| Clintcast is a 15 minute-long audio digital-media file which is distributed over the Internet by syndicated download through Web feeds to your portable media player and personal computers.
Clintcast brings Clint Maun's innovation and expertise right to your living room via podcast.
Clint Maun is nationally recognized for his innovative leadership in healthcare consulting, speaking and research.- 15 minutes of healthcare's best practice stories, tips and anecdotes.
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| Dealing with Disappointment
| Didn't get that raise or promotion you wanted? Didn't get selected for that committee you wanted to be on? Didn't pass for the certification you have been studying for? It's unfortunate, but disappointments at work happen. Although not getting something you had hoped for can be discouraging, it's not a reason to get down on yourself and/or quit the healthcare profession.
Below are three tips to keep in mind when it comes to dealing with disappoints at work.
Re-evaluate your expectations: Are your expectations realistic? Or do they set you up for disappointment? Having unrealistic expectations will disappoint you most of the time.
Be aware of unhealthy expectations. There are some expectations that are not worth having at all. As you look at your situation, be honest and ask yourself if you have any expectations that are selfish, petty or unrealistic. Do you want a certain title only because you seek power over co-workers? If these are the type of expectations you have, you are only hurting yourself by keeping them and should consider letting them go.
Keep an open mind: Always be open to new ideas and direction. Perhaps your supervisor has a new project for you that will teach you a new skill set. Or maybe you should pay closer attention to co-workers you admire. How do they do things? What's their approach? Keeping an open mind and point of view can open a lot of doors.
Having expectations and goals at work is a great thing; you should never give up the goals that are true to yourself and your development as a healthcare professional. However, you must also be cognizant of reality and what is achievable and what is not. When disappointment rears it head at work, keep the tips above in mind, and take it in stride. If you stick with clear, honest and realistic goals, you will succeed.
"Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it." -Eliza Tabor
| New Pilot Program Intended to Increase Quality of Care
| This summer, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will launch a pilot program to determine whether providing cash incentives to nursing homes will help raise the quality of care, particularly in nurse staffing levels and preventable hospitalizations.
The pilot program builds on the agency's previous nursing home quality efforts, including 'Nursing Home Compare,' an online nursing home ranking system that launched in December.
Nursing homes designated as facilities with problems are labeled as 'Special Focus Facilities' on the Nursing Home Compare Web site. According to the Wall Street Journal, at least 135 nursing homes have received that label.
"Competition is not only the basis of protection to the consumer, but is the incentive to progress." -Herbert Hoover
| Health 2.0:
Take Advantage of the Technology
| You may not be familiar with the term Web 2.0, but you probably are familiar with some of its manifestations, which include My Space, Facebook and Twitter. In simple terms, Web 2.0 represents applications and methodologies that allow people to post content and interact with each other online. The concept has exploded over the last few years, and has even crossed over to healthcare; giving way to the term "Health 2.0".
What is Health 2.0?
Health 2.0 can be broadly defined as interactive applications, services and tools that are Web-based services for healthcare consumers, caregivers, patients, and health professionals. Just as Facebook and Twitter allow its users to connect and share information, Health 2.0 technologies enable and facilitate participation, collaboration, and openness within and between these healthcare user groups.
The idea is simple. Health 2.0 is about interactive Web services that will arm individuals with information, tools and supportive online communities so they can take charge of their own medical care.
Health 2.0 is already playing a role in healthcare. People are helping each other out, providing information and support. It's happening right now, and you can go and see for yourself. For example, a few quick searches in Facebook finds support groups with thousands of members for causes such as cancer, autism, and diabetes.
So, how can Health 2.0 play a role at your healthcare organizations? Quite simply, the options are virtually unlimited. If your organization doesn't already have a Facebook page, it can create one quickly and more importantly for free. Other applications that provide interactive consumer services may involve more time and resources, but all indicators point to great returns on such investments. Such services and applications will ultimately empower consumers to not only understand their plans, but also make rational healthcare choices across all aspects of the care cycle.
"Do you realize if it weren't for Edison we'd be watching TV by candlelight?"
-Al Boliska
| | Health Care and Heaven | Three men who all spent their entire adult lives working in the health care industry are killed in a train wreck. Shortly after, they find themselves in line at the Pearly Gates, waiting for admission into heaven. As they approach, Saint Peter asks them to identify themselves.
The first man steps forward and says, "I was a pediatric spine surgeon. I helped hundreds of kids overcome their deformities."
Saint Peter says, "Enter."
The second man says, "I was a psychiatrist. I helped thousands of people overcome their problems."
Saint Peter nods and invites him into heaven.
The third man steps forward and says, "I was an HMO manager. I helped countless people get cost-effective health care."
Saint Peter tells him, "You may enter."
As the HMO manager walks by, Saint Peter adds, "But you can only stay for three days. After that, you can go to hell."
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