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ESO Wave 2011 – Data for Learning and Improvement

by Jean F. Meeks, Ph.D. on November 17, 2011

More than a 100 people convened in Austin, TX at the Austin Convention Center for Wave 2011. Sponsored by ESO Solutions, a technology company developing solutions for emergency medical services organizations, Wave 2011 is a 2-day conference produced for its clients. It brings industry leaders and ESO’s deep pool of talented staff together to provide timely and pragmatic sessions on using patient data to improve care.

Dr. Dave Williams has had the pleasure of presenting at several of ESO Solutions’ national and regional education venues. ESO Solutions’ CEO – Chris Dillie – was Dr. Williams’s paramedic partner when they worked together at Austin EMS.

Today, he presented a session on using data for improvement and learning. With so much data, it’s easy for people to struggle with were to begin. Dr. Williams focused on identifying important metrics and measuring data over time to understand process variation and improvement. The audience included many innovative, local people striving to improve the reliability and quality of care in their communities. It’s always rewarding to see people really interested in improvement and change.

 

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Small Tests, Collaborative Learning, & Mr. Potato Head

by Jean F. Meeks, Ph.D. on October 30, 2011

For the last few weeks, I have been testing an experiential exercise to quickly train large groups to use rapid cycle, small tests of change (i.e., PDSA cycles). The exercise involves teams learning through testing how to assemble a toy Mr. Potato Head. I modified the exercise after working with with Dr. Eric Dickson on the faculty for the Instituite for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Impacting Cost & Quality collaborative. Dr. Dickson is the Senior Associate Dean and President, University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Group in Worcester, Massachusetts. He uses Mr. Potato Head to teach emergency physicians and medical students about lean principles. You can read a description of a session he did for the American College of Emergency Physicians here.

The modified exercise I am testing includes teams developing theories, making predictions, carrying out tests, and measuring results on run charts. In addition, participants learn how to share knowledge across teams and harness the power of the collaborative learning process. I’ve now tested the exercise half a dozen times in public safety, health care, and education audiences and  each session has improved upon the last. And, I have received lots of positive feedback from participants. IHI even bought seven Mr. Potato Heads for the home office for use in the Patient Safety Officer Course and to teach internal staff about PDSA testing.

While the use of a toy produces an element of fun, this exercise, more than many I have used, really enables participants to discover the power of making predictions, using small PDSAs to test theories, and tracking data in real time using time series charts. It’s amazing how sometimes small experiential learning exercises can really connect people with the concepts and facilitate applying them to their improvement work.

 

 

 

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Halloween Spirit

by Jean F. Meeks, Ph.D. on October 30, 2011

Being a household with small kids, this weekend has been filled with Halloween events. Nate’s preschool had its annual party, which is great for the little ones and Ella’s elementary school produced another fantastic Highland Park Elementary HOOT Carnival. The HOOT is produced by the PTA and raised $40,000 last year for the school. This weekend also involved some pumpkin carving, which is always a yucky, but necessary family activity.

On CNN’s State of The Union, Candy Crowely interviewed Ellen Davis of the National Retail Federation for a brief discussion about the economics of Halloween. You can watch the full interview here. In down economies, consumer spending around holidays – like Christmas – goes down, indicating that people are cutting back. The opposite is true about Halloween, where consumers actually show an increase in spending during down years. Ms. Davis hypothesized this is true because it’s a brief holiday, that’s not tied to any religion or person, it’s accessible to all socio-economic classes, and, probably most importantly, it allows us an opportunity to take a break and have fun.

Have a safe and enjoyable Halloween. Trick or Treat!

 

 

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Always Say I Love You

by Jean F. Meeks, Ph.D. on September 11, 2011

It is a somber flight, Alaska Flight 30 – Portland to Boston, 9/11/11.  It all started on Friday when my little sister Bert emailed me and said, “You’re flying to the east coast on 9/11, be careful”.   The email felt like a bullet, and memories of 9/11 were now everywhere.  What was nestled in my subconscious was now vivid on the newsstands, radio, TV, internet etc.  I had felt this bullet before, in 1996 when the knock on my door came telling me my husband had been killed, I knew this bullet.

But, now time had passed and I had let the hedge grow up around me, filtering out the pain and letting new life in, new husband, grandchildren, new stepchildren, etc.  But this email reminded me that we must never grow dull and that each person’s painful journey is different.

Over the past 48 hrs there is somberness, a sadness that is hard to describe.  From lying safely in bed with my new husband, the somberness of flying on 9/11/11 was on my mind.

Arriving at the airport at 5:35 am to hear the announcement requesting 30 seconds of silence in memory of 9/11 was sobering.  30 seconds was not nearly enough time for anything.  Walking through security, waving good-bye and being thankful as the young man checked my ID…was sobering.

Ironically as I headed to my gate I kept thinking that today of all days I want to stay connected with my loved ones.  Ironically, I left my cell phone on the nightstand at home, now my only communication is via internet at 35,000 ft.

As I boarded my flight I was kindly taken aside by TSA and asked to check my briefcase one more time.  Again, a sober reminder but I was thankful they were there.
There is not a seat left on my flight, it is very quiet, very somber, I wonder if others are feeling like I am?

Mid-air somewhere between Portland and Boston I think of families, friends, colleagues and I know that we must treat each person as though it is our last meeting.
So from 35,000 ft. I am remembering and saying thank you to all the heroes past, all the heroes present, and all the heroes yet to be born.  I am also posting this picture of all the people I so love in my life; my husband, children, grandchildren and remembering all my family.

May today be one step closer in a deeper understanding of what the words gratitude, courage, faith, hope, and love truly mean.

Respectfully from 35, 000 ft.
Jean

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Saybrook University 2011 Dissertation With Distinction Award

by Jean F. Meeks, Ph.D. on August 17, 2011

David M. Williams, PhD

This week Saybrook University awarded Dave Williams - Principal & Chief Improvement Advisor at Positive Eye Consulting, Inc – with the 2011 Dissertation with Distinction Award. The award is earned by one doctoral student per graduating class year.

You can read the abstract for Dave’s dissertation here.

Dave’s PEC colleagues, clients, and friends are thrilled at his accomplishment and his continued contributions to improving organizational systems and we are pleased he has been recognized for his research. Please post your own comment to Dave below or email him here.

 

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