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Trident's Blog is now co-located at our website.  We've made some updates, so check us out!

WE'VE MOVED!

The Trident Health Resources, Inc. Blog is now located as a link at www.tridenthealth.com

See you there!

Your Friends at Trident

Happy Birthday Trident!

A Note to Trident Employees

National Perfusionist Week

Link to Trident's MAY Heartbeat Newsletter: HERE

On Principles of Exceptionalism:  

A 2012 Tribute -

National Perfusionist Appreciation Week  

By Ralph E. Jordan, Founder & CEO

Trident Health Resources, Inc.   

The second week of May marks National Perfusionist Appreciation Week, which prompted me to write about exceptionalism.

The term "exceptionalism" has strong roots in American culture - perhaps most notably in the context of the Reagan-Era. The term means, the condition of being different (better) from the  norm.

When we think about the current state of our country, our culture, the business of healthcare, and the struggle of families and individuals getting by in the world, it's reasonable that in these challenging times there are so many reasons for pessimism. But it's also a time when we are eager to embrace excellence - a time we are drawn to things optimistic. It is easy to observe our surroundings and "call it out" with strong opinion... "what's working well or what's not". Among the philosophical debates toward global solutions, there are fledging sparks of hope everywhere in our society. And in the traditions throughout history, the striving for excellence and exceptionalism always seems to win out.

Many of you know from my earlier editorials that I espouse strong conviction in principles of freedom, strong leadership, and I have a disdain for mediocrity. My own experiences have taught me that in order to gain the best work from people is to believe in them, give them room to grow, and lead in a style that promotes self-governance. Within Trident's mission statement there are two points among many that our organization firmly upholds related to this:

 1. We recognize our personnel as our most important asset.

 2. We will work with all employees to assist them with their professional and personal growth.

The outcome of Trident's mission and philosophy has served us with tremendous positive effect.  Specifically, in the work that Trident's perfusionists perform, they represent exceptionalism which is strongly exhibited in their work ethic, superior clinical expertise, and the feedback we receive from our clients that tell us the patient DOES come first - it's a tenet that's a common thread among all our people.  Those aren't just "words" - they are "deeds".

We LISTEN to the front line to keep a pulse on our industry, to learn the latest movement in perfusion technology, to constantly improve our clinical data collection and analyze our performance. We empower our perfusionists to be their personal best - and in return, they reward Trident with it's good name in this community, and it's nearly quarter of a century in business.

We are inspired to publicly support our very fine team of perfusionists... and not just Trident perfusionists, but ALL perfusionists who serve selflessly each and every day.

We recognize National Perfusionist Appreciation Week. And WE APPRECIATE YOU! Thank you for all you do!

Excerpt from Trident's April Edition of The Heartbeat Newsletter!

In Search of Cost Savings:

Thoughts on Blood Management

 

By Ralph E. Jordan, Founder & CEO

Trident Health Resources, Inc.

  

From time to time I've written about the perfusion marketplace and the companies which compete withTrident Health Resources, Inc. There are many good companies out there  which can place a perfusionist behind the pump when a hospital needs coverage.  It's one of the services they may provide, perhaps among many different services offered.  At Trident, however, we specialize singularly in perfusion and with that, our efforts in the operating room expand beyond "putting someone behind the pump".  One of things I wanted to write about today is on the topic of blood management and its increasing importance in open heart surgery, especially for Trident.  

Read more!  Click here!

March

New Perfusionists - 

The Millennials

(Generation Y)

TRIDENT HEALTH RESOURCES, INC.

2012 Survey Results

 

READ TRIDENT'S MARCH NEWSLETTER

THE HEARTBEAT

Today's Message....

February Issue of THE HEARTBEAT Now Available!

Link to The Latest Issue

Trident Gets Joint Commission Certification

TRIDENT HEALTH RESOURCES, INC.

Attains Joint Commission 

Gold Seal of Approval™designation
as a Health Care
Staffing Services Firm

Link to Press Release

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM TRIDENT

New Year Edition of THE HEARTBEAT is now available!  Here's a sneak preview:

 2012: Looking Ahead.
The Future of Perfusion &
A Company's Legacy  

By Ralph E. Jordan, Founder & CEO

Trident Health Resources, Inc.

    

When the calendar page turns and a New Year is here, most of us tend to be reflective on the past - from whence we came, where we are today - to exploring where we hope to be.  How many of us have similar stories of purchasing a stationary bike or treadmill to kick off a new healthy new year of improved diet and exercise?  In many cases, by March the equipment is moved to a room's corner where it ends up serving as a clothes hanger, despite the good intention.  It is the nature of human behavior in all of us to seek immediate gratification and we tend to become impatient with the required hard work and length of time it takes to achieve goals.  READ MORE HERE

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

From The Trident Family to Yours - 

Wishing You a Joyous Season

During this Holiday Season, I wanted to take a moment to thank our talented group of employees...

To Trident's Managers, Perfusionists, and Administrative Team Members ~


Thank you for the work you do to make our company great. You help us provide outstanding services to our client accounts.  Your giving attitude is aligned with our patient-first philosophy. Without your commitment, creativity, clinical expertise, and high standards, we would not be the thriving company we are. I am very grateful for your efforts.  


I wish you very happy holidays and a fine new year filled with abundance and bright moments.


Warm wishes,


Ralph E. Jordan
CEO/Founder
Trident Health Resources, Inc.

December Issue of The Heartbeat

Holiday Traditions - 

Bygones of Olden Days?

Why Change May

Be Good for Us All

By Ralph E. Jordan, Founder & CEO

Trident Health Resources, Inc.

     I read an article in the most recent issue of Spirit Magazine (Southwest Airlines) which was written by Actor Carey Grant's daughter, Jennifer.  In memoir-style, she gave a delightful account of the Grant family holiday traditions and her concept of family.  One of the themes of the article is that family dynamics change over the years due to loss of loved ones, divorce, remarriages, and children.  This is certainly true for all families.  There's an amusing account in the article of how Grant's daughter transformed the traditional Thanksgiving meal in her family from turkey to Peking Duck as the main course when her stepmother joined the family and wanted to cook something special for the then-12-year-old Jennifer.  And that tradition stuck all these years.

As we are now in full force of the holiday season (witnessed by all the commercialism and a certain favorable mood for social gatherings)... we can see that some things remain evermore standing traditions and others are changing.  Sending Christmas cards is one tradition being gradually replaced by E-cards.  Santa's gifts now come from online ordering, delivered on a brown truck instead of a sleigh.  Some families have their holiday meals prepared and picked up at Honey Baked Ham instead of hours of cooking in the oven.  And the guest list for family holidays more likely is expanded to include friends, not just blood relatives.

Change is good, but it's sometimes hard because we are creatures of habit who take comfort in a certain sameness.  Not only is this true within the family structure, but also in business and our work life.  I digress to the point of this editorial...

READ MORE OF THIS HOLIDAY ARTICLE... Trident's December Edition of The Heartbeat CLICK HERE

A Happy, Wonderful Thanksgiving 2011

Reports, emails, meetings, last minute emergencies.. As we scramble at our workplace these ensuing days before Thanksgiving, soon enough all America will gather around the Thanksgiving table among family and friends.  It is then I hope each of you will breathe easier, relax a little, and appreciate the love that surrounds you.  May you find joy and happiness this year among your loved ones.  May you be blessed with a bountiful table of food and some well-earned rest.  Perhaps a parade or football game and a big comfy couch.

To all of Trident’s employees, clients, vendors and friends… Thank you for being part of the finest perfusion company ever...for allowing us to serve you both on a long term basis and on a locums basis...for assisting us...and for being there in good times and in times that are challenging...  Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

During this time of Thanksgiving please pray for our great nation , it's leaders and for our brave men and women who are so gallantly and unselfishly protecting our freedoms.  May those in harms way come home to America...soon and  safe and sound.

On a lighter side and in the spirit of family with all its  diversity of talent and good intentions we have included with this message a video that depicts a family enjoying time together at Thanksgiving

Best,

Ralph E. Jordan

Founder / CEO
Trident Health Resources, Inc.

We Remember

Our veterans will never forget what they've done for our country…

Neither will we.

Veterans Day 2011

11-11-11

November HEARTBEAT Edition is Online Now

THE LEAN SIX SIGMA

PERFUSIONIST TEAM...

Optimizing Open Heart

Operating Rooms

One Hospital at a Time

By Ralph E. Jordan, Founder & CEO

Trident Health Resources, Inc.

What's Lean Six Sigma? It's a long-term business approach to planning and controls to improve productivity and reduce waste - and it combines a great many techniques.

What's old is new again. The management strategies that transformed the manufacturing industry in the 1980s and the total quality management principles that flooded MBA degree programs at business schools through the 90s... all come back now with new fangled spins relevant to 2011 and beyond. So.. so if you're not familiar with the term "lean six sigma"... I guarantee before long you'll be hearing it everywhere now that you're reading about it.

Just this week the AP issued a news release that in a recent Fox News interview, Republican Party candidate Newt Gingrich said Lean Six Sigma can save government over $500 million. Gingrich is just one of the latest politicians to sign up to campaign group Strong America Now's pledge to get politicians to use Lean Six Sigma to improve government operations.

And Lean Six Sigma is getting acclaim in healthcare, too. By employing proven processes, hospitals are able to boost productivity and reduce waste. I read a report by The American Society for Quality that showed 53% of hospitals are employing strategies considered "some level" of Lean deployment.

I like the term "blackbelt" -- a catchy name attributed to those who have certification in six sigma strategies, are able to train others and who spend full time hours engaged in activities that lead to quality improvements. We may not be a blackbelt, but we're also more than the "wax on-wax off" style that Mr. Miyagi taught the Karate Kid before he got his belt. We're no stranger to Lean Six Sigma at Trident Health Resources, Inc. and we believe when it comes to managing open heart programs, a whole lot more goes into the services we provide than putting a perfusionist behind the pump. Our perfusionists are part of a tightly woven team that helps hospitals save costs and operate efficiently.

Link to Full Article & November Issue HERE

From Our October Newsletter....

Hospital HR - When Resources in the

Operating Room are Stretched Thin...

The Obvious Answer to Staffing

Isn't Always the Right Answer

By Ralph E. Jordan, Founder & CEO

Trident Health Resources, Inc.

I was catching up on some reading and just finished reviewing a 2011 study sponsored by the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA) in association with a private HR firm. In a survey of 234 Healthcare HR professionals, a few key findings were reported. This prompted my thinking about perfusion staffing in the O.R.

The report concluded the following points regarding HR departments' desires to cut costs with regard to hospital staffing:

• Sixty-nine percent (69%) stated that they needed to streamline their HR processes as an initiative to cut costs.
• Sixty-six percent (66%) want to improve retention rates as a cost-cutting measure.
• Thirty-four percent (34%) desire to reduce reliance on agencies and temporary workers.
• Thirty-two (32%) would like to redesign compensation and benefits plans.

Indeed, staffing is a matter of major concern because of the effects it can have on patient safety and quality of care, so minimum standards are the norm and presumed. It's also understood that it is a challenge to balance costs while keeping in mind that patients come first. In consideration of the O.R. and the job of the perfusionists, an obvious sound strategy for those hospitals which are managing their own heart surgery programs may include establishing lean perfusionist staffing levels. Also, in an effort to maximize budgets, one doesn't want to pay for underutilized resources. And for the most part, though it is more art than science, this type of management results in a tightly run department with good patient care and outcomes and financial sensibility. You determine staff levels for your department based upon need; and past experience is the best predictor of the future, right? As such, forecasting needs are based upon trends.

Oh, Really? Murphy's Law tells us that what can go wrong does go wrong. To quote the Great Dwight Eisenhower: "the plan is everything, the plan is nothing." Of course planning is critically important in healthcare, but reality rarely plays out as expected, especially when the forces are human, especially in matters of cardiovascular surgery, especially when it comes to hospital emergencies. You don't want to be caught short, nor do you want to presume your core staff (which may already be overworked) can pull extra hours in overtime in a pinch. (In fact, a fairly recent research report shows that there is a high percentage of sleep-deprived perfusionists based upon heavy caseloads and overscheduling). But pulling from existing resources is just exactly what many hospitals try to do... limping through, stretching thin. Is this the best possible way?

The survey findings say that HR departments want to "reduce reliance on agencies and temporary workers" to save costs. But there's a Paradigm Shift Hospital HR Departments need to take in their thinking.

Here's the Paradigm Shift: In most cases, employing locum tenens perfusionists through Trident Health Resources, Inc. to meet patient demand in hospitals would cost less than paying overtime. Contracting perfusion services can save on associated costs of benefits and compensation issues of hospitals hiring permanent additional staff. And the use of locum services always assuages the burden of overworked staff. Did you know that Trident just may be a staffing alternative that ends up less of a hit to the budget than hiring more permanent staff or paying overtime, less of a strain on your team, less trouble all around?

Rather than overburdening hospital staff and finances, the obvious solution is to make greater use of flexible locum Trident perfusionists to support the workforce during periods of high demand. Not only does it cost less, hour for hour, but it also prevents overworked staff, which could compromise patient care. Trident offers solutions. We respond within hours and in virtually all emergent cases, we can have a certified perfusionist flown to your location, working by the next day.

Don't wait until emergency strikes... we welcome hospitals to contact us and establish a working relationship early on... before the need arises. Visit Trident's website to learn more about our locums services as well as our long-term comprehensive program for your heart program including:

Trident Health Resources, Inc. employees are top notch certified clinical perfusionists, skilled and experienced in a wide variety of clinical modalities.

• 24-hour coverage, 365 days per year
• Unlimited back-up assured
• Satisfaction of Trident personnel
  guaranteed with client final approval
• Recruiting and relocating costs paid by
  Trident.
• Complete program for Continuing
  Education, Perfusion Re- Certification and
  related expenses provided
• Comprehensive systems for compliance with quality improvement guidelines required for
  hospital accreditation and inspection including all reports and documentation
• Insurance provided for all Trident employees including liability and malpractice coverage
• Fees invoiced at predetermined fixed rate on either a per case or capitated basis
• Risk sharing available with long term contracts

Trident Health Resources, Inc. is a perfusion services management company that supports hospital open heart programs through consultative leadership and staffing support. We do more than "put a person behind a pump" or simply place certified staff with you as an employment agency might do. Our consultative role expands into the management of all the related functions of perfusion services - from program financing, supplies, staff training, and administration on a 24/7, 365 days per year basis. Since 1988, we've provided specialty perfusion services and successfully assisted hospitals to save costs and meet or exceed goals for quality perfusion services.

We can Address Your Specific Needs:

• If you are establishing a NEW Open Heart Program
• If you are considering Perfusion Services Outsourcing from In-hospital
• If you are considering Changing Perfusion Contractors
• If you Need Locum Tenens Staffing

Let Trident help when resources in the O.R. are stretched thin.

CALL TODAY! (800) 888-8408

LINK TO THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF THE HEARTBEAT!

September Newsletter - THE HEARTBEAT!

Check it out HERE!

2011 Perfusionist Salary Survey Results and A Whole Lotta Questions

By Ralph E. Jordan, Founder & CEO
TRIDENT HEALTH RESOURCES, INC.

A mentor of mine years ago once told me, “Always be wary of survey results and ask a lot of questions.” That’s what we did when we came across new results of a salary survey conducted by Researcher Alicia Sievert, a certified perfusionist who works as an assistant professor and admissions coordinator at Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). The results of this national survey of perfusionists were recently reported at a perfusionist only message board and reprinted on an industry blog, where permission for the survey’s public viewing was given (LINK). A copy of the questions was found in the public domain and is presented below this editorial.

In short summary, the survey results report provided “average” salaries for perfusionists and an “average” length of time in their careers. Data was summarized for perfusionists working on adult cases versus pediatric or both, and if the perfusionist was full-time, part-time, or working as a chief. Pretty much, that’s it… no regional analysis, no discussion of findings or their limitations, just the numbers. Interpretation is left to the reader.

First, surveys can be a very good thing. Informal surveys conducted by companies or self-interest groups are understood to be snapshots of a condition (non-scientific) and are quite useful in better understanding situations. In fact, Trident has conducted its own surveys in the past to capture the self-reported attitudes and experiences of perfusionists. We have reported our findings in past issues of our newsletter and on our blog. I’m in favor of surveys, generally speaking.

There’s a responsibility and a caveat often necessary when reporting survey results, however. In the case of a salary survey – this is an entity of uniqueness and the integrity of the results must be scrutinized. To be valid and reliable, a survey instrument must measure what it is intended to measure and consistently measure over time, in repeated efforts. That said, when we first saw the 2011 salary results, we had many questions about how data was collected, the methodology, and the analysis of findings. We didn’t want to throw a reputable organization’s research under the bus – we wanted to communicate and learn more.

We made a list of our questions and contacted Ms. Sievert by both email and phone to tell her we were writing this article about the pitfalls of self-reported surveys. We acknowledge that her past work in research was published in a peer-reviewed journal and that she has credentials for performing research with integrity. She told us however, that unlike her published 2006 survey which was overseen by others in a class project, the 2011 survey was a shortened version she created, and the results were not analyzed (yet) with precision. In an email, she wrote, “This was just a survey for perfusionists that was meant to be taken as-is…”

But at Trident, we feel a responsibility to provide our staff with clarification, especially since salary surveys are leveraged in negotiations for new hires and pay increases of existing perfusionists. Employees historically bring salary surveys to their bosses as evidence they are underpaid. The 2011 salary survey utilized self-reported numbers, without qualification. So in a telephone conversation with Ms. Sievert, we asked the hard questions about how salary data was collected.

We asked how confident she was that perfusionists answered questions honestly. Consider: To ask someone “what is your total annual salary?” (without qualification) is akin to asking an athlete among his competitive peers how many bench presses is his average number. You might get an inflated number. One must ask if the data is measured statistically, or “jussayin’.” Is there a motive for inflating a response? You betcha! Ms. Sievert recognized that the data collection could, indeed, produce unreliable numbers, but she believes the majority of perfusionists surveyed were honest.

A valid salary survey would be based on data scientifically collected. For example, salaries could be determined with W-2s or pay stubs analyzed, or reported by disinterested parties (HR departments). Also, without criteria, how do you interpret the question, “What is your total annual salary?” Does it mean total compensation? I say this because at Trident Health Resources, Inc. we pay for our perfusionists’ continuing education, travel, and malpractice insurance, 401k contributions on the employee’s behalf, annual and merit bonuses based on performance, and contributions toward their health and life insurances – all this is part of a total compensation package. A total compensation package is significantly higher than a net or even a gross salary minus multiple benefits package. The researcher acknowledged that she received some comments from survey takers that said they received quarterly bonuses, etc. and she realized that some data (additional income) was not captured consistently based on the wording of the question – a limitation of her study. She said, “There was a lot of screening and cleaning of the data.”

We talked about the geographic representation of the sample population. It cannot be denied: regional differences in salary exist. California salaries are higher than Missouri, for example, ‘nuff said. In a future report that will hopefully be published, Ms. Sievert hopes to analyze her data and provide clarification. We simply point out that the numbers presented “as-is” are not meaningful without geographic consideration and interpretation.

And how was an “average salary” actually determined in this study? Statistical equation of mathematics? In any statistics analysis it is prudent to remove “outliers” – that means, of all participating surveys, cases of extreme that are outside a plot analysis would be thrown out of the mix. Keeping outliers into analysis skews the results. To skew means to distort or bias. That’s bad. Ms. Sievert indicated that extreme “highs” and “lows” were excluded from the survey. Unfortunately, these extremes were removed “by hand” and not with precision through statistical calculations using software. We point out that it is a pitfall in survey analysis to manipulate the data without more rigidity.

We seek interpretation of results. Specifically, in any analysis of “averages” one must ask what the standard deviation is. That is, what is the spread between the numbers? For example, you could have a salary of one person at $50,000 and one at $120,000. The average is $85,000. But in this example the standard deviation is huge! For these and other reasons it makes sense to use means and standard deviations, with some assumption that there will be a "normal" range for a position's data. An “average” salary amount is a flawed calculation method based on assumption. Standard deviation for a perfect normal distribution (bell shaped curve) means 68% of samples drawn from it fall within +/- one standard deviation of the mean. If salaries followed a normal distribution perfectly, we would expect 68 of 100 perfusionists to have a salary within 1 standard deviation of the mean.

Ms. Sievert addressed this, providing us the standard deviations in dollar terms. In the case of this salary survey, the mean (average salary) for all perfusionists is $109,773 (SD = 28046), meaning salaries in the survey were spread by about 3.9 RSD (relative standard deviation, represented as a percentage of salary). It would be helpful to readers of the survey to be provided with text language that clarifies what is “average” and how the spread affects the average so it is understood. Ms. Sievert, being closest to the data, is the authority on the data collected and her reflections about the results are key for full appreciation of the work.

We hope to see a future article from MUSC that answers many questions. I’ve presented herein only a few of the pitfalls of conducting a self-reported survey of salary. Bottom line, “self-reporting” of salaries is a weak methodology of data collection, as most researchers and statisticians would agree. It’s not valid. It’s not reliable. More importantly, in an industry full of clinicians who appreciate precision and exactamondo hard numbers, we appreciate getting the finer details of such a report. Without all the facts, conclusions are drawn irresponsibly. To use a metaphor, like a pebble thrown across a lake, there is a ripple effect when “word” gets out – a bit of information taken out of context – and the consequences are an uproar of reaction. We, at Trident, would like to impede that ripple effect.

Ms. Sievert gives us hope that we will be hearing more about her findings and we are thankful for the time she gave us to answer our questions.

Your comments are always welcomed!

Ralph


Copy of Survey found HERE & copied below:

1. Demographic Data
City/Town
State

2. Age

3. Gender
Male
Female

4. How many years have you been a practicing perfusionist?

5. Define your position as a perfusionist:
Part-time staff/faculty
Full-time staff/faculty
Chief perfusionist
Other

6. YOUR specific perfusion practice is best described as:
Adult only
Pediatric Only
Pediatric & Adult

7. How many cases per year are YOU the primary perfusionist?

8. What is your total annual salary? (sample answer: 100,000)

Happy 4th of July! The July Issue of the Heartbeat Available Online

Click image to link to July Issue of THE HEARTBEAT, Trident's Monthly Newsletter:

VERY IMMEDIATE JOB OPENINGS FOR TRAVELER PERFUSIONISTS

Visit Trident Health's Job Page

for the Latest Employment Updates.