Improving patient care through problem-solving groups

In a competitive healthcare environment where as much attention must be given to quality of care as to cost containment, hospitals must learn to involve their lowest-paid paraprofessionals in decision making, since often these people have as much or more contact with patients than do physicians and nurses. One effective employee-involvement technique is the problem-solving group (PSG), which works to identify, analyze, choose, and implement solutions to various problems that influence the quality of patient care. A PSG project involving a typical paraprofessional unit was begun in spring 1985 at Emory University Hospital, Atlanta. The project's developmental stages were the following: Gathering data; Identifying problems; Providing feedback; Selecting PSG members; Focusing on problems; Generating solutions; Choosing the best solution; Implementing solutions; Managing successful outcomes. The PSG project was successful in addressing almost all the 15 identified problems in the department. Involving the staff in the PSG project resulted in higher morale, greater satisfaction with management, and a more favorable attitude toward their jobs.