Improvement and Innovation: READI, Set, Go! Overview

The Learning Institute is providing the opportunity to participate in one of Southcentral Foundation’s Improvement and Innovation: READI, Set, Go! Training, held at SCF’s campus in Anchorage. In the training, you will learn SCF’s quality management practices alongside our employees. SCF’s approach to improvement is woven into every aspect of the organization, and all employees are encouraged to improve and innovate regardless of their position at SCF. This approach to continuous improvement has helped SCF twice win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Improvement and Innovation: READI, Set, Go! Training teaches skills that are essential to effective improvement practices, such as communication, data analysis, process analysis and mapping, and project management. The training is interactive and participants work together in groups on an improvement project. The five-day training is broken down as follows:

Day 1: On the first day of the training, participants will learn about the theory and practice of change management; the role of improvement staff at SCF; and the impact of change on individuals, teams, and organizations. The class will also discuss the models and metaphors of change management to illustrate how organizations work and implications for change.

Day 2: On day 2, participants will learn about individual relational styles and how they impact communication and approaches to improvement. Also covered will be the use of storytelling and other relational principles as part of facilitating change discussions with customers. Participants will also practice what they have learned so far in an actual improvement project.

Day 3: On day 3, participants will learn how about 5 Dynamics (a map to understand work team dynamics) and how to interpret these maps in support of improvement projects. Participants will also practice difficult conversations with the goal of reaching shared aim statements; identify outcome, process, and balancing measures; and initiate a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle for improvement.

Day 4: On day 4, participants will differentiate between various improvement tools, illustrate a current or future project with an improvement process tool and/or diagram, review different approaches to project management, and determine their approach to the case study project.

Day 5: On the final day of the training, participants will document a summary of the case study project plan, present the case study work to the class, and choose three tools to work on following the class. The class will finish with a coaching session and a closeout with the group.

This class is taught by trainers who have more than 20 years of experience working in health care, and continue to actively work in the health care environment. Click here to sign up for the Improvement and Innovation: READI, Set, Go! Training. We hope to see you at one of our upcoming trainings!