A Chat On Healthcare Improvements

Gerald Lin, who is currently an Administrative Fellow in our West LA VA branch, shared some of his valuable insights on the improvement of healthcare delivery with us today. Not only did I learn how hospitals are funded, but also I gained a chance to hear from an Alumnus about Yale, where he did an MPH program with a management emphasis.

Since his Fellowship began in the VA over a month ago, he's been trying to solve efficiency problems that have been encumbering transplant referrals.

Gerald, who forbids us from calling him Mr. Lin, entertains solving transplant referral efficiency problems besides his usual duties of handling the logistical aspects of running a hospital. It turns out that getting all the labs done in the right sequence can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. The key to shortening the time span taken to get all the labs done depends on many variables.

These variables depends on the type of transplant; whether it is kidney, lung, or heart. It depends upon on timing, opportunity, wit, effort and skill of the coordinator. It depends on having the patient do their part, and also having the right key people to adjust their schedule to minimize time loss. It is a tough job to be a transplant coordinator, but with the right attitude, people skills, and the coveted know-how of how to navigate a bureaucratic system, hitting all the targets in weeks rather than in months may not be far from reality.

On behalf of all of us, we thank Gerald for spending 2 hours and 35 minutes of this sunny Californian Thursday afternoon with us. It was a great pleasure learn from him. I'll definitely keep an open dialogue about healthcare streamlining ideas with him. The brainchild that emerges from his efforts to streamline healthcare will save many lives in the long run. Go Gerald!

A link recommended by Gerald:
The Institute of Healthcare Improvements (http://www.ihi.org)

Article Archive:: September

How VA Hospitals Became The Best
No longer a nation's shame, veteran care is acing competitors
By DOUGLAS WALLER (from Time Magazine)
"Private hospitals, which make their money treating people who come to them sick, don't profit from heavy investments in preventive care, which keeps patients healthy. But the VA, which is funded by tax dollars, 'has its patients for life,' notes Kizer, who served in his post until 1999. So to keep government spending down, 'it makes economic sense to keep them healthy and out of the hospital.' "

The VA became the best, and it might just be due to its unique niche. The VA hospitals have attributes that private hospitals don't have.