The key to success as a healthcare HRO is the principle of Sensitivity to Operations.
In essence, a Sensitivity to Operations means that every member of a healthcare team is informed about the organization as a whole. A nurse, pharmacist, or IT staff member should have the same organizational insights as an administrator. When every team member is aware of your hospital’s goals, they can do their due diligence and work toward continuous improvement.
Continue reading to learn how to build a culture of situational awareness and develop your hospital into a successful HRO.
Sensitivity to Operations is a recognition that patient care is complex and requires constant vigilance to ensure safety and efficiency. All members of a care team must coordinate their efforts toward delivering positive patient outcomes.
Many erroneously believe Sensitivity to Operations in healthcare means that communication must come from “the top.” While all staff should be informed of major changes to structures and procedures that may impact their day-to-day workflow, that is not the only element. frontline care teams must also have clear, accessible, and non-punitive channels to communicate upward.
The truth is that frontline workers are often the first to notice and respond to small but significant operational changes. Your nurse’s aides have insight into patient care that your administrators do not. Leaders must be fully aware of care delivery processes in order to recognize threats, identify risks, and mitigate errors.
In essence, Sensitivity to Operations in an HRO rewards proactive vs reactive communication and problem-solving. The goal is to create an egalitarian loop of continuous feedback, including data, insights, and active improvement.
This HRO principle encompasses several critical aspects:
Imagine that a hospital in your network is encountering issues with Emergency Room discharge procedures. Your data suggests that patients are frequently being discharged without printed care instructions. Patients are beginning to return to the ER with questions and complications, creating frustration and longer ER wait times. In some cases, the lack of care instructions is increasing the incidence of infection.
In this situation, perhaps there is a communication breakdown between departments. Your nursing staff may be expediting the discharge process due to poor physician communication. The problem may even be as simple as slow load times on ER computers, which an IT professional could quickly address.
What if reporting a malfunctioning printer could reduce your ER wait times by 25%? This is why Sensitivity to Operations is so valuable. It promotes the mindset that no problem is too small and that every systemic breakdown is worthy of attention.
One of the primary benefits of implementing the HRO principle of sensitivity to operations is the enhancement of safety and reliability. This vigilance helps prevent system failures and ensures that hospitals can deliver on their commitment to care consistently and safely.
By emphasizing the value of frontline input, this principle empowers team members, giving them a sense of ownership and responsibility for the organization’s performance. This empowerment leads to higher engagement and motivation, which are critical for success and also help combat nurse burnout.
Sensitivity to operations creates numerous opportunities for continuous improvement. By closely monitoring and understanding the intricacies of work processes, organizations can identify areas for enhancement, leading to better efficiency and effectiveness. This will be reflected in your organizational data.
Hospitals that practice sensitivity to operations develop resilience. They become adept at managing the unexpected, quickly adapting to changes, and maintaining operational continuity in the face of challenges.
The HRO principle of sensitivity to operations is a critical trait for any healthcare organization seeking to achieve high reliability. It entails a deep understanding of and attention to the real-time functioning of your organization, valuing the insights of frontline team members, and using every opportunity to improve care outcomes.
By incorporating this principle, hospitals can enhance safety, empower their workforce, continuously improve, and build resilience against the unexpected. This holistic approach is essential for any hospital striving to excel in today’s complex and dynamic world.
Interested in how to develop sensitivity to operations or how to launch your HRO journey? Check out “The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a High Reliability Organization + Free Tools to Help Build Your HRO and Measure Progress.”
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Works Cited:
Revealing the Advantages of Safety Culture Surveys