Monday, November 18, 2013

Get Certified in Lean Six Sigma to improve health care processes

As more physicians and nurses get involved in quality improvement projects, there is a growing demand for clinicians who are certified in Lean and Six Sigma. Technically, Lean and Six Sigma are different methods, but people often combine these terms and refer to them as "Lean Six Sigma" or "Lean and Six Sigma."
  • The Lean process was developed by the Toyota manufacturing production system and focuses primarily on eliminating waste and achieving greater efficiency. 
  • Six Sigma originated at Motorola as a way to improve processes and reduce defects by identifying the root causes of problems to develop effective solutions.
You can achieve Green Belt or Black Belt certification from a number of different organizations and this may open up job or consulting opportunities around quality improvement, process improvement, waste reduction, improving patient safety, and more. There are different ways to get certified, but in general you have to receive training, six for an exam, and demonstrate proficiency by working on projects where you apply the Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to make improvements.

In health care, the combined processes of Lean and Six Sigma can improve workflow, process efficiency, and patient care. There are a variety of systematic tools and ways to apply Lean Six Sigma principles in health care.

To learn more, research ASQ (American Society for Quality) and IASSC (International Association for Six Sigma Certification) for more information about Lean and Six Sigma.

Here are some books to consider:





Friday, November 15, 2013

Don't miss the MIT Enterprise Forum of Philadelphia meeting next week

The MIT Enterprise Forum of Philadelphia is holding its next meeting next week.

"Lighting for Healthier Living"

MIT Enterprise Forum of Philadelphia
Wednesday, November 20, 2013 from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM (EST)
Philadelphia, PA

Nazlie Latefi, Senior Research Associate at Pegasus Capital Advisors, will leadus on a scientific journey of bold entrepreneurship into healthier living with light.Sr. Research Associate

She will challenge Philadelphia entrepreneurs, building owners, designers, and physicians to consider new choices for healthier living. Chronic sleep disorders linked to hypertension, cancer, heart disease, stroke, depression, diabetes, and other diseases currently affect 50-70 million Americans.

Register here.

The MIT Enterprise Forum is the preeminent organization of entrepreneurs in the global innovation economy. Since 1978 the MIT Enterprise Forum has produced programs and events about innovation, technology and entrepreneurship for an engaged community of 50,000+ thought leaders through a worldwide network of chapters.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

More Jobs in Health IT Driven by EHR Technology

The following is a guest post by Jim Kelly:

Are you looking for a job in Health IT? There are many jobs out there, so position yourself as an experienced health IT professional by gaining experiencing and understanding what is driving EMR technology.

Thanks to the Health information Technology Act, the market for electronic medical records (EMR) is set to explode. This legislation provided the basis for EMRs and their introduction into the healthcare industry. Some of that introduction has been rocky, but systems have improved and EMR is expected to greatly increase the quality of health care over the next ten to fifteen years.

We are not there yet, but the EMR industry is driven by more than just incentives for adoption. Real changes are made every day because of doctor and technician interaction drives this amazing field.

Usability

Data entry is tedious and prone to human error, so stop-guards need to be in place to keep information accurate. One of the methods used is to cut down on the number of keystrokes needed to enter patient information. EMRs have special shortcut keystrokes, and staff can enter partial codes for quick retrieval.

Pre-built templates also cut down on the burden of entering information and keep staff from mistakenly entering data. You can also create forms on your local devices that document common patient complaints. All of this saves compounded time that means doctors can squeeze in a few extra visits or have more time to do research.

Patients also appreciate that prescription data can be filled out more efficiently and ordered from the office.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

November issue of Pharmaceutical Executive

Interested in working in the pharmaceutical industry?

You can read the November issue of Pharmaceutical Executive online here. Learn about the 2014 pipeline drugs in development, some key regulatory and economic trends impacting the biopharma industry, and what reimbursement and health care reform changes may do to market access.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Graduate Program in Science Journalism at Boston University

Want to be a science journalist? Boston University offers Graduate Program in Science Journalism. This program is dedicated to improving the understanding of science, medicine and technology worldwide.


A career in science and medical journalism offers a rewarding opportunity to explore and investigate any number of critical contemporary concerns—from medical and environmental policy to culture clashes and matters of social justice. BU’s one-year Master’s in Science Journalism program is run by internationally known journalists, every one an active and highly regarded expert in the field.

Learn more about this program here.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Physician Executive Engagements – Various Locations, 6 month+ duration

Physician Executive Engagements – Various Locations, 6 month+ duration

One of Blue Horseshoe's consulting firm clients has asked for our help in sourcing Physicians to participate in Physician Executive engagements with large multi-hospital healthcare systems. The business is secured and Blue Horseshoe currently has consultants on these projects. Successful candidates will have strong Cerner and strong hospital process/workflow experience. The consultants will work on projects relating to clinical workflow, physician adoption and meaningful use with Cerner-based healthcare systems.

The initial duration for these engagements is 6 months, with a good likelihood for consultants/physicians to participate in subsequent projects. Consultants schedules will normally be Monday–Thursday on-site.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Looking for Physician Content Reviewers for Mobile Apps

Happtique’s Health App Certification Program (HACP) is seeking Physician Content Reviewers with minimum 5 years’ experience and board certification in the areas of endocrinology, pediatrics, OBGYN, behavioral health, primary care, ophthalmology, cardiology, and neurology (open to other areas as well) who will:

• Review of assigned app’s content (inclusive of materials submitted as well as downloading the application on the smart device) based on the HACP Content Standards;
• Provide an informed and professional review of the app being reviewed;
• Provide a pass/fail Content Review Report via Happtique’s portal within 2 weeks but in no event greater than 3 weeks following the assignment;
• For any Content Standard that an app fails to pass, provide succinct commentary and critical comments in a manner that will help the App Publishers use it to remediate the issue and improve the content quality of their app.
• Complete a conflict of interest attestation form for each assignment.

Reviewers need to have experience utilizing health-related smartphone and/or tablet applications.

Assignments are based on Reviewer’s access to the specific device that is needed to review the app. Experiences in the content area technology sphere, inclusive of informatics, mobile, or similar experience preferable as well as prior experience as a peer reviewer for a scholarly journal (online or print). Reviewers will be compensated for their services.

Those interested should contact:
Sandy Maliszewski, Director Health App Certification Program
646-350-0768
Smaliszewski@happtique.com