Process Improvement

Deconstructing the Past to Build a Stronger Future

by Jean F. Meeks, Ph.D. on January 30, 2012

In everyone’s life there comes a time that in order to make a change happen we must “deconstruct” rather than just “remodel”. Deconstruct is the opposite of construct, it means to take apart piece by piece the focus of the change; albeit environment, relationship, organization, etc. Remodels are typically changes where you are willing to [...]

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Texas EMS Conference – Model for Improvement

by Jean F. Meeks, Ph.D. on November 22, 2011

The Live Music Capitol of the World – Austin, Texas – has a different buzz downtown today. The convention center is filled with Texas’ volunteer and career emergency medical services caregivers. Held annually, the Texas EMS Conference rivals many national EMS conference events and draws industry leading faculty from across the country and caregivers from [...]

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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 [...]

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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 [...]

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Facts of Life – Unknown Origin

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

This week, I have been reading a great book by my colleague Robert Lloyd, PhD, Executive Director of Performance Improvement at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Published in 2004, Quality Health Care: Developing and Using Indicators is a great resource for learning about process improvement in health care. Last night, as I finished a chapter (Ch.3), I [...]

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