Hospital productivity: how to KILL or create a productive hospital environment.

Productivity is NOT the same as quality. Productivity is about the value-add we bring to work, to each job, to each day. To create a productive hospital environment, it is so much more than buying the right equipment or hiring the right mix of people. Productivity comes from investing in our people and giving them the tools and authority to do their jobs effectively. Adding more "quality programmes" can actually kill productivity by taking people away from their core jobs. Adding a tick-list in the operating theatre can cut mortality rates in half by eliminating the smallest of mistakes. This article is a guide to help you focus on the key elements of productivity and not to get distracted by the hype and confusion from media. Its bottom-line focus and "how-to" tools and ideas make it useful and practical.