In your practice as a physical, occupational or speech therapist, you have certain procedures, certain ways of doing things. There may be good reasons for why things are done the way they are, or it could just be that they have always been done that way, and no one really thought to question the procedures.

Familiarity often is good. We feel comfortable with it. But sometimes it leads to lazy thinking. If you have been in an organization long enough, you tend to look at problems and practices the way they have always been viewed. The things that you do are the things that have always been done. It may not be because they are effective, but simply because you are not thinking differently about them.

What you need to do to solve problems, or improve the way things work, is to think differently. Often, that’s why companies hire consultants. Because they are outsiders, they see things differently. They look at things from a different perspective.But in the end, outsides only have so much influence. To make real change, it has to come from people inside the hospital or rehabilitation facility. They are the ones who need to start thinking like outsiders. You have to make sure what you are seeing is reality, not just your perception of reality.So, how can you do this, look at things differently?

The first thing is to understand your shortcomings, to realize that there are different ways of seeing things, and that everything needs to be looked at from different perspectives. There are things that you don’t know (and you may not know that you don’t know them).Take the time to talk with your patients about how the quality of their care. You already talk with them routinely about their treatment, but find out what they think about the procedures in your practice, and the job you have been doing.T

hink about what outsiders you can invite in to give you a different perspective. Talk to other therapists in other practices for their input. And don’t be afraid to look outside the healthcare industry. For example, some hospitals have examined hotel and food companies for ideas in hospitality and food preparation. What can your facility do to bring in new perspectives?

If you’re a rehab therapist with an interest in traveling all over the country, contact Centra Healthcare Solutions. We have many short- and long-term assignments at hospitals and rehabilitation facilities all over the country. Send us your CV today!