The Synergy of PM Thinking

Working with hospitals to implement project management best practices has been incredibly rewarding work, but recently, I have witnessed some amazing synergy gained by seeing professionals grow in thinking like project managers.

A keen example has been two new projects proposed: one to develop a strategy to implement needed system interfaces and one to step back and optimize existing clinical documentation systems and procedures.

Why is this related to synergy and thinking like a project manager?

For three reasons:

1. COMMUNICATION: Hospital departments tend to work in silos. As staff think more like project managers, considering ALL stakeholders and setting communication as a priority, the opportunities that affect multiple disciplines and departments begin to bubble up and come to light. "Hey, I just learned that xyz could also benefit abc. Let's talk with abc, and get this to the VPs for consideration."
2. PROCESS FOCUS: Additionally, a good project manager will always be thinking "PROCESS" - how do we implement projects to improve processes. As projects are implemented, the process improvement focus inevitably unearths more and more opportunities for improvement. "Hey, xyz project just fixed this issue. How many other abcs have the same issue?"
3. STRATEGY: Finally, a project management mindset always considers the impacts of projects to the greater organization. This bent toward what is strategic often leads staff to start connecting the dots. Couple this with growing communication and synergy toward tackling strategic initiatives, and good things are bound to happen.

We certainly need to be teaching people how to use processes and tools, but I believe that it is far more important to teach people how to think like a project manager. Synergy comes from a project management mindset empowered by processes and tool.

Mark

Why PM Triage exists?

All organizations can benefit from effectively applied project management - but healthcare organizations, in particular, need excellent project management.

How many healthcare CFOs and CIOs get frustrated with the slow pace of IT projects or with the seeming lack of quality with the results of projects? I know of a CFO (whose healthcare organization has a PMO) who was meeting with other CFOs who were bemoaning the state of their IT projects. This CFO surprised his colleagues by indicating that his organization was fairly consistent with its projects and was steadily improving. The difference? The PMO. Someone was minding the shop - making sure that the right projects were being done with the right resources in the right timeframes the right way.

Healthcare organizations can benefit from project management - even without a PMO, but the first step is triage. An organization must have their situation assessed and then have the right treatment administered.

Does your healthcare organization need triage? Does anyone in your organization control and coordinate all IT/IS projects? Does your organization have skilled AND empowered project managers to manage projects? Do most of your projects start and end on time within planned budgets? Do the executives in your organization prioritize and provide support for the IS/IT projects? Are the departments in your organization generally happy with how the IT/IS department executes projects? Is project management understood to be an important role and discipline in your organization?

If you answered NO to any of the questions above, your organization likely needs triage. Go to the nearest urgent care clinic (like PM Triage) and get help!

Regards,
Mark Faggion - Head PM Triage Specialist, Project Management Triage

Welcome to PM Triage

PM Triage - Helping you manage projects in healthcare organizations that are new, indifferent, or hostile to project management.

That's what this is all about. More to come.

Mark Faggion - principal consultant