Quoteworthy
Not everyone has the same knowledge or the same skill set. That’s why I like to find out who’s going to be in a class I am teaching. We need to understand people’s backgrounds and where they are coming from so we can present material in the appropriate way.
Luca Boi

Most Recent
Medicine Meets the Hyperactive Hive Mind

Having trouble focusing or completing a task? It’s the “hyperactive hive mind” at work. In this first article of a two-part series, Chief Medical Officer Tom Miller, HCI’s Chief Clinical Officer Sachin Apte, Chief Wellness Officer Amy Locke, and Chief Medical Education Officer Mark Harris share highlights from the book A World Without Email and its application in health care.

Stop Waiting and Start Working: Four Tips from the Help Desk

We all do it. We draw a blank on our password, get locked out of login, “…duo what?” and so on. And then we wait for a University of Utah Health service desk saint who makes our machine work again. To help lighten their load a bit—and make our lives easier—we asked ITS Manager Mike Madsen for his “Top 4” preventive measures to avoid a call.

How to Improve Your Patient Communication Skills

Communication is a skill; it takes practice. Clinicians Caryn Peters and Patricia Liu share their method for making meaningful connections with patients and teams.

How to Prepare for Patient Design Studio and Advise Utah

Patient Experience Program Coordinator Corrie Harris and Project Administrator Emily Izzo explain how to get valuable patient feedback early in your improvement efforts by meeting with the U of U Health Patient Design Studio and Advise Utah.

What is Nurse Leader Rounding?

When we talk about being patient-centered, systems thinkers, and engaged experts, nurse leader rounding checks every box. It fosters meaningful connection, deepens our understanding of our patients' experiences, and by sharing what we learn, Nurse Leader Rounding can help us improve as a system. Initiative co-sponsors Tracey Nixon and Mari Ransco outline what’s to come for Nurse Leader Rounding at U of U Health.

Building Our Digital Literacy

How are we building digital literacy? Chief Information Officer Donna Roach and Sr. Director of Patient Experience Mari Ransco share how using design thinking and seeing care through the eyes of our patients is a great place to start.

Building a Nursing Community of Practice

Strategic communications administrator Bridgette Maitre outlines a new way to connect, learn, and build community within the Department of Nursing.

What I’m reading: Atomic Habits

Whether your goals are health, financial, or work-related, the Resiliency Center’s Betsy Holm shares how Atomic Habits can help you develop a system in your life to accomplish what it is you want to achieve.

The Surprising Outcomes of Patient Self-Scheduling

With careful communication and teamwork, technical supervisor Lindsey Garcia, family medicine physicians Susan Pohl and Bernadette Kirarly, and associate director of strategic projects Erin McCormack share how Madsen Family Practice made it easier for patients to schedule virtual appointments and access the primary care they need.

What Improvement Taught Me About Gardening

Every summer, senior value engineer Cindy Spangler stocks our offices with an abundance of tomatoes, zucchini, and squash. We asked her to share how improvement thinking influences her gardening. Turns out, there are parallels–learn from others, stick to your scope, and learn from the mistakes.

High Reliability Camping

Every summer, Utahns head to the mountains for camping, biking, rafting and other activities. And every summer, many a family is left without a stove, or a helmet, or a…because it was left at home. Thrill-seeker and value engineer Cindy Spangler wants to prevent your next packing mishap with a customized camping checklist.

Coping with Medical Error: Secondary Trauma

When a medical error occurs, the patient is not the only person affected. Pediatric intensivist Brian Flaherty and psychologist Megan Call describe how caregivers can be impacted by medical error and provide strategies to cope.