The document describes several ideas implemented by different teams at UMass Memorial Medical Group to improve processes and patient experience. 1. The Community Medical Group created an inventory list and sign-out sheet for medicine samples to better track supplies and avoid prescription mix-ups. 2. The Clinical Integration office started providing "Idea Form Pads" at meetings so new ideas could be written down in real time to increase the number of ideas submitted. 3. The Endoscopy department implemented a process to notify patients of potential delays so they do not have to wait as long in the waiting room.

1. SHOWCASE IDEA – UMass Memorial Medical Group
Title: Medicine cabinet- overloaded/expired/
unable to track inventory.
Dept. & Team:
Carrie Harris
Community Medical Group
Problem:
Sometimes unable to keep up with the
inventory and dispose properly of all the
expired medicine.
Idea:
Create efficient system for an inventory list so
there are no mix-ups with prescriptions.
Implemented Idea:
1. Only take sample that we most use for the
patients
2. Create an inventory list and have a sign out sheet
3. Prescriptions that requires to be printed and sign
by a Provider
Results
At times Providers will print prescriptions at the end
of the day including Fridays and patients will have to
wait for their refills until signatures are done.
The Nurse will print them in advance and collect the
signature before they leave for the day.
Thank you for helping us become the Best Place to Give Care and the Best Place to
Get Care!

2. SHOWCASE IDEA – Clinical Integration
Title: Idea Generation Dept. & Team: Office of Clinical Integration:
Pat Ramos, Francis Wanjau, Chris Cernak, Lori
Covotta, Naomi Christenson, Tricia Kelly & Rosca
Bosompem
Problem:
Team members think of new ideas during meetings and
discussions, but some of the ideas do not make it onto the
Idea Board.
Why:
Multiple topics during discussions and meetings, tight
schedules and normal day-to-day responsibilities bring other
priorities ahead of remembering the new idea.
Implemented Idea:
“Idea Form Pads" are readily available
during meetings now. When team members
think of new ideas during discussions , we
can write down the idea and information
and either bring the idea up at the same
meeting, if appropriate, or submit it to our
Idea Board caretaker after the meeting.
Results
•Notable increase in submitted ideas.
•Increased benefits to staff from these
ideas.
• Lean efficiencies resulting in increased
satisfaction of our staff and those with
whom we interact inside and outside of
UMass.
Thank you for helping us become the Best Place to Give Care and the Best Place to
Get Care!
Idea:
Always have Idea
Pads on meeting
tables so that staff
can jot down new
ideas in real time

3. SHOWCASE IDEA – Community Medical Group
Title: Avoiding Overtime with Nursing staff and
Medical Secretaries
Dept. & Team:
Cheryl Townsend- UMass Memorial
Problem:
Patients may call near the 5pm closing time
which ends up being OT for either the nursing
staff or the medical secretaries. The phones
have been rolled to the service at 5pm but this
has continued to be an issue related to OT or
staff coming in late the following morning
Idea:
Create process so calls are not missed, but also
so Nursing staff and Medical secretaries do not
go into OT.
Implemented Idea:
1. All phones start rolling to the service at
4:30
2. The providers agreed to be “on-call” starting
at 4:30
Results
1. Allows the nursing staff to clear up loose ends
2. Allows medical secretaries to finalize cash for the
day (able to swipe out in a timely manner)
Thank you for helping us become the Best Place to Give Care and the Best Place to
Get Care!

4. SHOWCASE IDEA – Endoscopy
Title: Procedures running late
Dept. & Team:
Endoscopy
Lynne Scricco
Problem:
Patients may wait a significant time for their
appointment.
Idea:
Create a system or process that informs
patients of their upcoming appointments time
status.
Implemented Idea:
We have implemented a process that alerts patients
that a particular physician is running late.
The resource nurse informs the secretary to notify
patients who have not yet arrived, that the physician
is running late and give them the option to leave
their house a little later.
Results
Patients appreciate the call and are more
comfortable waiting at their houses as opposed to
the waiting room
Thank you for helping us become the Best Place to Give Care and the Best Place to
Get Care!

5. SHOWCASE IDEA – South 3
Title: Headwalls of South 3
Dept. & Team:
South 3 and Facilities
Geoff Slowman, Stacey Kulma and Richard Benoit
Problem:
The headwalls of South 3 would get
ruined shortly after being painted. It
was an eyesore to patients and
families, expensive to fix and
demoralizing for staff. Identified by
Stacy Kulma
Idea:
Facilities and Nursing work together
to find an inexpensive way to stop the
problem
Implemented Idea:
Using frame offsets sourced from
University campus.
Richard Benoit sourced and installed the
offsets on the South 3 beds.
Results
Very inexpensive solution yet the benefits
will be saving thousands of dollars every
year
Thank you for helping us become the Best Place to Give Care and the Best Place to
Get Care!
BEFORE
AFTER

6. Thank you for helping us become the Best Place to Give Care and the Best Place to
Get Care!
Would you like to showcase an idea from
your team’s Idea System?
E-mail Lauren Russell at
Lauren.Russell@umassmemorial.org