Suter Group

The Studer Group?

Yes, sorry - typo. It's the Studer Group. From what I've been told they are a management consulting firm that's been brought into our hospice - not sure exactly why! I'm trying hard to keep an open mind. My last experiences with management consulting groups in my former career didn't leave me with warm & fuzzy feelings. Too many chiefs getting paid big $$ telling people who are actually doing the job how to do it "better". So far, I've been told that, amongst other things, our reviews next year will be based on a new format where goals are established, and if we meet the goals we get a good review. Problem is, one of the goals that's already been identified is putting X numbers (or %) of patients on continuous care; another is identifying then converting new full hospice program. Never mind if they're appropriate or not. If we don't meet the "goal" we don't get a good review. Sorry, I'm not marketing - I'm a nurse - and I'm not doing either if I think it's not appropriate for the patient.

If this is the way it will be, I will be looking for another job. Sadly. Has anyone heard of this?

mc3

Oh yes, the Studer Group is HUGE in Healthcare consulting and the founder, Quint Studer is the author of Hardwiring for Excellence, a bestseller. They have had some amazing successes. But like anything, it can be applied well, or it can be applied poorly.

Goalsetting is something I struggle with too. When you use the wrong measures, it can drive you someplace you don't want to go.

They used the Studer Group as consultants in a couple of the hospitals where I worked. It's all crap. Several years ago they invested millions of dollars in that Brandon Lee, service excellence junk (Mess Up/Fess Up/Dress Up) that just fell by the wayside. Snake oil salesmen with feel-good sayings and anecdotal stories that imply improvement and success. However there are no metrics to measure what they do is working, or whether their methods are the true reason for any improvement. It definitely isn't evidence-based.

And by the time the powers that be recognize it, these people are long gone, along with the high $$$ they paid them.