Every member of our team has a consultant horror story, and for the most part they sound the same. A recent college graduate with very little work experience came in, spent a lot of time asking exasperating questions, told us we had problems that we already knew about, and then left, leaving behind a giant binder of “solutions” that was never opened again.
Why then did we choose to become them?
Well, we worked with consultants at our previous employers for good reasons. We had problems and needed help fixing them. And honestly, for every consultant horror story there is a counter example of a firm or person that came in and really made a difference.
Now that we are on the other side of the consulting equation, we see the different types of problems and ways consultants can help find solutions. Some places need temporary help and hire consultants to augment staff. Some organizations need objectivity for certain projects and know that a consultant can provide that. Additionally, consultants can help navigate tricky differences of opinion between leadership.
Others, like Singola, aim to help clients with strategic planning. Being outsiders, we can see the forest for the trees and identify those barriers, processes, and policies that need to be changed or updated. We can focus on the entire patient experience from start to finish instead of focusing on one part of the journey. Working with different clients, we can learn about new technology that works, add it to our knowledge base, and then spread the good word to other healthcare systems. We can help clients make time to think about the important issues of today and tomorrow.
We also know that working with consultants does not have to be a huge commitment or a long engagement. Meeting with us for a few days means a client can access our institutional knowledge in a short conversation, run ideas by us and inquire about viability, ask for opinions on upcoming projects, and receive help in setting compass and goals.
Singola isn’t alone. We’ve worked alongside some amazing people who have just as much passion as we do about healthcare. These fellow consultants share their expertise and background with organizations all over the country. Together, we’re making systems, processes, and policies better and more sensible.
Not every healthcare system or organization is built the same. We know that. But every healthcare organization can work to make their patients’ lives easier. That’s why we became consultants. Helping health systems and patients all over the country is an appealing challenge. We’re up to the task.
Photo from Realistic Shots.