 |
 |
|
Thang Dinh (left) and Mary Bell were honored as role models by their peers in providing excellent customer service and congratulated by Clinical Center Director Dr. John Gallin for “going the extra mile.”
|
A high-performing organization attains valuable results by using a clearly understood strategy and a simplified design for structure, systems and processes. Employees are contributing partners to the organization, understand the business and are committed to getting the best results. Organizational effectiveness is about each individual doing everything they know how to do and doing it well; organizational efficiency is the capacity of an organization to produce the desired results with a minimum expenditure of energy, time, money, and human and material resources. Following are a few examples of how the Clinical Center strives for optimal organizational effectiveness and efficiency.
Strategic Operational Planning
The strategic annual operating plan reflects the Clinical Center’s planning process. The plan describes the overall direction of the Clinical Center in terms of its mission, vision, environmental challenges, and stakeholder needs. The plan aligns Clinical Center resources and goals to support institute or center clinical research requirements and priorities. Continuous reassessment of goals, strategies and an associated update of the organization’s strategic operating plan ensure that the Clinical Center’s focus remains relevant, timely and responsive to the NIH institutes and centers who conduct intramural research science at the Clinical Center.
Customer Service
The customer service program, designed to create and sustain an increased commitment to outstanding customer service at the Clinical Center, completed its second year in 2003. More than 2,500 individuals have gone through the training, which is now fully integrated into the new employee orientation. This training ensures that staff are immediately engaged in the Clinical Center’s vision of customer service and that they have a common understanding of how to communicate effectively, problem solve and build partnerships in order to deliver the highest quality patient care services.
 |
|
|
Medical technologists such as Josh Cohen in laboratory medicine perform thousands of diagnostic tests annually in support of clinical research.
|
Employee Survey
The 2002 Clinical Center Employee Experience and Satisfaction Survey results were reported in 2003 and highlight several key findings related to overall job satisfaction and the delivery of patient care. A majority (86 percent) of employees indicated they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their job; are willing (98 percent) to give extra effort to fulfilling the organization’s mission; and are (90 percent) “usually” or “always” treated with respect. These, and all of the findings, will be used as a baseline for ongoing assessment of employee satisfaction.
Occurrence Reporting System
The centerpiece of the Clinical Center's performance improvement and measurement program is the Occurrence Reporting System. The Occurrence Reporting System is a web-based tool for staff to report clinical care events and errors, thereby enhancing the Clinical Center's ability to support clinical quality and promote patient safety. The system enables rapid identification of clinical care issues so performance improvement activities and best practices can be initiated promptly.
Volunteer Services
The Clinical Center volunteer program accepts and places volunteers in nearly 20 hospital program areas. The average contribution of hours is a total of 75,000 per year. Students from area high schools and colleges, retirees, spouses of visiting scientists and many others contribute their services throughout the Clinical Center. A cadre of specially-trained volunteers serves in the “Family Friend” program providing support for individuals who would like to participate in clinical trials but lack resources for child care. It is through each volunteer’s efforts—whether in radiology, physical therapy, or the library—that a patient or an employee can receive a welcome “helping hand.”
|
