Sunday, October 19, 2014

Can Idea Boards and Huddles Make Work Better for SHARE Members?

SHARE is interested in hearing about your experience with idea boards and huddles:

  • Does your department use an idea board and huddle regularly?
  • If so, do the idea board and huddles help make your day-to-day work experience better?
  • Do they help you and your co-workers to improve your work processes?

Come to a SHARE lunch-time information meeting about idea boards and huddles. We'll discuss what makes them work well in some departments, and not so well in others. We'll also talk about what kinds of help are available to SHARE members who want to improve their department's idea board and huddles.

The dates and times of the meetings are listed below. Come during your lunch break, and feel free to bring your lunch with you.

Monday, Oct 20         11:30am - 1:30pm          University, room S2-351
Thursday, Oct 23       11:30am - 1:30pm           WBC, Thom McCann rm 1st floor 
Friday, Oct 24             12pm - 2:00pm                CBO, 4th floor conference room 
Thursday, Oct 30        11:30am - 1:30pm          Memorial 1 conf rm, near the caf.
Monday, Nov 3           11:30am - 1pm               Hahnemann 2nd floor conf room 
Thursday, Nov 6          11:30am - 1pm               Barre Health Center         
Thursday, Nov 13        11:45am - 1:30pm         Tri River Community room 

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Clinical Engineering - Contracting Out

UMass Memorial leadership has decided to contract out the Clinical Engineering Department. There are thirteen Biomedical Technicians in the department, ten of whom are SHARE members. CEO Dr. Eric Dickson and President Patrick Muldoon met with the Techs and SHARE representatives Tuesday to announce the decision.

As you may remember, UMass Memorial had decided over a year ago to contract out the Biomed Techs' work in order to cut costs. Working together, we had persuaded the Hospital to give the department a chance to save money without contracting out. The Techs worked hard, and successfully, to find savings. Unfortunately, UMass Memorial leadership believes that it is in the best interest of the Medical Center to proceed with the contracting out..

The Biomed Techs and SHARE Organizers are continuing to talk as we evaluate our options in the wake of this decision.