Читать книгу The Quality Improvement Challenge - Richard J. Banchs - Страница 43

When people describe a problem, they often describe it in vague terms and use what they think is the cause to define it. Defining the problem by the cause creates a narrow‐minded focus that, at best, restricts creativity and, at worst, sets in motion a process that culminates in rolling‐out solutions that do not address the true nature of the problem. By simply and properly defining the problem, you will create a better solution. The most apparent problem is often the tip of the iceberg, which upon further investigation reveals a multitude of underlying problems that leads to what at first glance seems obvious.

To describe a problem, put yourself “in the shoes” of the customer and try and describe it from the perspective of the people affected by the problem. Properly defining a problem is the most commonly overlooked step for many QI teams, and yet it is the step that provides the greatest return on investment. Healthcare providers and QI teams often jump to searching for solutions without having clearly defined and agreed on the actual problem. Teams spend a great deal of time debating the “best” solution but seldomly ask themselves: do we clearly and fully understand the problem?

Quotable quote: “Without changing our patterns of thought, we will not be able to solve the problems that we created with our current patterns of thought.” Albert Einstein