way to share personal and professional experiences with someone who can provide an objective opinion about anything that is going on.

 The program is designed to link healthcare graduate students with alumni and friends of our program.  You would be carefully paired with a mentor who shares similar career interests and goals as you.  This is definitely something you should take advantage of if you join our MHA program here at Suffolk and a great way to make a new friend!

 

"Always bloom where you are planted"

 This past week we had a guest speaker, President and CEO of Mount Auburn hospital.  She was a graduate of our MHA program a few years back and is now obviously a very successful figure in the healthcare world.  She had some great advice about how to motivate employees to accept and deal with change in large organizations.  She spoke highly of author John Kotter and his books on organizational change and how he has influenced her leadership style over the years.  More importantly, she shared the struggles and obstacles she had to overcome as the new President and CEO of the Mount.  It was difficult for her to come in to a organization desperate for change and essentially have the entire executive staff quit.  In the long-run, this benefited her because she could put her own team together.  She stressed the importance of building a shared vision and then helping followers find themselves in this vision.  Also, creating a vision that excites employees and makes them want to come to work every day is key to gaining support for change from employees.  Without a shared vision and shared values it is hard to turn a large organization around.  She made sure the executive team she hired shared similar values and wanted to be a part of her shared vision.  Also, she stressed the importance of resetting the focus of the Mount on the patients.  She talked about how she created a patient centered environment by first engaging the front line employees.  These two strategies helped to turn the Mount around and helped her to gain the respect she needed from her employees in order to be a successful leader. 

One last closing thought is the quote, "Always bloom where you are planted." I'm not exactly sure who said this originally but she used it in her speech Wednesday night.  It means you might not always know what you're doing when you first step in to a role but learn along the way and fight through it and you will bloom and succeed in whatever you endeavor to do.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

A little more about me...

Being a student in Suffolk's MHA program has really opened up a lot of doors for me. I have met some awesome people thus far who have helped me to see and study many different aspects of healthcare. In class, there are many engaging conversations as everyone contributes with their own opinions, thoughts, and experiences from their own workplace.  I really like that about our program - we learn how to apply materials for class to real world experiences.

I recently began working at Children's Hospital Boston which has been a great experience.  I truly believe Suffolk opened the door for me to Children's.  From speaking with classmates who work at Children's I realized this is a place I was extremely interested in working.  This has been great for me as I'm gaining more administrative experience but I am also learning more about clinical roles within the hospital. I am also going to start an internship there as well working with the PPSQ (Program for Patient Safety and Quality) which should be exciting as well! 

Next week Jeanette Clough, CEO for Mount Auburn Hospital will be guest speaking here at Suffolk.  More on that soon...  I hope everyone has a Happy and safe Halloween weekend!

A short history lesson

Last weekend was family weekend for current Suffolk students. Families came from all over the Country to visit their kids in school.  One of the activities the University planned for families included walking tours of the historical area surrounding Suffolk.  A student co-worker of mine participated by actually giving the tours to a small group of people.  There were 15 to 20 people in her group.  She is an American History major so I'm sure she was a great tour guide. I know for a fact she is full of knowledge about our Country's history. 

The tour started off at the Massachusetts State House and continued down Joy Street in Beacon Hill. She pointed out the first African American neighborhood house and school.  Then the group went on to the Common.  Here she talked about many of the hangings, public executions and punishments that occurred there in the 18th Century. 

Located right next to a Suffolk building is the Granary Burial grounds where many of the Sons of Liberty were buried. The group learned from their tour guide that Paul Revere, John Hancock, James Otis and Benjamin Franklin's family are all buried there.  The knowledgeable tour guide then proceeded down to the old Governor's Alley in Downtown Crossing where the Governor's Palace used to be located.  Currently, Massachusetts is only 1 of 5 states without a Governor's mansion.  The tour ended in Government Center, otherwise known as Scollay Square.  This is the location of the current City Hall.  The tour guide describes this building as "the ugliest building in Boston." From this location you can look out and see the Old North Church in the North End. This is the Church where the beacons blinked “one for by land and two for by see”  in Paul Revere’s ride. 

Our American History major says she enjoys sharing her love of history with everyone.  This is why she chose to graciously give up her Saturday to show Suffolk families around Boston.

Who would have known so many historical events took place in walking distance from many of our Suffolk buildings?!  I think this is a very fun way to spend time learning about where one goes to school -- a great learning opportunity for students to enjoy with their parents.

Something New...

 Well it's already Wednesday and I am loving this week because it is flying by!  I've been spending most of my time lately doing homework, and more homework.  It's that natural point in the semester where everything is due for every class all at once.  So yes, there is a lot to do but I'm finding most of it interesting at least. 

This past weekend my grandparents came to visit me.  I saw Boston through the eyes of someone who hasn't been here in years!  We went on a duck tour and to the Top of the Hub for dinner.  Much to my surprise, the duck tour was great! Our driver was hilarious and full of random knowledge about Boston. Did you know that Boston is home of the first restaurant to serve toothpicks after a meal?  The Top of the Hub was also great - such a beautiful view.  I should also add that my parents came to visit me as well.  I feel like they're always here... so it was a bigger deal to me that my grandparents came.  It was cool to see them appreciate the little things I see every day.  I realize that I live in this great place and I'm stuck in my own little routine.  So my new goal in between school and my 2 jobs will be to try something new each week. This week was the duck tour...we'll see what next week brings...

Rabbit, Rabbit

Happy October! This is my favorite time of the year. Okay, so maybe I say that at the beginning of every season - but I do really like fall.  Between football and the cool crisp Boston air, what's not to love?  Maybe the loads of homework there is to do but in the grand scheme of things, it's not too terribly bad.  So a little bit about myself...

I'm a full-time MHA (Health Administration) student hopefully, if all goes as planned, graduating in May, 2011.  I'm really enjoying the program thus far. I've met many interesting people along the way and I have learned a lot about the healthcare.  In future posts, I will discuss different aspects of healthcare I'm interested in and how this program has helped me to recognize these interests.  I also love being in the Boston area. Pretty trees in the fall, snow in the winter, running by the Charles in the spring, sailing in the summer.  All sounds awesome, right? 

I celebrated my birthday this past week by going to work and then class; exciting right? Right. Class on my birthday is the last place I thought I wanted to be - - until I walked in. Much to my surprise (should not have been a surprise, it was on the syllabus, I forgot) we had a guest speaker.  The marketing director of a nearby hospital came to speak about different marketing techniques, struggles, strategies and successes she experiences on a daily basis.  It was interesting to see the different tag lines used to catch the consumers attention.  She even put the hospitals name on dog tags so whenever a consumer would go to pet, feed, or walk their dog, they thought of her hospital.  Creative, right?  Who would have ever thought a dog would help market a hospital? I sure didn't.  She was literally one of the best speakers I've ever listened to - very engaging, creative, and  honest.  At the end, we all received some gifts: a little rubber ducky, a smile bouncy ball, and a bazooka... Happy Birthday to me.