Hardwiring Excellence, by Quint Studer. Gulf Breeze, Fla, Firestarter Publishing, 2003. 265 pages, soft cover, $18. This first edition has been published exclusively for Studer Group Partners but can be obtained through their Web sitehttp://www.Studergroup.com
Quint Studer grabs the reader immediately in his Foreword. He condenses multiple healthcare conferences to 3 lines on a graph. The first shows the growth in baby boomers. The second shows rising costs, and the third, decreasing number of caregivers. In short, the "perfect storm" is brewing in healthcare. He then promises that the book is about solutions as opposed to feeding a national crisis. And when the endorsements in the book come from CEOs, nurse executives, and the President and CEO of Healthcare Financial Management Association, may be you should read on. Mr Studer opens the book with a dedication to Firestarters.
Firestarters are individuals who make a difference in the lives of others. Mr Studer wrote the book as a tribute to the thousands of difference-makers committed to transforming healthcare through compassion, imagination, and often, sheer determination. Mr Studer himself was president of a hospital, frequents the lecture circuit, and is best known for his Nine Principles of Service and Operational Excellence:
1. Commit to excellence
- Five pillars: People, Service, Quality, Finance, and Growth
2. Measure the important things
3. Build a culture around service
4. Create and develop leaders
5. Focus on employee satisfaction
6. Build individual accountability
7. Align behaviors with goals and values
8. Communicate at all levels
9. Recognize and reward success
The book not only takes you through each of the principles, but also gives very practical ideas for implementing each principle, along with examples we can all recognize. Incorporated throughout every chapter are notes and letters from nurses, managers, and CEOs on their application of the principles. If you believe healthcare can be changed from within, this book is worth reading.