Sunday Science

                    'Computerized tomography' (CT scans) utilize technology that allow us to take the data collected from various X-ray images and convert them into pictures, giving us the ability to view the structures inside the human body. New CT technology is able to complete scans in the amount of time it takes for a single heartbeat to elapse (1). These types of medical advances provide us with the ability to complete more accurate scans in a minimal amount of time, while helping to eliminate flaws in the images caused by voluntary or involuntary movements (such as those that might be anticipated in pediatric or seizure patients).
                  Here's a sneak peak of the beautiful, exquisitely detailed, and completely amazing images that are captured by GE's new CT technology "Revolution CT" & Yes, this is real, photo credit  GE Healthcare.

 

For more information visit;

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/new-ct-reveals-inner-structures-body-exquisite-detail

Resource: "New CT Reveals Inner Structures of Body in Exquisite Detail." IFLScience. 12 Jan. 2015. Web. 1 June 2015.

Brené Brown on Empathy

Sunday Science

Because Science is Beautiful.

Let's talk about the power of strength-based teams

My COO recently lent me this book

Which got me thinking about how colors complement each other in the same way that people complement each other with in a team. Each team member is equally important, and brings unique attributes that contribute to the team as whole. The strongest teams are built off balance.

A team that understands themselves on an individual level- and understands their team mates can unlock their unlimited collaborative potential.

By understanding the strengths, weaknesses, and individual goals of each member, teams are able to optimize these factors and use these factors to benefit the team as a whole. Encouraging emotional awareness improves communication within teams by providing for a deeper understanding of the behaviors and actions of team mates, as well as how each individuals actions, behaviors, and emotions, impact the rest of the team. 

In an article I recently read from Gallup, the importance of building strong teams by channeling this awareness is emphasized, “Team members who understand one another's abilities not only trust one another, they can easily distinguish the areas in which their time and talents are most effectively applied from those better left in the hands of teammates.” It is clear to see how this could improve internal operations.

This type of team building process can benefit an organization not only by strengthening interpersonal relationships but, by creating an environment, or a community of individuals that share more than just a vision, but a friendship, a trust, and a sense of responsibility to each other.

Our practice is about to embark on something very exciting; implementing a change in our corporation and in our field by reconstructing our organization into Patient Centered Care Teams. The idea of this organizational structure, is that multiple people work together as a team to provide our patients with the best quality care possible. The only way we will be able to do this successfully is by continuously working to develop our employees’ strengths and improve team dynamics.

 References

Sorensen, Kathie, and Steve Crabtree. "Building a Team With Talent." Building a Team With Talent. Gallup, 17 Sept. 2001. Web. 22 May 2015. <http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/385/building-team-talent.aspx#>.

Because it's Throwback Thursday

Sunday Science

      There are more nerve cells in the human brain than there are stars in the Milky Way, over a billion in the human brain alone.

     The nervous system is pretty amazing, it allows the brain to send signals to the rest of the body; All of these billions of neurons work together to communicate these signals that allow our bodies to feel, experience, and do all of the amazing things our bodies do on a daily basis;

Fun Fact: Nerve impulses travel to and from the brain at speeds of up to 250 miles per hour, faster than a Formula 1 race car. 

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

There are days when being your best gets tough. There are days when you lose sight of what you're working for. And there are days when you just want to throw your hands in the air and walk away like you just don't care! But when you're ready to collapse to the floor, remember that you have a whole team ready to lift you back up. This next core value is what will keep you going when the road to success seems to be running uphill.

• Fostering Teamwork and Embrace the Power of Unity

The first step is to figure out your own personal strengths and desires for your career. Once you have done that, the next thing to do is to figure out how that fits in with all the other personalities that you work with. I view this process as putting a puzzle together. At first the pieces are scattered and they don't make sense. Each one has a different shape, color, and size. Individually, your piece of the puzzle is unique and has worth, but alone it does not make a picture. The image only starts coming together once you have been connected to another one. The process of putting together a puzzle is time consuming and sometimes extremely frustrating. I have seen many tables flipped during family "fun time", when grandma can't find the the right piece... But with a little time and effort, all the pieces fit together and the big picture starts to take form. 

Once you know where you fit, you have to learn how to maintain balance and harmony with your fellow coworkers. Individually, we all have strengths and weaknesses. What makes a team work is acknowledging that my strength is your weakness and vice versa. At Northwest Neurology we try to encourage developing the strengths that we have but also to gain skills by learning from others. During this process, we learn who we work best with and who our personalities clash with. There will probably be people that you can't stand and you don't want to work with, but keep in mind the end goal, and learn how to combine your strengths with theirs to get the job done. 

Now here comes the big part. The most cliche "there's no I in team" part. This is the idea that is the hardest to get past. The idea that it is not all about you. We do embrace individuality. We do accept being different. We do encourage personality. But we understand that not one part of the puzzle is more important the other. Without just one piece, the picture is not complete. It is alright to know that you have strengths and to know that you are good at what you do. You can probably do the job alone if it was necessary but the idea of teamwork and community means that you don't have to. There are many quotes for teamwork and how we build each other up to rise to the top. But those are just words. True teamwork takes a lot of personal strength, to understand what you have and what you lack and to make that work with someone else. Sometimes the ordinary things that you do become extraordinary by the people you're doing them with. 

You don't need to rush to the top by yourself to have a party of one at the end of the day. Climb up the steep hill to success with your coworkers at your side, then throw a huge rager at the end of a completed goal! 

Sunday Science

For today's Sunday science; I would like to give an honorable mention to the color blue. Found this interesting blurb on tumblr via girlinthewhitecoat, pathologist & fellow ENTJ.

http://girlinwhitecoat.tumblr.com/post/117843503530/brain-colors-cerulean-blue

I see a whole lot of blue in healthcare; this weeks food for thought, how does color impact emotions?

Leadership in Healthcare

Happy Friday Everyone!

I found this interesting video on you tube & wanted to share; Leadership in healthcare and it's role is changing rapidly. Healthcare organizations may reject these changes, try to ignore them, try to fight them, but the truth is, change is inevitable. Embrace it!

The impact of leadership is not just about the qualities it takes to be a great leader. It's not about one person dictating and delegating their ideas to others. It's not about one person of great knowledge and power expressing these attributes-that's not how change happens.

Leadership is about everyone. It's about inspiring people, inspiring ideas, inspiring collaboration and teamwork. It's about working together towards a common goal - and that is, for us, improving the quality of care. One person, a leader, may have many skills and extensive knowledge, they may be able to do many things - but one person cannot do everything; all they can do is inspire a movement, and inspire people to get involved. When many people are able to come together, implement change, and work collectively towards a revolution in the way that health care is delivered - there is no end to the potential they hold as a group.

So watch the video, and think about the leaders you have experienced in health care. Maybe you are one of them!

Is That The Best You've Got?

Recently my coworker and I have had the honor to help assemble core values and behaviors for our team at Northwest Neurology. It has been a tough task to simplify so many thoughts and ideas into just five standards that represent us as a whole. With a lot of editing, advice, and laughs, we have finally come up with the list of qualities that we strive to have. In the next couple days we will be breaking down each core vaule and explain what it really means to us.

• Continuously Strive to be Better

The idea of always working towards personal growth is one of my favorite values. I believe that before a team can work as one unit, we must have a good understanding of ourselves and our purpose. The body cannot  perform its duties if any system is not functioning to the best of its abilities. 

Once we discover what we are passionate about it is hard to do anything but follow the spark. 

It is not enough to simply show up day after day just to work and make some money. If this is how you view your career, then you are replaceable. As harsh as it may be, you are just a body, someone to fill the space. But to show up each day having a need to make a difference , to know that you have a unique set of skills that add to the bigger picture, is what truly changes lives. At Northwest Neurology we believe that every patient who comes to us with their time, money, and problems  must be treated with respect by giving them our very best efforts.

Once you have made you the choice to dedicate your life to service and make your passion a reality, it is easy to give 100% to your work. But this is where many stop. What divides good employees from great employees is the mindset that being good is not good enough. Are you content with being the best at your position or do you understand that everyday there is something new you can learn? There is always room for improvement. Always room to acquire a new skill.  Always room to go that extra mile and give 110%. 

As I said before, I believe that personal development is one of the most important things to focus on. Health care is a very competitive environment. It's easy to fall into the race to the top against your fellow employees. It does feel good when you excel in your field, but does it really matter if you're the best? You have to keep in mind that a team functions as the human body does, no part is more important than the other. Instead of competing and challenging against others strengths, we try to compete and challenge our own strengths. Working as a team means to build others up, to inspire them to be better and to do the same. Personally, I try every day to be a better version of myself. To ask myself what I did that was good and learn how to be better at it. Then ask what I did that could be improved and grow from it. I don't ask if I am the best medical assistant at my practice, but if I am the best Emily that I can be.

In health care , patients trust us with their issues, secrets, and most vulnerable moments. It is our duty to provide them with the best care that you can possibly give. Do not accept being average. Do not accept being good enough. Do not accept being the best. Every day humble yourself and know that there is always room to grow. There is always an extra mile to go. Always a patient that wants you on their team. So put your game face on and give the best you've got.

Walk MS 2015

So proud of my co-workers for forming "Team NEURO" and representing our practice and supporting our patients at the Lake in the Hills Walk for MS this weekend! It was a perfect day for the walk-we could not have asked for better weather! Our team did an amazing job and way exceeded our goal of $1,000 and our final count was $2,235 dollars raised for the National MS society.

MS is an unpredictable and often disabling disease in which the body has an abnormal autoimmune response that targets the lining of the central nervous system and disrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body. The cause and cure for MS are still unknown but through events such as the one we participated in, raising awareness, and continued research we can help get one step closer to the cure!

It was really a great weekend to get together with my team and support this great cause!

 

For more information about MS or about how you can get involved visit;

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/