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Introducing innovation

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, January 13, 2005

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Dear Credentialing colleague:

Over the last decade medical staffs and credentials committees have spent countless amounts of time and resources attempting to respond to the challenges presented by new clinical technology in the hospital setting.  Years ago, acquiring new technology was relatively straightforward.  A physician would simply request its purchase or bring it to the facility themselves.  There were few significant dilemmas, plenty of financial resources, and little competition existed. 

Today, the situation is considerably more complicated and requires the evaluation of clinical efficacy and effectiveness. Refereeing various specialties vying for or protecting turf, mastering financial constraints, mitigating litigation concerns, and resolving FDA conflicts must all be considered. Balancing the hospital mission and margin and developing the educational and evaluative support needed to safely introduce new technology is also important.

Medical staff would benefit from adopting the following advice given by Edwards Deming, world renowned statistician and consultant, as he consulted with some of the finest companies in the world.

"A company that intends to stay in business can make no decision about innovation without a plan that answers the following questions:

* What materials will be required, and at what cost?

* What will be the new method of production?

* What new people will have to be hired?

* What changes in equipment will be required?

* What new skills will be required, and for how many people?

* How will current employees be trained in these new skills?

* How will supervisors be trained?

* What will be the cost of production?

* What will be the cost of marketing?

* How will the product or service be used by the costumer?

* How will the company know if the customer is satisfied?"

In addition to these questions, you should ask yourself which of the many departments in the hospital will be affected by the introduction of innovation, and is each sufficiently prepared.

With some minor modification, asking these questions would clearly benefit credentials committees and others in the hospital who are responsible for the careful, considered introduction of new clinical technology.

That's it for this week.

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