BETTER TOGETHER

SJMC makes it a point to seek the opinion of its staff in improving the hospital.

As chief executive officer Trish Hogan shares, there are aspects of which management may not have previously considered and thus, suggestions from staff are welcome.

Among the initiatives undertaken is the Process Improvement Project, whereby staff presented their ideas in front of healthcare experts and the hospital’s corporate office senior staff.

The Lean Project, on the other hand, involved the nursing departments looking into eliminating waste from their internal processes and products to strive for a more sustainable environment for the planet.

From July to September last year, 27 Lean Projects were carried out, incurring a total gain of up to RM142,000.

Hogan shares that the employee suggestion programme is another initiative that has yielded positive results, providing the example of its staff motorbike parking lot.

“Our motorbike parking, while in a reserved area, was out in the open. One employee said that if the weather was really hot, their seats got hot and that’s going to distract them from the road when riding. And if it rained, it got wet.

“It is not something that the management would think about, so we were very grateful for the staff suggestion and worked to get that issue fixed and built them a lovely shelter for their bikes.”

Hogan notes that such initiatives, along with recognition programmes and providing new uniforms, work well in ensuring the hospital is always on the front foot when it comes to safety, comfort and care.