our own system

For your next small problem (alas, none of them are small!) try something different.

Instead of finding the path of least resistance, choose one that makes a revolutionary change.

In this constantly turning world it’s easiest (and likely wits saving!) to find the simple fix. Simple fixes are divine, to be sure. But the fix that only pushes the headache to another day is not a solution.

Evolution is great, but slow. We’re (healthcare) now in a position where slow change is no longer an option. Reinventing how we do stuff (paperwork for a leave of absence, scheduling your staff, delivering care) in a evolutionary fashion provides (extremely) temporary relief. 

Sure, sending an email to a listserv asking for ideas or doing a Google search to see how others addressed the issue or calling an experienced professional for help are all good options. But don’t let them be your only options.

So start today. Do those things you usually do to solve a problem—and one more: add to your list of options a +1.

The +1 should be a radical departure from how you’ve done things. Make it exceedingly different than what everyone else is doing. Make it a viable, executable idea. Make it the item on the list that makes someone say “what’s this?”

Take that conversational opportunity to explain that there are surely easier ways to solve this problem—only to push the headache to another day. This +1 changes the game. It may be risky; it also opens the operation to new opportunity.

The +1 might not always be the choicest selection. But it pushes the envelope. And if there’s one thing we need in healthcare, it’s just that: a shove in a new direction.