Worker Wins Support for Life-Altering Test

An electro-neurodiagnostic technologist and a doctor team up to bring state-of-the-art technology for monitoring epilepsy patients to their clinic. The new ambulatory EEG administers tests with a camera, allowing the physician reading the results to see the patient in real time and correlate the brain activity to the physical movements of the patient. Being able to conduct the test in the patient’s own environment avoids a potentially stressful and expensive hospital stay. This story illustrates that when frontline workers are empowered to speak up with new ideas, they can truly change patients’ lives.

Here's What Worked

• Cultivating a culture of partnership and freedom to speak up with new ideas
• Enlisting a physician champion to approach the regional medical director
• Researching the new technology, including its money-saving potential 

What can your team do to identify the barriers that stop employees from speaking up? What else could your team do to encourage everyone to share ideas, suggestions and concerns?