CM5 Chris Payne

What is a system? Use DSRP to answer this question. What is a part? What is a whole? How can you apply it in health care administration?

A system is a group of components working together within a structure or network.   A system is made up of parts that make a whole.

D – It is a group of parts
It is not a single part

S – Systems have parts
Systems can be parts of other systems

R – Systems are related to a whole
A System is a connection of relationships

P – From the perspective of this class, multiple systems must be considered to lead in the healthcare environment

A part is a smaller component of a whole that interacts with other parts to create the behavior of the whole.

A whole is the entirety of the system made up of parts.

This can be applied to Health Care Administration because an understanding of how the parts of the whole interact is crucial to understanding the culture of the whole.  This is true even for departments within a small hospital as much as it is true for the “HealthCare system.”

What is Measured in DMAIC? How can you apply it in Healthcare Administration?

DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control and it measures existing process problems with unkown causes

Suppose return sick visits after hospital stays are higher than average.  This process could be used to figure out what is causing it and to lower that number, thereby getting paid more because of MediCare and MedicAid rules.

First, you’d define what’s happening, then measure what is leading to those increased sick visits.  Then an analysis could be made outlining the patient and care-giver practices that are leading to the returns.  Once analyzed, providers and patients can be educated in avoiding those behaviors and practices, thereby lessening the return visits.

What are three common myths or misconceptions about innovation?

Innovation is good.

Innovation for innovation’s sake isn’t inherently good.  There needs to be purpose and strategy behind it.

There’s a formula.

Within complex systems, innovation will be complex and messy.  There’s no right way for every single application.

Innovation is Linear.

Innovation often requires as many steps backwards as forwards and will often include failure and learning to make it work.

What is complexity? What is a complex system? Provide examples of a complex system.

Complexity is anything that adds interconnected layers, actions and behaviors.

A Complex System is  is an arrangement of interacting, interdependent parts that produce emergent behavior that cannot be predicted based on the behavior of the individual parts.

Examples of complex systems are the United States Legislative branch, a storm front and a congregationallly governed church.

How are complexity and feedback related? What is a reinforcing feedback loop vs a balancing feedback loop?

Complexity and feedback are related in that feedback helps us better understand complex systems and the actions we take that effect the various facets of that system

A reinforcing feedback loop simply makes whatever is happening in a system bigger and more.

A balancing feedback loop naturally dials back what is happening within that loop.

What does organizational learning mean? How can organizations promote this?

Organizational learning is aggregate experiences of the individuals and groups within an organization that is learned and shared throughout that organization

Organizations can promote this by utilizing double-loop learning to create values, policies and culture that invites company-wide ownership in problem-solving.

What is double-loop learning? What is the OODA Loop? Provide examples of how you can use it in health care administration.

Double loop learning is greater than simply solving a problem.  Its creating policies and culture and values that keep them from having the same problem again.

For instance, if you have a physician or department that is feeling overwhelmed with patients, creating a policy that establishes a safe and healthy number or patients or workload will prevent other providers from experiencing the same issue.

What is the difference between single-loop learning and double-loop learning? How are they related to adaptive learning and generative learning?

The primary difference between single and double loop learning is that single loop simply solves a problem, whereas double loop creates a culture where that problem doesn’t happen again.  Double loop learning naturally creates generative learning because its more about creating a culture of learning from problems and mistakes.  Double loop also leads to adaptive learning because they’ve created systems and processes that allow them to respond quickly to new stimuli.

From what you have seen so far, how does this (adaptive and generative learning — as well as single and double-loop learning) relate to Swarm Learning?

Swarm learning encourages the understanding and implementation of multiple styles of learning and problem solving.  Since complex systems require multiple methods of defining, analyzing and processing, adaptive, generative, double and single loop learning require an understanding of multiple ways to approach a problem and fit within the ethos of swarm.

What is emergence? Why is important? Provide examples.

Emergence is the collection of new ideas, products, practices and relationships that spontaneously emerge as a result of operating on the edge of chaos that are neither predicted nor anticipated by participants or observers.

It is important because emergent behavior is the culture created to reinforce or balance a complex system.  Understanding emergence as a result of a complex system helps us innovate and problem solve and define phenomena.

Some examples would be the logic of a Roomba robot vacuum cleaner, a flock of geese and a slime mold.

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