Goals

[Kim Davis]

Does anyone have any fresh ideas regarding goal development for Sterile Processing?

[STEVO]

I would start with your Hospital's Mission Statement, and make a department mission statment that reflects the hosptial's. (Example: Hospital's Mission Statement "We provide exceptional care to Patients and Community". The department's Mission would be somthing like "CS provides exceptional service to our caregivers by providing high quality product and support that exceeds expectations".)

Create a customer survey that measures the service outcomes that are defined in your Department Mission Statement. Keep it to 7 or less questions and phrase it as the very best outcome (example: "My instrument trays are always processed according to instructions". strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree).

Use the feedback and focus on the higher risk, problem prone issues and make improving the survey score your goals. Then develop ways to address the areas of improvment.

This cycle is continuous and measurable. You will have a consistent, relevant template to work with that will improve your operations.

[dongordon]

Kim:

Stevo had some great suggestions.

Here is one goal that is not new, but especially important if you have a shortage of staff:

Reduction in Absenteeism:

I'm not sure if your department has a high absenteeism rate, but at one time my department's absenteeism rate was about 16%!

We came up with a program of rewards and progressive disciplinary action that reduced our absenteeism to 5% (our goal). That is more than a 10% reduction.
This resulted in a daily increase of staff. For example if you have a staff of 30, 10% of 30 is 3....you just picked up 3 FTEs!

Don

[Kim Davis]

You both have some great suggestions. Steve, do you have a copy of your survey that you could send me? I'd really appreciate looking at it to get some ideas for a survey of my own. Don, thanks for your input too. Luckily, I don't have much of an absenteeism problem right now but I will file that thought just in case.........Thanks, Kim

[STEVO]

Emailed you Kim and attached. The second question on the survey on having complete trays was included in order to establish the fact that it is important to the users to have trays completed (who will say it isn't?). I then used as directive to get cooperation from them to reduce loss and damage. ;)

[Kim Davis]

Thank you Stevo, that is great. I am already starting to develop a survey suited to our department based on your survey. Again, thanks, Kim