2010 Annual Report

CREATING A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not act, but a habit." - Aristotle

The staff of Hartford Hospital is engaged in a transformative process to revolutionize the way we work, create a sustainable culture of excellence and transform this great hospital into one of the country’s top-tier medical centers. We call this process How Hartford Hospital Works, or H3W. Launched in 2009 and rolled out in successive waves, H3W is already changing the culture of our hospital community and having a profound, positive impact on both clinical and non-clinical areas.

H3W focuses on sustaining an ongoing process of change that will bring about sweeping improvements hospital-wide and increase both patient and employee satisfaction. Through H3W, we are fostering a pervasive culture of excellence and creating an environment that engages, empowers and brings out the best in every member of our staff.

More than 160 facilitated H3W workgroups had been established by the end of this fiscal year, involving more than 5,000 staff members. Workgroups generated 3,500 ideas for enhancing operational excellence, and by the end of the year, 400 ideas had been fully implemented.

Workgroups have made numerous improvements. A workgroup in Perioperative Services developed a specially equipped supply and instrumentation cart that allows OR staff to convert from a minimally invasive surgical procedure to an open one in record time. The innovation cost nothing, but solved a time-consuming problem. When the Mail Room and Transportation Services were merging, a diverse group of employees formed a workgroup focused on building a cohesive team and increasing operational efficiency. Pleased and empowered by knowing that their voices would be heard, members threw themselves wholeheartedly into the project. They redesigned space, conducted cross-training and streamlined processes. Plus, they gained confidence, educating other departments about their services, including how their bulk mail capabilities could significantly reduce the hospital’s mailing costs. (more)