Patient Experience Journal: Beryl Institute reviews Questioning Protocol
Book Review: Questioning Protocol Written by Randi Redmond Oster Barbara Lewis, MBA, Joan’s Family Bill of Rights
In her recently released book, Questioning Protocol Redmond Oster, takes the reader on a harrowing journey as she navigates the healthcare system while helping her teenage son’s battle with Crohn’s disease. Seventeen chapters build a chronological story of success, frustration and failure in dealing with modern medicine and a healthcare industry that may appear foreign to the outsider. Chapters such as Martian Mom in the E.R., Discovering the Root Cause and Figuring Failure Rate set the stage for a unique narrative that combines both heart and sophisticated analytics based on Ms. 18-year career in General Electric. For example, she demonstrates how a Six Sigma quality tool, used to help make tough executive business decisions with multiple stakeholders, can be leveraged by patients and family members. The tool, which can easily be used by patients, ensures that complicated choices include all points of view. Ms. Redmond Oster used this tool with her son, who shared in the decision making, along with his doctor, in choosing a nutritional approach instead of med deal with his Crohn’s condition. Ms. Redmond Oster’s background provides the foundation for her insightful healthcare observations. With a successful career as an engineer at GE, where she won numerous management awards including for one for her leadership of the design team for the stealth fighter electronic combat system, Ms. Redmond Oster learned that success is based on building high-performance teams to solve problems. She uses her process, efficiency and strategy skills to help understand the healthcare industry that is mired in outdated habits and may create victims of unfortunate preventable mistakes if some of the business tools she describes had been used. Her approach to problems, which are continually thrown at her, is eye opening. Ms. Redmond Oster explains best practices in a simple, fast-paced and easy-to-grasp language. At the end of each chapter Ms. Redmond Oster converts lessons learned into recommendations for dealing with the healthcare system. For example, in Chapter Five, and Battle-Ready, she suggests three action items that the reader can do: Fall 2014, pp. 133-134 Fall 2014 The Author(s), 2014. Published in association with The Beryl Institute and Patient Experience Institute Questioning Protocol andi Redmond Oster Joan’s Family Bill of Rights, BarbaraLewis@JoansFamilyBillofRights.com
http://pxjournal.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1046&context=journal
