Captain Sully Sullenberger - A National Hero and Safety Expert

We had the pleasure of interviewing Captain Sully Sullenberger in Livermore, CA this week. He is, of course, famous for his landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan, New York City, on January 15, 2009, saving the lives of all 155 people on the aircraft. But, he's also an accomplished safety expert and leadership guru. He shared his insights on building an NTSB for healthcare, and learning from the tragedies of medical error to prevent further harm in the future. We would like to extend a special thanks to Rich Perkins and his staff at Attitude Aviation for hosting us in their hanger. We were kids in a candy store among their great collection of planes and jets. 

World-Class Radiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital

We recently had the pleasure of filming with the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Surfing the Healthcare Tsunami: Bring Your Best Board^™ will have a strong focus on radiology and radiation safety for both patients and professional caregivers. Brigham was the place to go for top-notch radiation safety and state-of-the art technology. Interviews with Dr. Steven Seltzer, Dr. David Bates, Carol Keohane, and Dr. Eyal Zimlichman revealed the importance of finding the intersection of safe practices, technology, and leadership. The culmination of dedication to patient safety and quality care was exemplified in staff such as Chief Technologist Chuck Mauceri; Chief Technologist Jolene Fantony; Lead Nuclear Medicine Technologist Melissa Marshall; Marianne Weiler, Lead Radiation Therapist; and many more. Our media liaison and guide, Bryan Murphy, even got in on the action, posing as a patient in one of our shoots.

   

Hill Country Memorial Hospital: Insights from the TMIT Team

Gordon Sauer, Hill Country Memorial Board of Directors

TMIT Web Developer Ben Padula attended the Hill Country Memorial Hospital meeting we filmed for our Discovery Channel documentary, Surfing the Healthcare Tsunami: Bring Your Best Board^™. He was inspired by the meeting and had the following summary:

“Hill Country Memorial Hospital and foundation board chairs 'get it.' It was amazing to see Gordon Sauer and Frosty Rees share their thoughts so openly and transparently. With leadership like that behind the scenes, the HCM leadership team must have all the confidence in the world! That was special to see.

"Another great takeaway from the meeting was that everyone’s opinion is valuable and important. I thought it was fascinating how Bob Chapman, the CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, said that these principles they now teach did not come from a book! They came from asking the people on the front lines of their companies. These principles are not rocket surgery; they only require some respectful listening. Bob demonstrated how he truly values the thoughts of every person by insisting that we each share our thoughts at ­length to start the afternoon session. This level of respect really touched me.”

Laura Slayton is the Director of Social Media and Program Development for TMIT. She had the following reaction to the Hill Country Memorial and Barry-Wehmiller meeting:

“I was most moved by two poignant lessons that day. Bob Chapman eloquently shared his notion that all of the people who work in his industry are to be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace. They are all, after all, someone's children, regardless of their age, level in the organizational chart, educational background, or professional title. Bob Chapman takes the responsibility very seriously and it was evident in his words that he shared with our group. This same notion was echoed in Mike Williams’ presentation, in which he articulated the importance of finding and celebrating the opportunity to use our 'authentic swing.' He, too, illustrated the critical importance of people finding their gifts and putting them to use on the job, regardless of industry. Ultimately, we all want all of our days to count, to have the energy to greet the day, and to feel that there are countless possibilities to use our talent and our own 'authentic swing' to make the world a better place in the work that we do each day. Bob Chapman reminded us that we are all somebody’s children and our workplace can hurt, or hold up in high esteem, the 'children' who walk through those double doors each and every day they come to work. I thank him for that amazing viewpoint and reminder.”

Bob Chapman, CEO Barry-Wehmiller Companies

Hill Country Memorial Hospital: “When the little guy doesn’t know he’s a little guy, he can do great big things.”

Dr. Charles Denham addresses Hill Country Memorial Hospital

This quote from the movie Seabiscuit exemplifies Hill Country Memorial Hospital in Fredericksburg, Texas. Although it’s a small rural hospital of 88 beds, it ranks in the top 8% of U.S. hospitals.* We filmed a collaboration between Hill Country Memorial and Barry-Wehmiller as it unfolded. After an amazing, inspiring day, Hill Country Memorial leaders stepped up on its unending improvement journey and declared that it would embrace Bob Chapman’s L3 model to enhance its patient care even further and fulfill its mission to the community.

Low-Dose Radiation Achieves Safe, 3-D Images

Dr. Jean-Louis Sablayrolles, Chief of MR and CT Imaging at the Centre Cardiologique du Nord in Saint-Denis, France, demonstrates the amazing quality of the 3-D images generated with low dose scanners. The topic of radiation dose was even in one of France's main magazines the week before the interview, and Dr. Sablayrolles addresses the concerns from the article.

Healthcare staff and their patients are both protected from radiation through various measures in this facility in Buc, France. Dr. Francois Funck shares some of the methods his team uses at the Hôpital René Dubos in Pontoise, France.

Dr. Bernard Songy: New Technology Reduces Dose and Increases Quality

New technology used at the Centre Cardiologique du Nord in Saint-Denis, France, is 10 times more effective than conventional imaging methods, but with a significantly reduced dose of radiation. Dr. Charles Denham and Dr. Bernard Songy discuss the benefits of this technology during an interview in Saint-Denis, France.