Prescription for Excellence by Joseph A. Michelli

Author:Joseph A. Michelli
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McGraw Hill LLC
Published: 2011-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS

Unless you are an advanced scientist, a highly specialized treatment provider, or a healthcare administrator, it is difficult for you to appreciate the state-of-the-art technology that is available at UCLA, some of which has been created by scientists at UCLA (more on this in Chapter 8), much of which has been purchased at great expense, and still other components that are available only to “the best of he best.” Dr. Edward R. B. McCabe, former physician-in-chief, Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA, points out, “Given that we are the largest solid organ transplant program for children and adults, meaning hearts, lungs, livers, liver/small bowel, and everything but bone marrow transplantation, we are given access to the latest technologies and immunosuppressive molecules from the drug companies. Those cutting-edge products enable us to provide outcomes that are better than most, and for some organs better than anyone else. We gain access to the most innovative technology, in part, because of the volume of patients we treat in those areas and because of the quality of the outcomes that we traditionally achieve.” Dr. McCabe’s point demonstrates the symbiosis between technology and quality. Advanced technology without competent talent to fully deploy it is a misspent resource. On the other hand, having talented people without cutting-edge technology denies these people the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. Clearly, the leadership at UCLA has the task of securing technology that attracts and retains the best talent. In turn, that talent creates and attracts technology that allows UCLA to be the “best today and better tomorrow.”

As an example of this synergy between human talent and technology, renowned UCLA brain surgeon Dr. Nestor Gonzalez highlights the advantages that patients derive from UCLA’s advanced surgical suites. “The spaciousness of the design accommodates our large teams of specialists and our absolutely modern equipment, things like highly advanced microscopes and endoscopes. I would not be able to resect a malformation in such delicate places without these visual tools. My surgeries involve more than my hands. They require my eyes being aided by very powerful instruments. In addition, our operating rooms have a very special way to engage the entire team, even those who can’t necessarily look into a microscope during the procedure. To achieve their involvement, we have large screens upon which everyone can see what I’m doing. I think those screens are important because they allow everyone to participate in and understand what is going on. The nurses are engaged in my process, even if they don’t participate in all the technical aspects of the surgery. Finally, if I need anything in the way of equipment and instruments, they are available for me. When you have the best talent equipped with the best technology, you have extraordinary surgical outcomes.” Often quality reflects a leader’s investment in finding extraordinary talent and providing that talent with technology that enables those talented people to collaborate with their peers and grow their abilities further.

Dr. Gerald Levey, who served as vice chancellor, Medical Sciences,

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