Fuhrmans V. One cure for high health costs: In-house clinics at companies. Wall Street Journal. 11 February 2005. A1.

The cost of health care per employee for large corporations can be astronomical and difficult to control, especially with health care costs doubling each year. Desperate to manage the staggering costs of health care, Quad/Graphics made a bold move of transforming the way they delivered health care to their employees: Working in a partnership with Covenant Healthcare, they now provide easy access right at work with in-house clinics.  By bringing most of the primary care in-house, Quad has been hugely successful in saving on the cost of care for each employee and at the same time delivering high quality care that stabilizes their large workforce.  With 80 percent of their workforce using the in-house clinics, Quad is now becoming a role model for other large corporations looking to control the rising costs of health care.

Womack J, Jones D. Lean Consumption. Harvard Business Review. 2005;83(3):58-68, 148.

The authors argue that it's time to apply lean thinking to the processes of consumption — to give consumers the full value they want from goods and services with the greatest efficiency and the least pain. Companies may think they save time and money by off-loading work to the consumer but, in fact, the opposite is true. Lean consumption requires a fundamental shift in the way companies think about the relationship between provision and consumption and the role their customers play in these processes. It also requires consumers to change the nature of their relationships with the companies they patronize.

Reinertsen JL, Schellekens W
Chicago, Illinois: Health Administrative Press with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement; 2005

This book presents bold and practical ideas that will undoubtedly improve your organization’s patient care quality. Each idea in this book has already been proven to yield dramatic results at the organization level. The book includes such ideas as: Include patients directly in the process of redesigning care systems; Plan for system-level (not just project-level) improvements; Aim for perfection rather than just matching your competition; Schedule an appointment for each patient’s discharge and reduce bottlenecks in flow throughout your hospital. [This is the first book in a series.]

Hospital Governing Boards and Quality of Care: A Call to Responsibility. Washington, DC: National Quality Forum; 2004.

This document discusses the vital role that hospital governance boards play in supporting quality improvement in their institutions. The National Quality Forum presents several key principles for engaging hospital trustees in a more active role in ensuring quality of care.

Galvin R. A deficiency of will and ambition: A conversation with Donald Berwick. Health Affairs. Epub January 24, 2005.

In an interview with Robert Galvin, director of global health care at General Electric, Don Berwick concludes that external pressure will be necessary to accelerate the pace of change in health care. 

Full text available! Click view article below.

Øvretveit J. The leader's role in quality and safety improvement: A review of research and guidance. Swedish Association of County Councils. 2004.

The Swedish Association of County Councils, Stockholm (Lanstingsforbundet), has produced this review of research and guidance in order to further develop its leaders for Quality and Safety Improvement.  The report speaks to the body of research conducted on the leadership role and provides evidenced-based guidance and checklists to help leaders advance their quality and safety agendas.

*The article is linked here with permission from the Swedish Association of County Councils.

Kotter JP
Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press; 1995

The author introduces a comprehensive eight-step framework for change. One of the key concepts in Kotter’s approach is the importance of fostering a sense of urgency as part the change process.

Spear SJ. Learning to lead at Toyota. Harvard Business Review. 2004 May;82(5):78-86, 151.

This article describes the experience of a new Toyota plant manager as he is fully immersed in the Toyota Production System (TPS).  The author contends that companies that try to take pieces from Toyota's model will never be able to duplicate the success because they often fail to recognize the underlying principles of TPS. 

Ransom SB, Joshi M, Nash D
Chicago, Illinois: Health Administration Press; 2004

The authors compile the most current information on a wide array of quality issues, tools, and strategies. The book’s core tenet is that the key to effective improvement is patient-centered care, focusing on the needs of the patient first and foremost.

Langley GL, Nolan KM, Nolan TW, Norman CL, Provost LP
San Francisco, California, USA: Jossey-Bass Publishers; 2009

The Model for Improvement, an integrated approach to process improvement that delivers quick and substantial results in quality and productivity in diverse settings, is explored. This updated edition includes new information on accelerating improvement by spreading changes across multiple sites. A practical tool kit of ideas and examples from diverse industries, including health care, and international improvement efforts are shared.