Can I Sleep Yet?

I have to report that my teeth are still sore and infinitely more sensitive to hot and cold than before all that dental work. I also learned that I'm going to have to sell my firstborn child to pay for the work!

It's been one of those weeks where everyone is wishing each other "TGIF" and "When is this day going to end?" greetings. It seems as though it's been tough for everyone.

Me? I've been on pain meds most of the week. :)

In all seriousness, things are great. I'm receiving a lot of positive affirmation from my colleagues, EVOO, and Nurse Jackie regarding my work. I'm "breakin' some glass" and restructuring departments and my newest project is to help develop an Orthopedics program. Orthopedics is the one DRG still making money and due to the influx of Baby Boomers coming down the pike, needing knees and hips replaced, so they can enjoy their retirement in style, Ortho is the way to go. Every hospital in America has an Ortho program (or they should!). We have a half-way Ortho program that fizzled since 2006 and I'm doing my darndest to jump start its resurgence.

On Wednesday, I attended my usual barrage of meetings and at the very end of the day, I received a phone call from St. Kermit's, to speak to a group of scientists/researchers about publishing their work. I went to one publication workshop at a conference and have published two articles….that hardly makes me a pro. I guess it's the medical school methodology…watch one, do one, then teach one. So on August 30, I'm teaching a 3-hour "class" on how to publish your work.

I spent Thursday at St. Piggy's, filling my head with Lean methodologies. During the morning, I attended a meeting at a Suzuki/Toyota plant (yes, they share) and learned the background to the Toyota culture and method of process improvement. Plus, I learned about 6 new Japanese words (to impress my friends at parties!). It's not just the Lean tools that are important, but the Lean thinking. The tools just help you think through the process. In short, I'm infatuated with continuous improvement and I'll be teaching a course in January to all hospital management. I'm also making house calls, if you ever want to learn more about the Toyota culture and improvement philosophies, I'll bring my Mr. Potato Head to your home and teach you Japanese! I spent the rest of the day with the quality improvement gurus at St. Piggy's and we sat around the table, Socrates style, engaging in an intellectual orgy, trying to figure out how to best attack hospital re-admission conditions that soon, we will not be paid for.

Yes, I really just said "intellectual orgy." Doesn't that portray the point well? I think it does.

Well, all x-rated metaphors aside, today was a decent day. Nurse Jackie was out at St. Rowlf's today and I had to lead all the morning meetings. THEN we got to play in the water in the Leadership car wash, where everyone in hospital management took turns washing employees' cars. It was actually pretty fun, except for when I got in the middle of a water duel between Elvis and one of the nurse managers!

I've got to call it a night. My brother, Brady, is visiting us in the Chi this weekend and I need to go show him a good time in the city!