The University of St.

Thomas Center for International Studies Global Health (4370) August 31, 2011

COMMUNITY AS A BASIS
FOR HUMAN ORGANIZATION
Presenter:

Elizabeth A. Smith, Ph.D.

Community Medical Foundation for Patient Safety

Founder

COMMUNITY MEDICAL FOUNDATION FOR PATIENT SAFETY

Established in 2003, registered in Texas 2004 Philosophy based on leadership and the Community
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of Competence

A leader in research and educational programs on

patient safety and healthcare quality

Goals strongly support humanistic, patient-centered

healthcare system and inclusion of the patients and families in all aspect of health care

COMMUNITY MEDICAL FOUNDATION FOR PATIENT SAFETY

Get Rid of Unused Pharmaceuticals (GROUP) Campaign

The National Unused and Expired Medicines Registry The National Directory of Drug Take-Back Programs Share Our Stories (SOS) Patient Safety Reporting Syst. Study of medical misdiagnosis (concussion in sports and military) Evaluation of medical devices
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Trauma registry for the military (JTTR)

Patient Safety Checklists and My Medical Journal The Dictionary of Patient Safety The National Patient Safety Community
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COMMUNITY MEDICAL FOUNDATION FOR PATIENT SAFETY

Community

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WHAT are they? WHY do we need them? WHO lives in them? WHERE are they? HOW do they operate?
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THEORY UNDERLYING COMMUNITY MASLOWS HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

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SELFACTUALIZATION ESTEEM SOCIAL SAFETY PHYSIOLOGICAL

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COMPETENCE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR MODERN COMMUNITIES

WHAT is competence? WHY do you need to be competent? WHO is competent? WHERE do these competent people work
and live? HOW do people work at a competent level?

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COMMUNITIES OF COMPETENCE (COM.COM)

Not just any group, committee, or coalition...but a true community of individuals based on knowledge, skills, expertise, experience, motivation, and competency
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THEORY UNDERLYING COM.COM

DRIVING FORCES FOR ORGANIZATIONS
Globalizationcultural diversity, politics, distance,
continuous production, communication, etc.
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Complexity of work itselfnumerous disciplines, Organizations are becoming flatter, virtual and
boundaryless1

experience levels, e-work, growing number of products and services

Turbulent external environment--limited resources Challenges in behaving, learning, adapting, and surviving
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OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF COM.COM

A new framework to first visualize what type of group
exists and what type of group should be created to do a specific task or job
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A methodology to describe, assess, and combine separate

strengths and core competencies of individuals, groups, and organizations into a meaningful, goal-oriented whole

A team of highly skilled, specialized people with proven

competencies

A flexible, learning organization A network of organizations or systems

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RESPONSIBILITIES OF COM.COM MEMBERS

Do specific tasks or jobs for which they are qualified or
competent

Engage in continual learning and improving skills Are intensely focused, problem-driven, and knowledge
rich

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Work together cooperatively and recognize expertise of

their members and of other individuals

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RESPONSIBILITIES OF COM.COM MEMBERS

Members know the importance of open communication
and sharing of lessons learned
expertise

Rotate leadership based on unique competencies and

sense and information sharing

Make maximum use of tacit knowledge based on common Communicate openly and share skills, abilities,
knowledge, and unique expertise

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ADVANTAGES OF COM.COM
Members are selected for their competencies, or members
may volunteer

Solve problems quickly as members are focused, goaldriven, and cohesive by the task itself

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Members are totally dedicated to the task and motivated Members can move on to other communities where their
talents are needed

Members know the importance of open communication

and sharing lessons learned
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ADVANTAGES OF COM.COM
Members use their unique tacit knowledge that is often
based on common sense and experience

Members desire to be in a community and have their Build communities based on trust, creativity, and new
knowledge

organizations recognize & make better use of their overall talents and potential

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ADVANTAGES OF COM.COM
Support and reinforce change management or
demonstrate how to move from where we are to where we want to be
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Build communities to create synergy within groups and

among groups of the organization and routine operations

Ultimately, change and improve the organizational culture

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WHY USE COM.COM

More than a network group (who) and provide answers to: How (use systems thinking) Why clear focus on one problem Where roles and responsibilities are clearly defined in
the procedures manual

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Community of Competence for Healthcare

Nurses Others Oslerians Educators

Culture

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Engineers

PATIENT
Interns Volunteers

Env. Sc.
Info Sc. Ethicists

Partners

Environment

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COM.COM AS RESEARCH FRAMEWORK FOR THE NATIONAL UNUSED & EXPIRED MEDICINES PROJECT

Use framework and test methods of C0m.Com empirically Develop, implement, and evaluate models to safely and legally collect and destroy consumers UEMs from homes Develop data repository to systematically characterize and report regional and national trends Expand UEM project into a national system

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Generalized Model Based on Community of Competence for National UEM Project

Environmental Protection Drug/Law Enforcement
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Medical Practice

Patient Safety

Patients/ Consumers

Safety Public Safety and Policy and Policy

Academia and Research Drug Manufacturers

Consumer Protection
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My Community
Culture

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ME

Environment

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5 Minute Break Before In-class Participatory Exercise on Work, Competencies, and Ideal Job

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