Bloghttp://www.icpinternational.net/blog/en-US2012-02-17T09:12:11ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)When Failure is an Optionhttp://www.icpinternational.net/blog/2011/10/17/when-failure-is-an-option.htmlICP International2011-10-17T21:08:47ZBusiness Challenges Business Management business innovation creativity and innovation innovation process benchmarkingInnovation is a top priority for most CEOs, yet creating a workplace that is conducive to innovation – cycles of trials and failures followed by eventual success – is quite challenging. Here are five ways to foster innovation in your organization. ]]>What Do Chemical Refineries, Nuclear Power Plants & Hospitals Have in Common?http://www.icpinternational.net/blog/2011/10/11/what-do-chemical-refineries-nuclear-power-plants-hospitals-h.htmlICP International2011-10-11T19:25:46ZFMEA Healthcare Patient safety systems hospital safety plant safety safety frameworks safety systemsThey’re all places where people work to produce something that ultimately benefits society. Chemical refineries produce the raw materials that go into our clothing, the packaging that protects our food and the products we buy, and the gadgets we use to communicate and to entertain us. Nuclear plants produce the energy that is the lifeblood of modern society, enabling us to heat and cool our homes, schools, and workplaces. U.S. Hospitals care for the injured and chronically ill and provide a hygienic setting for people to receive some of the finest medical care in the world.

But beyond providing this public good, these places have something far more important in common.

]]>Could the Science of Patient Safety Have Prevented the Fatal Medical Error at Alta Bates Medical Center?http://www.icpinternational.net/blog/2011/10/4/could-the-science-of-patient-safety-have-prevented-the-fatal.htmlICP International2011-10-04T21:40:09ZAlta Bates Summit Medical Center Healthcare healthcare quality lower cost healthcare medical errors nursing shortage patient safetyPatient safety is science not art; i.e. it’s based on rigorous identification of all possible hazards, with disciplined rules and procedures to prevent human error from triggering any given hazard. According to the science of safety, at least two things have to go wrong to trigger a fatal error like the one at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, where the death of a cancer patient was initially ascribed to an inappropriate dosage of a nutrient administered intravenously instead of through a feeding tube.

The two factors that must be present for any accident to occur are: (1) the presence of a hazard in the system; and (2) an unsafe event – called the trigger event – which unleashes the hazard. In the Alta Bates case, the trigger event was the human error.

There are numerous hazards in any system, whether the system is a nuclear power plant, the space shuttle, an oil refinery, the air traffic system, or a hospital. Each hazard is like a ticking time bomb awaiting activation by a trigger event. The hazards in the Alta Bates case could have been: insufficient orientation for the replacement nurse, ambiguous or overly complex procedures, absence of appropriate safeguards in the procedure, labeling on the medication, pressures from work disruption, haste, or unclear hospital policy. The unsafe event – the trigger – could have been an unclear warning on the packaging or unclear dosing instructions. These details have yet to be revealed.

Applying the science of safety, the hazards and potential triggers at Alta Bates Summit would had been methodically identified and mitigated long before the replacement nurse was hired; making the probability of such a tragedy very remote.


]]>Where Can You Get Free Nursing?http://www.icpinternational.net/blog/2011/9/29/where-can-you-get-free-nursing.htmlICP International2011-09-29T16:48:56ZHealthcare hospital administration lower cost healthcare nurse productivity nursing shortage value management value-based workHow To Offset the Cost of EHR Implementationhttp://www.icpinternational.net/blog/2011/6/7/how-to-offset-the-cost-of-ehr-implementation.htmlICP International2011-06-07T19:14:19ZEHR implementation EHR integration with legacy systems Healthcare clinical errors clinical process integration health IT meaningful usemeaningful use requirements that come into force in 2015. Research conducted with C-level executives from 50 hospitals paints a picture of costly EHR implementations that have failed to deliver results. Slightly more than 70% of executives indicated that EHR had not delivered expected benefits.]]>Lean Six Sigma is not a 'tool"http://www.icpinternational.net/blog/2009/12/8/lean-six-sigma-is-not-a-tool.htmlICP International2009-12-09T02:45:00ZBusiness Challenges Operational Excellence employee motivation energizing employees six sigma mindset staff motivationPerformance Improvement for Non-Profits and Trade Associationshttp://www.icpinternational.net/blog/2009/10/29/performance-improvement-for-non-profits-and-trade-associatio.htmlICP International2009-10-30T02:29:00ZBusiness Management performance improvement for non profits performance improvement for trade association trade association operations improvementIDEO CEO Agrees - Questions Not Answershttp://www.icpinternational.net/blog/2009/10/27/ideo-ceo-agrees-questions-not-answers.htmlICP International2009-10-27T20:43:00Z6sigma way Business Management dmaic six sigma problem solving strategic decision-makingLean Six Sigma in Public Sector and Non-profit Organizationshttp://www.icpinternational.net/blog/2009/9/30/lean-six-sigma-in-public-sector-and-non-profit-organizations.htmlICP International2009-09-30T23:05:00ZBusiness Management Lean Six Sigma for non-profits Lean six sigma in public sectorRight Questions Right Solutionshttp://www.icpinternational.net/blog/2009/8/3/right-questions-right-solutions.htmlICP International2009-08-03T23:07:00ZBusiness Challenges