It's Been a While. Let Me Explain.

Looking back on my blog, I made a failed promise to post regularly. I apologize. I realize that it is also not wise to start off by apologizing. Like I say, "onward and upward." A lot of things happened since my last post. I graduated from Valdosta State University in December. I traveled to Arizona, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon. I said good-bye to my 94 year-old grandmother. I made new connections through LinkedIn and several trade groups. Currently, I spend each day looking for my next big opportunity and how I can make a difference in the lives of others by supporting those who provide care for others. For this post, I decided to "deep-dive" over the past few months, and where they have led me to now.

To date, my internship at Piedmont is still one of the greatest experiences of my young career. I never shrugged away from Piedmont's mission. In every job application, interview, and networking event, Piedmont's mission to make a positive difference in every life they touch became my personal mission. In then end, this is why I decided to study healthcare administration. I wanted to make a difference. I believe that anyone can make the biggest difference in the health of a person. Be it a doctor, a practice administrator, your friend, neighbor, clergy member, or policy maker, we all have a stake in the health of a person.

I know in my recent posts, I mentioned several lessons I learned in healthcare. Being on the job market for sometime, I got back into Scouting as an Assistant Scoutmaster with a local Boy Scout Troop. In the the recent months, I helped Scouts advance in rank, make critical decisions, and chaperoned an outing to Cumberland Island. Recently, I signed-up to be a Merit Badge counselor to further counsel youth. This is a great way to further mentor Scouts. I encourage anyone who has a special hobby, job, skill or talent, and some spare time occasionally to sign up to be a Merit Badge Counselor. There is some minor training and paperwork, but the ability to mold young minds is worth the time.

To be honest, my job search is rough. I've applied and interviewed with many healthcare organizations. From Locum Tenens to practice providers and hospitals, my job search is diverse, countless, and at times, endless. While I have not found an opportunity yet, I am determined, and I have not given up hope. I took advice from a career specialist, who helped me understand a little bit more of myself, and the potential I can provide to those I plan to serve. Service is a fundamental reason I decided to go into healthcare. Service is the reason why I decided to be an active adult leader in a local Boy Scout Troop.

There are a lot of quotes, ideas, theories about why people serve others willingly. There are people who believe others are inherently good. There are many who believe people want to change the world. I want to change the world. I believe that's why I am here: To change the world, and make a difference in the lives of others.

I came across this quote to close with:

"The most worthwhile thing is to try and put happiness into the lives of other."

          - Robert Baden Powell, Founder of the Scouting 

A Positive Difference: After the Internship

The leaves are beginning to change, and the temperatures are starting to drop. The summer is over, and my internship experience at Piedmont Atlanta has finished. I know I promised to post weekly, but my school work, outside of the internship, utilized more and more of my time.  

As I write this blog, I have a lot to reflect on. I spent nearly 16 weeks, a total of 5 months at Piedmont Healthcare. I was one of the first to start, and the last to leave. Piedmont will forever have a special place in my heart, and I look forward to applying after graduation this December. I would like to thank the following people for making a very large impact in my internship experience: Matt, Angie, Dr. Cohen, Dr. Battey, Kathie, Tracy, Angela, Sid, and many others.

Since the last post, I got to experience various components that make up the inner-workings of the hospital and the system. Some people characterize hospitals as an airliner. Some people characterize hospitals as a factory. There are many characterizations of hospitals and healthcare systems. In my opinion, I see more resemblance between hospitals and cruise liners, however, almost any major travel or transit mode could work. For the average cruise, a person will be on board for 7 days. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCED),  the average length of stay in the United State during 2017 was around 6 days, which is average (outlier is Japan with 16 days). The average crew for a cruise liner can be well into the thousands, same as a hospital. While these may not seem too surprising, hospital and cruise leadership are similar too. A captain or a CEO leads the unit, however delegating tasks or dividing responsibilities create for seamless service across the unit. There are plenty of scenarios to compare and contrast, but with both, safety is the biggest priority in delivery.

During my internship experience, I participated in several projects and activities. There are a lot of highlights from the internship experience, and I could talk for hours on it. For one of my projects, I had the opportunity to organize a collection drive for City of Refuge, a social development mission in Atlanta. City of Refuge aims to help individuals with a variety of needs. For this project, they were setting up a Nurse Aide Certification lab, and needed a variety of medical equipment (stretchers, wheelchairs, exam tables, etc.) as well as some supplies (gloves, masks, gauze, bandages, surgical tape, etc). City of Refuge provided us a list of items they needed. Through the collective work of Supply Chain, Dining, Biomedical Engineering, and several other departments, we were able to provide City of Refuge all their requested items and more! As an Eagle Scout and an aspiring healthcare administrator, it felt good to serve the community through more than providing medical treatment.

During another project, I worked for the Piedmont Healthcare Foundation. Piedmont Healthcare, in collaboration with Susan G. Komen, had the ability, through a grant program, to provide indigent women free or low-cost breast cancer screenings and treatment in the Piedmont Fayette Hospital service area. My job was to outreach to leadership in community clinics. This was a grassroots opportunity to remind clinics of the community partnership that Piedmont provides to further research and treat breast cancer. I enjoyed meeting these community leaders who provide a great deal of support to the Coweta and Fayette communities.

During my time at Piedmont, I spent a considerable amount of time in the operating room, and no, I did not perform surgery on anyone. The OR takes safety very seriously, and so one of my projects included auditing the surgical process to ensure patient safety. While I enjoyed getting to watch surgery, I had to listen carefully to the surgeon’s ability to lead to room, but more importantly when the surgeon was closing the patient’s wound. Some of the most interesting surgeries I saw included brain surgery to remove a lymphatic node, vascular surgery to remove a blockage in the carotid artery (performed by the hospital’s CEO), and robotic gastrointestinal resection. These may seem gross, but they were one of the most interesting things to watch. You really get a sense of how important your health is when you see a surgery being performed in front of you. Also, I did really enjoy putting scrubs on.

Another highlight, I got to take part in filming a show that will air on TLC. “Family by the Ton” is filmed at Piedmont. I got to help the camera crew and the patients during the days it was filmed. Some of my jobs included running errands, serving as a dolly (I pushed a camera operator around), and assisting Piedmont’s PR team with privacy for all our patients, providers, and staff that did not need to be on camera.

My final highlight, I got to help Piedmont PR team in making a patient’s day. I am a big Atlanta United fan, and Atlanta United captain, Michael Parkhurst, and Midfielder, Oliver Shannon, surprised a patient who had undergone cardiothoracic surgery. It was great to see some of my favorites make the difference in a patient’s day.  

I completed a transport time study. During my study, I paired up with a transporter to time how long it took for the transporter to start the process to the point they end the process. The department standard for transports is to complete one transport process with 15-18 minutes, from the moment summoned to the moment the job is marked complete. Throughout the study, I watched the transporter complete over 24 jobs within two 8-hour shifts, paying close attention to each process. At the end of the study, I gathered my findings, which showed the transporter exceeded expectations (within 12-15 minutes per job), however, I made recommendations that could help out the department altogether. From my recommendations, I can only hope that Piedmont looks carefully at the processes and take the needed/required ones from the unnecessary ones.

During the final weeks, Piedmont allowed me to stay for an extra month. I worked in the Medical Staff Office. While a majority of my job was administrative work, I learned about credentialing, providing, and hospital staffing. I saw hospital policy in action. Through filing, reading, and studying, I realized this is something I would be most interested in. While I love operations, hospital policy made a lot of sense to me, given my governmental/political interests. Also, I was recently turned onto a new podcast entitled "Dr. Death," about a neorosurgeon with an actual kill streak. I highly recommend this podcast (6 episodes, each are about 45 minutes). 

Piedmont is a leader in healthcare. I am honored to have the opportunity to work for them during this eventful summer. I will miss the people I worked with, the hands-on experiences, and the operations I witnessed. I am forever grateful to Piedmont for giving me such insight into my place in the industry. I plan to go to graduate school to pursue a Master’s in Health Administration. I plan to work my way up in a hospital or system. While I would love the opportunity to lead a hospital or system as soon as possible, it will take some time, but for now, I think I will look for opportunities until I graduate in December. For Piedmont, this isn’t a “good bye,” but a “see you later.”

-          Joel

Week 1: Making A Positive Difference is Every Life We Touch

Truth is: I don't know where to begin. In one week there is a lot I learned, and many meetings I attended, projects I have started, and people I have met. There is no good way to explain everything, but  I will do my best.

On Tuesday (5/29), a new and exciting chapter began. The first day of my internship at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital. A mix of excitement, nervousness, and determination coiled my mind and body. It all started so quickly. In the morning, we had orientation, where I met other interns as well as new hospital staff from other departments. Energized and excited, some of these "1st-day jitters" began to subside.

Piedmont Atlanta Hospital has 17 interns each paired with a department or supervisor. My supervisor is the director of service line development and about 20 other projects or task forces.  After orientation, the internship truly began. After lunch with my supervisor, we discussed projects, and attended a meeting with the COO and CNO, HR, and Health  IT staff.

After this meeting, my supervisor tasked me with looking at data regarding patient transfers to our hospital. The data is still being reviewed, however I had to quickly relearn my Excel skills. The rest of this first day was spent walking around the hospital and mild discussions, learning the lay of  the land.

Wednesday and Thursday were very much the same. Looking at the same patient transfer data, going to meetings, and setting up meetings with hospital staff. Walk-through's of the the hospital, as well as meeting staff are making my internship very enjoyable. I love getting the opportunity to have face-to-face interactions with C-Suite level staff, committees, and getting  to see the hospital in action. I witnessed a variety of things, some of which are too complicated or complex for me to explain in this medium.

Fridays are for "field trips." Each Friday will be spent with a new department to learn what their operations and procedures are. On Friday, June 1st, my day began early (as they have for the past few mornings), but this one in particular started with me being at the hospital at 7am, which meant I needed to leave by 5:45am to navigate Atlanta's unpredictable traffic. On this Friday, I spent my day with Environmental Services (EVS) and I helped out our transport team. Between Transport and EVS, I got to see the support line of our hospital's care team. The support and service line of the hospital are the life blood in PAH's organization. Without clean rooms, patients will remain ill. Without quick transport, patients will not be able to be discharged (meaning we will not have empty rooms), tests or labs may not be done. There are some specific items to each of these departments that I have learned however both departments need dedicated staff assistance. Don't get me wrong: they have some amazing leadership that all play part to great care.

Of Piedmont's core belief, our job is to "make a positive difference in every life we touch." Between EVS and our Transport teams, we have the opportunity to make the biggest impact in patient care. Each person at Piedmont is dedicated to providing our patients with great care, and Piedmont's reputation as a super power for healthcare in the south precedes itself.

I sat on the Linen Committee meeting. In this meeting, we discussed a variety of topics, however I took note of three key ideals that make any organizations successful. These three are from my noted observation, and not substantive of any discussions:

• Educate:
• Train employees and staff on procedures
• Engage
• Create incentivized campaigns or events to promote our procedure
• Patient-Centered Care
• Respond to the needs of the patient

Key Word this week:

• Bed Batching: the process of collating beds into the same group at which patient discharges occur at the same time. 

Though my education at Valdosta State and beyond has prepared me, I still have a lot to learn. Though this first week came with some jitters, I hoping the next few weeks with more meetings and projects I will learn my place of interest and purpose in a hospital. Yesterday, I went to see the popular musical Hamilton at the Fox Theater, and so "I'm just like my country; young, scrappy, and hungry, and I not throwing away my shot," and I am looking forward to the weeks ahead.

Week 0: Before the Internship

I begin my internship on May 29th with Orientation. With every new beginning, there is always some sort of orientation. I am thoroughly looking forward to this new experience and everything it will bring to my academic and professional career.

Earlier this week, I went to the hospital in Buckhead Atlanta for an employee health screening. Having never been there before, I thought it would be an exciting experience, and it was. After my screening appointment, I decided to explore the hospital and visit some of the folks I am corresponding with. My initial take on this hospital is that it is a beautiful campus that defines Atlanta and the Empire of the South feel. The hospital has a modern look to it, and Piedmont is adding a wing to the building.

Ahead of this internship, I am looking forward to, not only participating, but analyzing the current working operations of a hospital. I pan to work hard, and I plan to expand my professional knowledge of the industry. I already have meetings scheduled, and a presentation to give at the end of July.

Recently, I received my bi-monthly issue of "Healthcare Executive". In the issue's "Improving Patient Care," Dr. Robert Lloyd from IHI, explores improving quality is ongoing effort  through building capacity and capability for creating success and excellence in any health organization.

In my own opinion, I agree with Dr. Lloyd. The idea about creating quality and change in the industry is ongoing. The idea of the article is that capability and capacity are not necessarily hand-in-hand, but finding the right balance for all participants are crucial for success. Capacity refers to the ability to retain information, while capability  refers to the ability to utilize the retained information.

Each level of care requires someone to have an extensive wealth of knowledge and skill to a certain degree. Dr. Lloyd suggests a "dosing" method for facilitating how capable certain individuals should be in certain skills. This understanding shows that everyone has a part to learn. Administrators should strive to gain more well-rounded experiences, and the level of learning will allow each person to develop, making patient-centered care a forefront of the industry.

During my internship, I hope to explore the different working environment at different levels of the system. From C-suite executives to lowly administrators, everyone has a lot to offer the industry, and I hope to learn from a broad range of people. I am looking forward to working with a variety of people, including my fellow interns. This next part of my life is just about to begin, and I am only at the door.


Cheers,

Joel


*To access the link above, you must have an ACHE account or membership. If I can post the article, I will. In other news, I plan to write a blog post weekly on Fridays or Saturdays.*

PollackCare

Welcome to the newly updated PollackCare blog.

Today, I thought I would do something a little different, and update this blog. Instead of me talking about leadership and my favorite foods (like I did with now-deleted posts), I thought I would give this blog a new tone and perspective to something I have grown to love and a career field I want to pursue. 

When I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor, but high school anatomy said otherwise. I liked business and wanted to pursue a career in a health-related field.  For over a year, I have studied in Valdosta State University's Healthcare Administration program, and there is quite a lot I have learned, and a lot that I am looking forward to learning. 

As I start my internship at Piedmont at the end of this month, I want to use this blog to highlight and reflect on what I hope to learn, what I do learn, and if there are any discrepancies or things I know that are actionable or achievable in the industry. It is no secret that the healthcare industry is in need of some serious modifications, and that the future is uncertain. 

Technological advances and legislation change almost instantly, and our textbooks are getting bigger (or smaller) every semester. Healthcare is more than just the usual doctor visits or trips to the ER. Healthcare is the state, well-being, treatment or procedure in order to ensure the health and wellness of an individual. 

In many ways, healthcare is an indefinite term depending on who you ask. However, as the future of the industry changes, we have a lot to look out for. There are many factors, organizations, and roles in healthcare, but more importantly, we can analyze the players in healthcare by looking at one shape. 

In an early lesson in healthcare administration, we learn that one shape is structural. The triangle is comprised of three sides and three corners. Each of those side represents insurance providers, patients, and providers. Each of the corners represent cost, quality, and access. According to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, The Triple Aim is designed to optimize and revitalize the healthcare industry. With three goals in mind, we can work to provide quality care that is cost effective, accessible, and with high quality. 

As I venture into administration, I hope to keep each of these goals in mind to analyze and plan for means and methods to creating wholesome care. My goal is to update this blog regularly through the summer months as I gain understanding and quality experience in administration. 

As the Triple Aim works to be the goal setting benchmark of the industry, I invite you to check out some success stories shared by IHI regarding the Triple Aim.

Cheers,

Joel 

Getting to the Top is Easy, Getting Back Down is a Different

I am halfway through my  major curriculum for a bachelor's degree in healthcare administration. I have one year left until I graduate from Valdosta State. As I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, I am looking back to how I got to where I am. Every now and then, I post to my Instagram a photo of either a good memory, some food I made, or something I did during the day or week. But today, I posted an old picture from freshman year, and the caption "Climbing a mountain is one thing, but knowing how to get down is another."

As I study for finals week, and finish my last minute assignments, I recall something a professor told me when I began in the healthcare program. When I took Dr. David Au for healthcare management (HCAD introduction course) in the spring, he walked in carrying the textbook, papers, and K'nex pieces. On the board, Dr. Au put up a picture of  Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. He asked us if it was possible to get to the top of the mountain. Obvious answer, yes! We know it is possible to get to the top of Everest, but it is equally possible to get down. The question is, how do we get down? We see the future, we have goals, and we usually know what it takes to reach our goals, but what does it take to get back down? Sure, you can back track, but what happens if your tracks are covered or if you cannot find your way? Getting to the top is one thing, but getting down is a different thing.

Keep in mind this quote from Ed Viesturs, "Getting to the top is optional, but getting down is mandatory." We all look to the top. We all have people that come through our lives and make impacts, and those folks can help us get to where we want to be. I have served in different political positions and roles in the eight years. People often ask me, "Joel, how did you get to where you are today?" Simply put, a door opens, and plenty more open after that, but through and through, I never forgot who got me to open the door. I never forgot my teachers, family, friends, professors, and colleagues who pushed me into different situations. For every situation they put me in, I grew in to a different person because they made an impact. They put me into positions that challenged me, inspired me, and allowed me to thrive. So far, they helped me get to 3/4 of the way.

At the end of last year, I sent an email to my high school educators. While I keep in touch with most of them, I thought it would be best to inform them of my progress. In the end, I made sure to thank them for there help in getting me where I am. You see, it is easy to get on with our lives, and often enough, we forget what got us to where we currently are. As we enter the holiday season, filled with family, friends, and, food,  each person will have some part in making the holiday season cheerful and bright. Each person is a stop along the way to the top, but how will you come down? As leaders, we know that a good leader does more than carry a title, and some leaders do not carry a title at all. Good leaders take the extra mile. They go further, push higher, and carry the team to the finish.  The finish is not the top of the mountain, but the bottom. While you spend time this season with family, friends, food, consider the leaders who got you to where you are today. Consider the leaders that we have in our lives, and how we help them get to where they are today. While getting  to the top is important, getting back down is about understanding what got us there in the first place. We can always strive for the top, but we must know how we got there.

To my friends and family:
Thank you for getting me where I am today. Everyday, you make me a better man and give me strength to continue to work hard by pursuing my goals in education, cooking, politics, and more. You are the people that keep me grounded. For everything you do for me, thank you.

To my colleagues, coworkers, educators, and peers:
Everyday, we work harder to climb our mountain. Everyday creates a new challenge. As the saying of Carpe Diem, "Seize the Day," formulates in my head, I cannot thank you enough for helping me rise to the challenge. Good leaders are not born or bred, but good leaders grow from the ones around them. I have seen people rise to power through popularity, and these are not always the best of leaders. In healthcare, we owe it to all we serve to follow a high standard of care, and a good leader will follow this same standard to the end. As many of us strive to make it big in the healthcare industry, each of you are in my life to help me, and we continue to push each other through and through. As you push me to be my best, I hope I have done the same for you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for making me a better professional. We are a team climbing our Everest, but while we are looking to the top, we are looking back down too.

"Getting to the top is optional, getting to the bottom is mandatory." -  Ed Viesturs

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year!!!

- Joel

Twitter/IG: @RealJoelPollack