Our Quality JourneyOur Quality Journey

The MBNQAThe MBNQA

• Nation’s top quality award, established Nation’s top quality award, established 1987 by Congress1987 by Congress

• Recognizes performance excellenceRecognizes performance excellence

• Framework to systematically improveFramework to systematically improve

• Categories for awards includeCategories for awards include

• ManufacturingManufacturing

• ServiceService

• Small BusinessSmall Business

• Added Education and Health Care in Added Education and Health Care in 19991999

• Nation’s top quality award, established Nation’s top quality award, established 1987 by Congress1987 by Congress

• Recognizes performance excellenceRecognizes performance excellence

• Framework to systematically improveFramework to systematically improve

• Categories for awards includeCategories for awards include

• ManufacturingManufacturing

• ServiceService

• Small BusinessSmall Business

• Added Education and Health Care in Added Education and Health Care in 19991999

How We Did ItHow We Did It

• Size and geographic diversity Size and geographic diversity presented a challengepresented a challenge

• 23,000 employees23,000 employees• 5,000 physicians5,000 physicians• 5,000 volunteers5,000 volunteers• Facilities in four statesFacilities in four states• A variety of different servicesA variety of different services

• Size and geographic diversity Size and geographic diversity presented a challengepresented a challenge

• 23,000 employees23,000 employees• 5,000 physicians5,000 physicians• 5,000 volunteers5,000 volunteers• Facilities in four statesFacilities in four states• A variety of different servicesA variety of different services

How We Did ItHow We Did It

• Faith during hard times is a traditionFaith during hard times is a tradition• Leadership commitment moved us to our destinationLeadership commitment moved us to our destination• First step – implementation of CQI in1990 as a process First step – implementation of CQI in1990 as a process

improvement modelimprovement model• Next step - use of Baldrige criteria as our guide for improvementNext step - use of Baldrige criteria as our guide for improvement• A vision that we could be a great organizationA vision that we could be a great organization• No quick fix—it takes years of hard workNo quick fix—it takes years of hard work

• Faith during hard times is a traditionFaith during hard times is a tradition• Leadership commitment moved us to our destinationLeadership commitment moved us to our destination• First step – implementation of CQI in1990 as a process First step – implementation of CQI in1990 as a process

improvement modelimprovement model• Next step - use of Baldrige criteria as our guide for improvementNext step - use of Baldrige criteria as our guide for improvement• A vision that we could be a great organizationA vision that we could be a great organization• No quick fix—it takes years of hard workNo quick fix—it takes years of hard work

44

The Way We Were ...The Way We Were ...The Way We Were ...The Way We Were ...• Realization in 1989Realization in 1989

• Not striving to improve every day in every wayNot striving to improve every day in every way• Satisfied with the status quoSatisfied with the status quo• Prone to the “flavor-of-the-month” syndromeProne to the “flavor-of-the-month” syndrome• Inspired by groundbreaking work in process Inspired by groundbreaking work in process

improvement by Intermountain Health Care and in improvement by Intermountain Health Care and in manufacturingmanufacturing

• It was the beginning of a 13 year quality journeyIt was the beginning of a 13 year quality journey• Also serves as our guide into the futureAlso serves as our guide into the future

• Realization in 1989Realization in 1989• Not striving to improve every day in every wayNot striving to improve every day in every way• Satisfied with the status quoSatisfied with the status quo• Prone to the “flavor-of-the-month” syndromeProne to the “flavor-of-the-month” syndrome• Inspired by groundbreaking work in process Inspired by groundbreaking work in process

improvement by Intermountain Health Care and in improvement by Intermountain Health Care and in manufacturingmanufacturing

• It was the beginning of a 13 year quality journeyIt was the beginning of a 13 year quality journey• Also serves as our guide into the futureAlso serves as our guide into the future

Long Term CommitmentLong Term Commitment

• “Constancy of Purpose” is the way W. Edwards Demming described long-term commitment

• Rather uncommon in today’s world• SSM Health Care has remained constant in our

commitment to CQI• But, the journey has not been without some

frustrations

• “Constancy of Purpose” is the way W. Edwards Demming described long-term commitment

• Rather uncommon in today’s world• SSM Health Care has remained constant in our

commitment to CQI• But, the journey has not been without some

frustrations

CQI Adopted in 1990CQI Adopted in 1990CQI Adopted in 1990CQI Adopted in 1990

• The Five Principles of CQIThe Five Principles of CQI• Patients and other customers are our Patients and other customers are our

first priorityfirst priority• Quality is achieved through peopleQuality is achieved through people• All work is part of a processAll work is part of a process• Decision making by factsDecision making by facts• Quality requires continuous Quality requires continuous

improvementimprovement

• The Five Principles of CQIThe Five Principles of CQI• Patients and other customers are our Patients and other customers are our

first priorityfirst priority• Quality is achieved through peopleQuality is achieved through people• All work is part of a processAll work is part of a process• Decision making by factsDecision making by facts• Quality requires continuous Quality requires continuous

improvementimprovement

Early LearningsEarly Learnings Early LearningsEarly Learnings

• Trained too many people• Focused on “easy” improvements to ensure success• But, not enough teams to accommodate everyone

• Efforts not tied to Strategic & Financial Plan• No urgency to achieve results

After 5 years into CQI, people were ready to give up

• Trained too many people• Focused on “easy” improvements to ensure success• But, not enough teams to accommodate everyone

• Efforts not tied to Strategic & Financial Plan• No urgency to achieve results

After 5 years into CQI, people were ready to give up

1995: G1995: Getting to the Next Leveletting to the Next Level1995: G1995: Getting to the Next Leveletting to the Next Level

• Implemented a model of rapid-cycle• Focus on results within 6 months• Began using state quality award, such as the

Oklahoma Quality Award, that contained criteria modeled after Baldrige

• Implemented a model of rapid-cycle• Focus on results within 6 months• Began using state quality award, such as the

Oklahoma Quality Award, that contained criteria modeled after Baldrige

ReactionsReactions

• Rapid-Cycle well-received

• Busy employees less than enthusiastic about applying for awards• Emphasized that the focus was not to win

award• It was a way to get better faster• Employees became more positive

• Rapid-Cycle well-received

• Busy employees less than enthusiastic about applying for awards• Emphasized that the focus was not to win

award• It was a way to get better faster• Employees became more positive

Success!Success!

• Facilities began winning state awards• Oklahoma Quality Award

• Bone & Joint, 1996• St. Anthony, 1998

• Several other facilities in our system won their respective state awards

• Our quality efforts gained momentum

• Facilities began winning state awards• Oklahoma Quality Award

• Bone & Joint, 1996• St. Anthony, 1998

• Several other facilities in our system won their respective state awards

• Our quality efforts gained momentum

Key Gaps IdentifiedKey Gaps IdentifiedKey Gaps IdentifiedKey Gaps Identified

• 1998 – Began yearlong process to rearticulate mission• Lacked a single mission for entire organization• Involved 3,000 employees at all levels of

organization to rearticulate the mission statement

• 1999 – New mission statement unveiled

• 1998 – Began yearlong process to rearticulate mission• Lacked a single mission for entire organization• Involved 3,000 employees at all levels of

organization to rearticulate the mission statement

• 1999 – New mission statement unveiled

Our MissionOur Mission

Through our exceptional

health care services,

we reveal the

healing presence of God.

Feedback from our 1999 Baldrige Feedback from our 1999 Baldrige application revealed that they loved the application revealed that they loved the mission statement ... mission statement ...

By the way, how do you define By the way, how do you define “exceptional?”“exceptional?”

Defining ExceptionalDefining Exceptional

• Five characteristics• Exceptional patient, employee and

physician satisfaction• Exceptional clinical outcomes• Exceptional financial results

• Five characteristics• Exceptional patient, employee and

physician satisfaction• Exceptional clinical outcomes• Exceptional financial results

Deploying Our Mission Deploying Our Mission

• Established goals as a part of the strategic, financial and human resources planning process

• Developed department posters and employee passports to ensure alignment of goals across the organization

• Established goals as a part of the strategic, financial and human resources planning process

• Developed department posters and employee passports to ensure alignment of goals across the organization

Employees know in a specific and measurable Employees know in a specific and measurable way how they contribute to way how they contribute to

Our MissionOur Mission

Employees know in a specific and measurable Employees know in a specific and measurable way how they contribute to way how they contribute to

Our MissionOur Mission

What We LearnedWhat We Learned What We LearnedWhat We Learned

• Three major learnings Three major learnings • Measure what we say is importantMeasure what we say is important• Use comparative data to compare Use comparative data to compare

ourselves to the BEST – average isn’t good ourselves to the BEST – average isn’t good enoughenough

• Institute a consistent deployment processInstitute a consistent deployment process

• Three major learnings Three major learnings • Measure what we say is importantMeasure what we say is important• Use comparative data to compare Use comparative data to compare

ourselves to the BEST – average isn’t good ourselves to the BEST – average isn’t good enoughenough

• Institute a consistent deployment processInstitute a consistent deployment process

The Benefits of BaldrigeThe Benefits of Baldrige The Benefits of BaldrigeThe Benefits of Baldrige • Learning tool and systematic approach• Better understanding of our organization,

strengths and opportunities to improve• Framework, focus and discipline• Encouraged us to share information across

our facilities, learn from others

• Learning tool and systematic approach• Better understanding of our organization,

strengths and opportunities to improve• Framework, focus and discipline• Encouraged us to share information across

our facilities, learn from others

Most Significant ResultMost Significant Result

• Deeply entrenched culture of continuous quality improvement

• Every employee, every physician focused on the reality that everything CAN and MUST be improved

• Deeply entrenched culture of continuous quality improvement

• Every employee, every physician focused on the reality that everything CAN and MUST be improved

Our Quality JourneyOur Quality Journey

• Baldrige - a milestone on a journey, but by no means the end

• Continue to improve, share what we have learned

• Greatest lesson is to trust in the potential of the human spirit – employees earned the award

• They reveal the healing presence of God to those we serve every day

• Baldrige - a milestone on a journey, but by no means the end

• Continue to improve, share what we have learned

• Greatest lesson is to trust in the potential of the human spirit – employees earned the award

• They reveal the healing presence of God to those we serve every day