What is Gold Standard Management?
American healthcare is now rapidly embracing gold standard, evidence-based approaches, with physicians and nurses adopting these concepts widely. This movement includes not only the science of medicine but how the enterprise itself is managed. Indeed, best practices in medicine and clinical care delivery can only be delivered if supported by best practices in management.
An "inconvenient truth" is that the root cause of any organization's inability to perform is how it is managed. Managerial malpractice is at the heart of all management failure, and nowhere is that more crucial to remedy than in healthcare delivery. The evidence abundantly shows that most of an organization's performance shortfalls can be fixed simply by changing the management approach. The prescription for poor performance is simple: either change managers, or change how they manage. It is not enough that managers are "working hard" or have a "positive attitude"—they must also know what to do and how to get results. Otherwise we are falling into the trap of what Deming called "the fallacy of best efforts."
Gold Standard Management Defined
- Based on studies of What Really Works, GSM includes, but is not limited to, the concepts of evidence-based management (Go Here for the Wikipedia definition of EBM)
- Under this approach management is insistent that best practices be applied housewide in every department, no spotty application of the knowledge base of technical specialties
- Management partners with Gold Standard Medicine and the standardization of clinical protocols — see movie visualization
- Sets stretch goals, tough measures, defines management accountabilities
- Does not accept notion that organization problems are caused by a difficult operating environment
- Removes areas of managerial malpractice and professionalizes management
- Is distinctive for its Edge, Execution and Energy
Gold Standard Management is an encompassing and eclectic term that includes all approaches found to contribute to results. It includes such current terms as evidence-based management, perfection management, and reengineering, but rejects as too narrow the view that any school of thought has all the answers. The focus of this approach produces high performance organizations and the achievement of top-of-industry outcomes. “What really works?” is the watchword. The term was coined originally as a complement to the concepts of Gold Standard Medicine, and is now being used more widely.
GSM Addresses Current Problems in Hospital Management
- Managerial malpractice — in actual practice leaders do not meet the criteria of a true profession (Is Management a Profession?)
- Organization failure usually caused by inappropriate management (Managing Our Way to Decline)
- Management approach change needed due to organization growth stage (Evolution and Revolution as Organizations Grow)
This site details management approaches that can be reliably used to create substantial improvement in the functioning of hospitals and health systems. The profile of winning healthcare organizations, largely unknown 20 years ago, has now been tested in a variety of hospital organization development efforts. That successful model can be replicated in any organization by its management team if they have a plan and the commitment. This site provides a suggested plan and many resources, the rest is up to you.
Dictionary Definitions
gold standard, n: a model of excellence; a paragon; best one; a method or procedure widely recognised as the best available.
management, n: skill in managing; executive ability; results leadership; taking care, charge, command; providing direction, enthusiasm, exactness, prudence, vigilance.