Rushing the Value Cockpit.

The 2015 merger of health authorities in Nova Scotia was aggressive in pursuit of greater value. The goal was to create an integrated, accountable care network across the entire province. Years of pent-up frustration, death by a thousand cuts, declining service and growing expectations merged into a slow, insidious bleeding of support for change. The lessons learned from Nova Scotia are vital to achieving a value-based health system. The article describes some of the barriers to progress and the steps needed to achieve the goal of a value-based healthcare system for Canadians.

Optimization of faculty practice.

Nursing faculty practice encompasses multiple roles including direct and indirect provision of nursing/clinical services, research, education, consultation, administration, and other collaborative agreements. While faculty practice is encouraged by both American Association of Colleges of Nursing and National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, not all universities and colleges incorporate faculty practice as part of academia. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how one midwestern University optimized faculty practice over a four-year period by improving supporting infrastructure, contracts, aligning faculty and practice partners, and accountability. Pertinent data, decisions, and processes for each area are described here as well as the management of revenue generated.

Budgeting for Results.

Budgeting is a mandatory yet misunderstood function in most organizations because of its current focus on estimating revenues and expenses. A budget should be a roadmap specifying in dollars and cents organizational goals and how management performance will be assessed. Like a roadmap, its value is entirely dependent on whether the plan is followed. Improving treatment and controlling costs require implementing budgets that focus managers' attention on the elements of production systems that they control and lead directly to better results. The choice between using an incremental, flexible, zero-base, program, or activity-based budget to chart the desired path of departments and organizations should be made in light of organizational goals and the role of the manager within the organization.

Funding profiles of multisector health care alliances and their positioning for sustainability.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between different aspects of alliance funding profiles (e.g. range of sources, dependence on specific sources) and participant' perceptions of how well the organization is positioned for the future. Design/methodology/approach A mixed method study in the context of eight alliances participating in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Aligning Forces for Quality program. Data collection approaches included surveys of alliance participants and semi-structured interviews with alliance leaders. Findings The findings indicate that dependence on grant revenues, in particular, may be problematic for how well alliances are positioned for sustainability. While a number of approaches were identified to reduce dependence on grants, implementing these strategies presented more of a challenge for alliances due to the contextual demands of their external environment and a need to strike a balance between pursuing alternative revenue sources and fidelity to the mission and identity of the organization. Practical implications Alliance leaders need to have not only a broad and accurate understanding of their external environment, but also an appreciation of the alliance's identity in that environment. Collectively, the findings can help organizational leaders be more informed about their funding choices and the implications those choices have for the future of their organization. Originality/value Collaborative forms of organizations (e.g. alliances, coalitions, networks) are increasingly viewed as an effective means of addressing complex, multifaceted health, and social challenges. For collaborative organizations that depend on the coordinated efforts of volunteers, addressing such complex issues is predicated on sustaining programmatic activities as well as the interest and participation of stakeholders over extended periods of time. This study sheds light on how leaders of these organizations may improve their prospects for sustainability.

Here Comes Price Transparency.

The public reporting of clinical and operational performance measures is old news for chief nurse executives (CNEs). Since the advent of value-based purchasing and patient experience measures, CNEs have partnered with other executives to ensure organizational readiness and success with the performance measures being publicly shared. In 2018, healthcare organizations face a new wave of public reporting expectations-price. Once again, executives will need to ensure organizational readiness. Chief nurse executives must analyze the impact of this trend on the nursing enterprise and carefully consider how to best prepare for healthcare price transparency.

The challenges of implementing and evaluating a pilot music and movement intervention for people with dementia: Innovative practice.

This paper reports on the challenges associated with implementing and evaluating an innovative pilot music and movement project. The evaluation documents that participants enjoyed the sessions and that they created the opportunity for social engagement although there is little to suggest this is unique to this particular type of intervention. Difficulties included matching the programme to the needs of participants, communicating effectively, and over burdensome paperwork. The paper also comments on the challenges associated with last minute, limited funding opportunities for both the organisation commissioning a project and the team evaluating it. In this case, the evaluation team found that many of the more difficult issues associated with the pilot could have been resolved with more time for planning and preparation.

Sustaining Health Care Interventions to Achieve Quality Care: What We Can Learn From Rapid Response Teams.

Rapid response team (RRT) adoption and implementation are associated with improved quality of care of patients who experience an unanticipated medical emergency. The sustainability of RRTs is vital to achieve long-term benefits of these teams for patients, staff, and hospitals. Factors required to achieve RRT sustainability remain unclear. This study examined the relationship between sustainability elements and RRT sustainability in hospitals that have previously implemented RRTs.

Aproximación teórica a la evolución, teorías, enfoques y características que han sustentado el desarrollo de las organizaciones / Theoretical approach to the evolution, theories, criteria and characteristics supporting the development of organizations

Los sistemas organizacionales marchan a la par de los procesos de transformaciones sociales. El propósito de este trabajo es reflejar teóricamente la evolución, teorías, enfoques y características que sustentan el desarrollo de las organizaciones. Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica y documental sobre el tema en fuentes de datos digitales indexadas SciELO, EBSCO y material disponible en el repositorio de la biblioteca de la Escuela Nacional de Salud Pública de Cuba. Se usaron los descriptores: sistemas organizativos, teorías de la administración, desarrollo organizacional y gestión del cambio. El tratamiento de los datos se realizó mediante el análisis de contenido de tipo directo. Se expone la organización como una estructura artificial creada para el alcance de determinados objetivos. Se plantea que existen cuatro tipos de sistema de diseño de organización:explotador autoritario, benévolo autoritario, consultivo y participativo. Se explica que la teoría de sistemas propone cuatro implicaciones: la interdependencia, la apertura, el marco analítico macroscópico y microscópico; así como la adaptación y la innovación de la organización. Se presenta la evolución de las estructuras organizativas, los cambios a nivel organizacional y en los paradigmas de la administración. Hoy en día se aboga a favor de la necesidad de que las organizaciones diseñen estructuras más flexibles al cambio y que este se produzca como consecuencia del aprendizaje de sus miembros. Esto implica generar condiciones para promover equipos de alto desempeño, entender que el aprendizaje en equipo implica generar valor al trabajo y más adaptabilidad al cambio con una amplia visión hacia la innovación. El aspecto central de las organizaciones con miras al éxito es la calidad de sus líderes(AU)

Organizational systems go on a par with the processes of social changes. The objective of this paper was to theoretically show the evolution, theories, criteria and characteristics that support the development of organizations. A literature and documentary review was made on this topic in digital databases as Scielo and EBSCO and in available documents from the repository of the National School of Public Health library. The used subject headings were organizational systems, management theories, organizational development and change management. Direct content analysis served to process data. The organization was defined as an artificial structure created to achieve certain objectives. It was stated that there are four types of systems of organization design: authoritarian exploiting, authoritarian benevolent, consultative and participatory. It was explained that the system theory suggests four implications: interdependence, openness, macroscopic analytical and microscopic analytical frame as well as the adaptation and innovation of the organization. The evolution of the organizational structures, the changes at organizational level and in the management paradigms were also presented. Nowadays, there is a need for the organizations to design structures that can be more flexibly change and such a change should occur as a result of the members' learning. This means creating conditions to promote high performance teams, on the understanding that team learning generates value for work and more adaptability to change, with broad vision toward innovation. The central aspect of the organizations, with a view to being successful, is the quality of its leaders(AU)

Goal directed hemodynamic therapy: the time to implement is now / Terapia hemodinámica por objetivos: es el momento de ponerla en práctica

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Terapia hemodinámica guiada por objetivos basada en parámetros de flujo con Doppler esofágico: revisión sistemática, metaanálisis y análisis secuencial de ensayos / Goal directed hemodynamic therapy based in esophageal Doppler flow parameters: a systematic review, meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis

Introducción. Numerosos estudios han comparado la monitorización perioperatoria guiada por Doppler esofágico (ODM) para establecer estrategias de reemplazo de volumen intravascular. El uso del ODM con algoritmos hemodinámicos se denomina terapia hemodinámica guiada por objetivos (THGO). Métodos. Metaanálisis de los efectos del ODM en THGO para cirugía no cardiaca de adultos, las complicaciones postoperatorias y la mortalidad, acorde a PRISMA. Se practicó búsqueda sistemática en Medline, PubMed, EMBASE y la Cochrane Library (última actualización, marzo de 2015). Criterios de inclusión: ensayos clínicos aleatorizados (ECA) que comparan THGO con otra alternativa de manejo de fluidos. Desenlaces primarios: complicaciones generales. Desenlaces secundarios: mortalidad; número de pacientes con complicaciones; complicaciones específicas. Se realizó análisis cuantificable, análisis predefinido de subgrupos y sensibilidad, y análisis secuencial de estudios. Resultados. Se identificaron inicialmente 56 ECA, siendo finalmente admitidos para el estudio 15 (1.368 pacientes). Se observó una reducción significativa global, con THGO, de las complicaciones asociadas comparada con fluidoterapia convencional (RR=0,75; IC95%: 0,63-0,89; p=0,0009), en cirugía colorrectal, urológica y de alto riesgo No se encontraron diferencias en los resultados secundarios, ni en otros subgrupos. El impacto en la prevención de complicaciones en pacientes con ODM es alto, con una reducción del riesgo relativo (RRR) del 50% y un número necesario a tratar (NNT)=6. Conclusiones. La THGO guiada por ODM disminuye las complicaciones postoperatorias, principalmente en pacientes sometidos a cirugía colorrectal y de alto riesgo. No se encontraron diferencias con respecto a la fluidoterapia restrictiva y en pacientes de riesgo intermedio (AU)

Background. Numerous studies have compared perioperative esophageal doppler monitoring (EDM) guided intravascular volume replacement strategies with conventional clinical volume replacement in surgical patients. The use of the EDM within hemodynamic algorithms is called ‘goal directed hemodynamic therapy’ (GDHT). Methods. Meta-analysis of the effects of EDM guided GDHT in adult non-cardiac surgery on postoperative complications and mortality using PRISMA methodology. A systematic search was performed in Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library (last update, March 2015). Inclusion criteria: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in which perioperative GDHT was compared to other fluid management. Primary outcomes: Overall complications. Secondary outcomes: Mortality; number of patients with complications; cardiac, renal and infectious complications; incidence of ileus. Studies were subjected to quantifiable analysis, pre-defined subgroup analysis (stratified by surgery, type of comparator and risk); pre-defined sensitivity analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA). Results. Fifty six RCTs were initially identified, 15 fulfilling the inclusion criteria, including 1,368 patients. A significant reduction was observed in overall complications associated with GDHT compared to other fluid therapy (RR=0.75; 95%CI: 0.63-0.89; P=0.0009) in colorectal, urological and high-risk surgery compared to conventional fluid therapy. No differences were found in secondary outcomes, neither in other subgroups. The impact on preventing the development of complications in patients using EDM is high, causing a relative risk reduction (RRR) of 50% for a number needed to treat (NNT)=6. Conclusions. GDHT guided by EDM decreases postoperative complications, especially in patients undergoing colorectal surgery and high-risk surgery. However, no differences versus restrictive fluid therapy and in intermediate-risk patients were found (AU)

Systematic Review of the Application of Lean and Six Sigma Quality Improvement Methodologies in Radiology.

PURPOSE: Preventable yet clinically significant rates of medical error remain systemic, while health care spending is at a historic high. Industry-based quality improvement (QI) methodologies show potential for utility in health care and radiology because they use an empirical approach to reduce variability and improve workflow. The aim of this review was to systematically assess the literature with regard to the use and efficacy of Lean and Six Sigma (the most popular of the industrial QI methodologies) within radiology. METHODS: MEDLINE, the Allied & Complementary Medicine Database, Embase Classic + Embase, Health and Psychosocial Instruments, and the Ovid HealthStar database, alongside the Cochrane Library databases, were searched on June 2015. Empirical studies in peer-reviewed journals were included if they assessed the use of Lean, Six Sigma, or Lean Six Sigma with regard to their ability to improve a variety of quality metrics in a radiology-centered clinical setting. RESULTS: Of the 278 articles returned, 23 studies were suitable for inclusion. Of these, 10 assessed Six Sigma, 7 assessed Lean, and 6 assessed Lean Six Sigma. The diverse range of measured outcomes can be organized into 7 common aims: cost savings, reducing appointment wait time, reducing in-department wait time, increasing patient volume, reducing cycle time, reducing defects, and increasing staff and patient safety and satisfaction. All of the included studies demonstrated improvements across a variety of outcomes. However, there were high rates of systematic bias and imprecision as per the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Lean and Six Sigma QI methodologies have the potential to reduce error and costs and improve quality within radiology. However, there is a pressing need to conduct high-quality studies in order to realize the true potential of these QI methodologies in health care and radiology. Recommendations on how to improve the quality of the literature are proposed.

Managers' role in maximising investment in continuing professional education.

Healthcare organisations face the challenge of delivering care in increasingly complex environments. To do so they depend on competent professionals, and continuing professional education (CPE) plays a major part in ensuring that staff maintain and develop their knowledge and skills. However, there is limited evidence of the effect of CPE on healthcare outcomes, and an emphasis on outcomes has overlooked the contribution of the processes that underlie effective CPE. This article reports the results of a study that explored a range of stakeholders' perceptions of the processes that maximise the positive effects of CPE on practice. Analysis of results shows that CPE can help improve care when supported by positive organisational cultures, effective partnership working between stakeholders and supportive learning environments that enable individuals to maximise their learning. This article discusses how managers play a pivotal role in creating positive cultures in which CPE can flourish by being role models and change agents, ensuring organisational strategic objectives are aligned with personal development plans, and by working collaboratively with education colleagues to ensure that learning from CPE is embedded in practice.