Would you like to know how to run your business like a top hospital?

While in hospital for a day procedure I identified some great business systems and processes that enabled me to get in and out efficiently and effectively.

Delegate tasks to employees with the appropriate skill level and pay grade

The Surgeon wasn’t at the front admissions counter when I arrived; the first person who saw me was the admissions clerk

Use simple systems to get it right.

Throughout my visit simple systems were used to make sure I was seen to as safely and efficiently as possible. The systems included:

1. a name badge tag on both sides of me so that the surgeon knew who he was operating on.
2. a big plastic bag with my name on it to keep my possessions together and some patients had different colour name bands on which indicated an allergy or special need the surgeon and others needed to be aware of.

Utilise standard Processes

There was a set of steps that led to and followed my procedure it went like this;

1. Arrange a day for procedure with the booking clerk,
2. Arrive at Admissions on the day of the procedure,
3. The nurse checked my height, weight and allergies,
4. I was given my pretty theatre gown, underwear, slippers and cap and told to put them on,
5. Spoke with anaesthetist and she explained my various anaesthetic options,
6. Met with one of the theatre nurses and he explained the procedure and gave me an opportunity to ask questions,
7. My turn came and I was guided into the operating theatre, where the surgical team was waiting for me, this was the first time I had seen the surgeon since our initial consult 6 months earlier.
8. The surgical team checked my patient file and name tags to ensure the correct person was on the operating table, they confirmed the procedure with me and then the anaesthetist did what she does best.
9. Post-surgery I was taken to recovery where the nurse tended to me and what do you know the big name badged bag full of my possessions was waiting for me.
10. I was offered a light snack (12 hours is a long time without food) and when I was okay to go home the contact from my admission documents was contacted to come and collect me.

In Conclusion…

Sure you may not be operating on your clients or customers in your business but what I would like you to take away from this article is if your business delegates to the appropriate employee, uses simple systems and utilises standard processes you will have a business that is running like a top hospital. More importantly you will have a business that can run without you all the time.