Cultural

Lean Health Care and Culture Change

No longer can health care organizations continue to provide services without changing the method of care delivery. There are so many processes involved in the delivery of care that many organizations do not know where to begin. Often when they do begin to implement a lean philosophy the focus is on the short-term project goals and not the long-term culture change.

Culture change education and management along with implementing lean processes leads to project success and long-term permanent savings. That’s a mouthful to say and a great deal to manage. Most lean projects lead to successful completion, but work culture tends to slip back to old habits after the focus is moved elsewhere in the organization. The savings slowly erode back to pre-project levels or in some cases new issues develop that create additional costs.

Therefore, it is important to facilitate a change management plan to accompany any lean process improvement project. While lean projects have a definitive start and end implementation date change management is on going. Change management education doesn’t have to be painful to be effective it needs consistency. Consistency may mean weekly, monthly, or quarterly facilitation sessions depending upon the complexity of the change and how many levels of the organization that are impacted. In other cases, it may mean daily reminders prior to beginning the workday to focus on the benefits of effective change.

Please remember when you are asked to participate in a lean health care project (or any lean project) to be aware of the impact on the organizations culture. If the project requires culture to change, be sure to recommend a change management plan. The executive sponsor will be thankful you asked as will the patients that your organization serves. Good luck!

Camping

What is Better Than Camping? Luxury Camping

For those who enjoy the amazing outdoors but are new to all of the gadgets associated with camping trips, luxury camping, rather than traditional camping, may be a fantastic introduction to the outdoor world. While traditional camping forces outdoor seekers to buy, use, and pack their own supplies, such as sleeping bags, food, cooking tools and utensils, tents, blankets, and hiking gear, luxury camping enables campers to show up at a camping resort worry-free because one does not need to purchase or haul anything but clothing and personal care items. Luxury resorts will provide every item and tool needed for any outdoor excursion, should you choose to do so. If not, you can just sit back and relax outside in your luxury tent that’s equipped with a queen size bed.

Some luxury resorts even teach new campers how to perform many camping tasks, such as building a decent fire, how to put together a great tent, how to pack essential items for an outdoor excursion, and how to effectively use tools for camping. However, if nature is not quite what one expects, luxury camping resorts may offer luxury amenities to guests. Many camping resorts provide swimming pools, fitness centers, games for kids, planned activities for adults, spas, and fine restaurants. Some luxury camping spots even offer camping themes. For example, you could have a safari theme in which you would sleep below the stars below pecan trees in a safari tent. Some camping resorts also offer outdoor winter sports as a part of their price package, where guests are supplied with snow shoes and other equipment such as snow boards or skis to enjoy winter-time activities.

All luxury camping resort charges different prices for a several night stay. Like anything else, the price will match the quality of service as some luxury resorts can compare to a four-star hotel. So if roughing it outdoors isn’t your thing, but you still want to experience the fun and adventure of nature, then a stay at a nice luxury resort might be perfect for your next family vacation.

Destinations

The Perfect Portugal Holidays – Find Out Why This is One of the Most Unique Tourist Destinations!

Portugal is often seen as one of the most historic and oldest countries within Western Europe. Adorned with breath taking historical churches, magnificent castles, and brilliant monuments, these are just a few of the things which will literally help mould your perfect Portugal Holidays. Of course, one of the best things about choosing Portugal for your holidays is that they also are equally equipped with an expansive array of technological and architectural advances, which makes Portugal one of the most unique tourist destinations. Read on to find out more details about your perfect Portugal holidays…

Culture and architecture

This is by far one of the most attractive things about Portugal, because they have quite a developed culture full of vibrant regional traditions which also are a part of the various architectural differences you will notice when moving from one region to the next. If you are really adventurous, then you can try staying in a holiday villa, where you will be able to have a first hand experience of both the culture and architecture.

Climate

The climate of Portugal is also one of the main reasons why it has become a popular destination over the years. The capital city, Lisbon, generally has a warm climate with a very sunny and warm spring and summer, with an average temperature of about 30ºC. But, winters are often windy and wet, with an average of around 10ºC. However, the general climate for most of Portugal is neither too hot nor too cold, but rather just perfect.

Musical Experience

This is one of the most unique aspects of your Portugal holidays, because the live musical experience can literally add a ton of fun and spice to your vacation. As with any nation, music is definitely a huge part of their culture, however Lisbon especially has one of the most brilliant musical forms, known as the melancholic fado. The best way to experience the music is through Lisbon, where you can find various fado clubs around the Bairro Alto and Alfama neighborhoods.

Wine tasting

Naturally, Portugal is renowned for it’s Port wine, but also for the various light wines which often use a variety of indigenous grapes. You can find a huge array of wines as well as vineyards across the country. This can be one of the most luxurious parts of your Portugal holidays, and the best place to go for this is Oporto, as they are famous for port wine.

Coastline

Almost every perfect vacation includes a breath taking view of the ocean, and Portugal most definitely delivers there. With the Atlantic ocean bordering the south and west, the coastlines of Portugal are famously known to be glamorous. If you are more active and want to pursue a more adventurous holiday, then you can try various water sports on Portugal’s coastline. If you love the water, you may want to find an excellent beach holiday where you can swim, snorkel, water skii and even windsurf. You may also want to try diving or if you enjoy fishing as a sport, Algarve is popular for big-game fishing.

In the end, Portugal is a perfect tourist destination because it literally houses such a variety of breathtaking experiences in one. You can relax on the beach, tour the ancient architectural master pieces, or simply take in the sounds, smells, tastes, and sights of the culture and beautiful landscapes.