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MOHEG Chapter News

December 2013


Tidbits

A Chinese tea master referring to Imperial Gyokuro, a Japanese green tea said, “Quality has no borders.” Applies to health care?


Welcome New Members

Please take a few moments to welcome these new members to our chapter.

We have the following number that have entered the Missouri Chapter between September 1, 2013 and December 18, 2013

1 - Faculty Associate

5 - Fellows

1 - Lifetime Fellow

44 - Members

46 - Student Associate

[READ MORE...]


ACHE Regent Breakfast Recap
Report by David J. Baltzer, LFACHE

Every year on Thursday during the Missouri Hospital Association's Annual Convention and Trade Show, the Regent hosts the ACHE Breakfast. The 2013 event was held on November 7 in Parasol Room 1 at Tan-Tar-A with approximately 120 attendees. Herb Kuhn, President, Missouri Hospital Association (MHA) honored us with his presence.

Missouri Regent Pat Bira, FACHE, CEO of Lincoln County Medical Center in Troy served as Master of Ceremonies. The opening prayer was offered by Bryant McNally, J.D., FACHE, VP of Rural Services & Regulation, MHA. [READ MORE..]


Harris-Stowe State University Update
Report by Dr. Joyce M. Eisel, Dr. P.H.

Find out the latest news on what Health Care Management Students are doing at Harris-Stowe

[READ MORE..]


Missouri State University Update
Report by Dr. D. Michael Leibert

Find out the latest news on the following topics:

  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Quality A Population Health

[READ MORE..]


Saint Louis University Update
Report by Dr. Suzanne J. Wood

Find out the latest news on the following topics:

  • Faculty Presentations
  • New Faculty
  • Developing Leadership Competence
  • Student Case Competition
  • Call for Preceptors
  • Mentors Needed!
  • Executive MHA

[READ MORE..]


Make a Decision
Opinion by David J. Baltzer, LFACHE

In elementary school during the 1950’s I started to learn about the metric system. I wondered why. Ounces and inches seemed to work well. In high school we were told by science and math teachers that this pain-in-the-anatomy metric system was important because it was the standard for serious measurement. The pesky metric system kept cropping up in undergraduate courses and nursing school. That was then, 2 ½ generations ago. This is now and it’s the apothecary system that’s pesky.

Wasn’t it smart for America to create the world’s first decimal system of dollars and cents? Wasn’t it smart for former railroad lawyer President Abraham Lincoln to standardize track gap at 4’ 8.5”? He needed to improve efficiency during the Civil War and there were more than 2 existing track gauges from which to choose. How smart is America for having 2 systems of measurement? W. Edwards Deming wrote, “Not!” The Fahrenheit scale is named for a man from a place that switched. The United States government could actually choose and switch.

Apothecary versus Metric. Let’s make a decision and pick one. What is the cost of having 2 systems of measurement? How much does the overlap and duplication cost? It costs an undetermined amount of money. What would it cost to standardize? Does anyone know?

Meanwhile, health care is not the only industry burdened by the apothecary system. Every enterprise in the United States measures something. Manufacturing? Military? How about a plea for a national Lean process to improve efficiency?

This essay may seem simplistic. How about a few other topics? How about standardizing a national electronic health record, or a complete patient financial accounting system that interfaces with all payers, or a healthcare quality indicator reporting system? Time is money. Duplication costs money. Let’s make a decision.

Please send comments to MOHEG@qabs.com.


Have a safe and happy holiday season!

 

 

In This Issue

  • Tibits
  • New Members
  • ACHE Breakfast Recap
  • Make a Decision
  • University Updates

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