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We can learn a lot when we pause and listen. So the Vizient Center for Advancing Provider Practices (CAP2™) thought leader group did just that. The group has advanced practice provider (APP) leadership representation from each member organization within the CAP2 program and they come together multiple times a year to identify key topics affecting APP practice. During a recent meeting, we wanted to know what some of the greatest challenges the APPs within their organizations face. 

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Picture this scene: a nurse in her 50s attends to an ED patient who is suffering a seizure. The nurse successfully uses a time-tested approach to treat the patient. Her 20-something colleague observes her actions and compliments the older nurse’s quick thinking and judgment call. The millennial nurse then proceeds to suggest an alternative method she recently learned in nursing school. This remark slightly annoys the nurse who has worked 30-plus years in health care. More

The sight of a frustrated motorist, struggling at the side of a dusty road to remove a tire whose inner tube had been patched once too often, was anything but unusual in the summer of 1943. Military occupation of Malaya and the East Indies in early 1942 had eliminated more than 90% of America’s rubber supply. Scrap drives for everything from raincoats to tin cans became increasingly common as the country dealt with the challenges of scarcity. More

It’s December. All around us are reminders that this is the season for joy: colorful lights, familiar carols and cherished family and friends. But if you read health care news, or speak with your staff, you know that joyful isn’t always the way our workplaces are described. Almost weekly, we see new and startling studies stating how burnout has taken root in our hospitals, stealing the joy from one of the most noble career pursuits - being a caregiver. A few fast stats reveal: More

In the United States, suicides rank 10th in the nation as the leading cause of death. Of the nearly 45,000 suicides that occur each year, approximately 50 to 65 occur in hospitals. Although this is a low number, facilities must be diligent in their efforts to provide a safe environment for at-risk patients. More

If last Tuesday’s election results are any indication, then the answer to that is a solid “maybe.” While the 2018 midterms produced some confusing results, they did offer some clarity with respect to health care policy. First, a recap More

What does it take to actually slow down and not rush through important tasks? A simple decision? An outside force? Money? Sickness? There are so many things that can cause us to hit the brakes, but usually we like to keep our foot heavy on the gas pedal. More

My new automobile insurance card arrived in the mail recently. My old card was made of sturdy plastic. The new card was made of paper. As I turned the card over in my hands, hoping that the lightweight construction was not a harbinger of thinner coverage, something caught my eye that made me stop and think. On the back of the card was a code referring to “uninsured motorist” protection. A portion of my auto insurance premium covers me in the event that I am involved in an accident... More

Last week, we received news of an industry-wide shortage on vital radiopharmaceuticals, Tc-99m and Mo-99, due to international reactors being shut down for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. While we believe the shortage will be temporary – leading to supply challenges for the next few weeks – the production of Tc-99m and Mo-99 are currently delayed. More

Going Lean can be a challenge. After all, it’s a leadership and performance improvement style that may not easily fit within every organization’s management philosophy. Across the country, 75% of all health care providers have tried the Lean method and struggled with it. But there are success stories, most recently by leadership at New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) in Wilmington, N.C.

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