Keeping every healthcare employee focused on continuous improvement, every day, is a huge challenge. It’s natural for people to lose sight of long-term goals and objectives due to the pressures of daily responsibilities. One powerful tool executives can use to keep continuous improvement at the top of everyone’s list is the employee idea campaign (EIC).

As a result of the Affordable Care Act, changes in reimbursement rates, and increasing competition, the new normal for hospitals and healthcare systems is determining how to provide higher patient satisfaction and care outcomes, but at lower cost. To address this enormous challenge, many organizations have launched lean, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement efforts. Although many organizations have found some success with these programs, many employees’ improvement ideas go unheard unless they’re participating in a formal improvement team.

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