Nick's Blog

Alone Again in Crystal City . . .

It's Friday night and the road to D.C. was wet from the pounding rain as I made my way from the Flood City to Crystal City, from Flight 93 to the Pentagon, from America's County to America's Capital.  Dinner consisted of an apple and some trail mix, and now it's time to prepare here in room 1205 at the Courtyard for a meeting tomorrow morning that may bring a new collaborator to the table for the Windber Research Institute. 

The old line, "You have to pay to play," seems right on tonight. 

The Research Institute has had a very active few weeks as we continue to attempt to expand and grow so that we might add additional jobs to the local economy. Some weeks, this proposition is harder than others. Moving forward, is often a major challenge.  We are still hopeful that this will not be the case this time around.

On a much brighter note, however, our researchers and integrative health staff successfully completed Phase One of the Yamaha research program with Dr. Barry Bittman this week. This study should be completed by sometime this Fall.  It was fun observing people as they played music to relax.  Obviously, they never had any of my former music teachers.   I'm convinced that would have been a research project. If you missed even one note, they GAVE you high blood pressure.   

Our own Dr. Lori Field, a local native and Johns Hopkins grad, was written up in several prestigious publications for her work on African American breast cancer last week.  She presented her findings at a major conference in San Diego and captured the attention of several key science writers.

According to Dr Field's analytical work, African American women are slightly less likely to be stricken with breast cancer, but, when they are, not unlike their black male counterparts with prostate cancer, the disease often strikes them younger and can be much more deadly. 

She and her team compared tumors stored in our tissue repository from black and white women that were matched for both the stage of breast cancer represented and the age of the donor with the disease.  All of these women were participants in our research activities, were either members or dependents of members of the U.S. military, and all were being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.  The fact that they were members of the military Tricare insurance program removes any previous bias from the equation that black women may not have had equal access to health care.   

Our researchers found 65 genes with significant differences in activities between the black and white women.  Very few of the identified genes had any previous link to breast cancer.  Lori suggests that the possible differences could be caused by "an altered epigenetic chemical regulation of the genes."  If you are be somewhat unclear as to what the full implications of that statement may be, I'm sure she would be happy to explain it over a cup of coffee.

Bottom line, however, is that Dr. Field and her peers at the Research Institute are working to find new targets for drugs that could improve survival for African American women. 

You go, Lori. We are really proud of you and your work. (My kids always tell me that, without Lori back in high school in the 90's, they may have never gotten through advanced math and science.)

WRI's partnership on proteomic research through use of samples from our unique tissue repository was also announced last week with the Department of Energy's prestigious Pacific Northwest Lab. 

It is my sincere hope that, within my lifetime, breakthrough science at WRI will lead to unique, new cures for our friends, families and loved ones.

Finally, we are still seeing growing progress with our fund drive.  Last Saturday we hosted another successful social event where more than 120 people were present to learn more about WMC.  It was a great night.  Special thanks go out to the Foundation staff for all of their efforts and to the true driver behind this work, Fund Drive Chair, Attorney Tim Leventry.  "We think we can. We think we can. We think we can."

Also at the event, our Chairman, Ted Hollern, was honored for his dedication, service and leadership at WMC since 1975.  Ted received this award because of his hard work and commitment to the employees and medical staff of Windber Medical Center.  Of course he will be the first to tell you that it is not about Ted, but believe me, it's about Ted.  He has almost as few hours of sleep as some of the rest of us who carry the heavy mantle of responsibility to ensure the success and sustainability of a community hospital in a country where 47million people are uninsured and 78 million more of us are heading toward the proverbial hill. 

It's unique when a 54, 57 or 102 bed hospital (depends on who's counting the beds), can not only survive in the United States but thrive.  I've discovered that, no matter the size of the place, the issues are the same.  Having been in leadership positions in a 150 bed, 650 bed and now smaller facility, the primary difference is in the amount of help, consultants and cash you have.  In the bigger operations, you just add more zeros to the reports.   It was a lot easier telling the story with a million dollars vs. $50,000, but it is what it is. 

In spite of all of the challenges, and there were many more than normal this year, we're happy to report that WMC is headed toward it's best year in 102 years. 

Now, we just need to keep up the good work in every area. 

Managers, Smanagers...It's Over

Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith wrote a very interesting book entitled The End of Management. In this book, they assert that managers are the dinosaurs of our modern organizational ecology. They go on to assert that the "'Age of Management' is finally coming to a close."  Their treatise is that "the need for overseers, surrogate parents, scolds, monitors, functionaries, disciplinarians, bureaucrats, and lone implementers is over. . . "

If, by now, you managers are wondering what comes next, our authors assert that the new need, the true need in modern day business is for "visionaries, leaders, coordinator coaches, mentors, facilitators, and conflict resolvers." 

In a recent conversation with an "old school" manager/friend, I reached out to explain to him why he was alienating his subordinate.  I explained very carefully that management as a self-contained system fails to open the heart or free the spirit.  This approach has truly taken our organization to new heights.  Of course, one can only work within one's comfort zones, and many managers, especially, old school managers, only know one approach, and that is, the industrial revolution way. 

Let me suggest that you analyze the quality of the individuals with whom you work.  Then, step back and realize just how amazing those individuals are with "butterfly" qualities.

Do not penalize your charges because of your insecurities.  Build a team that "has your back" by empowering them to be all that they can be.

The revolution quoted by Cloke and Goldsmith is one of "turning the inflexible, autocratic, static, coercive bureaucracies into agile, evolving, democratic, collaborative, self-managing webs of association."  From our perspective, the object is to allow those butterflies the freedom to fly. 

How do you manage a butterfly?  Work together on the goals and then get out of its way.  Provide it with just the very basic, fundamental needs and goals of your organization, and then trust it, love it, empower it, and encourage it.

If I could possibly find one example that would clearly embrace our success as an organization, it is that of doing everything possible to kill "parent to child management."  It is not enough to move into the 21st century with our thinking; it is most important to identify those individuals who get it and then give them the space "to do it." 

Are they traditional?  Do they do everything the way you were taught in the "dark ages of the industrialized style of management?"  Nope.  Will it drive you crazy when you look for them, and discover that they are not on the flower where you expected to find them?  Sometimes.  Will they accomplish more than you have ever dreamed if you treat them with dignity, respect, love and freedom?  Oh, yeah. 

You see, it is not about control.  Control is only necessary for those who are not trustworthy.  Better than trying to control a non trustworthy individual, simply help them find work somewhere else.  If they don't get the mission, don't understand the philosophy, and don't work to their capacity, they shouldn't be there. 

On the other hand, if they are loyal, trustworthy, committed, and caring, back off and allow them to soar, and you will never see results of the kind they that they will deliver to you or your organization. 

If they look at it as a job, if they are only comfortable with myriad rules, time clocks and books of policies, they are stuck in the past. 

Leadership means trust.   

The End of Management, Kenneth Cloke & Joan Goldsmith

An Editorial Comment

Several years ago, we decided to be progressive and build a new building to house the Windber Research Institute.  Yes, it was risky.  Yes, it would take an enormous amount of hard work and good luck to even make the organization sustainable on a long term basis, but the optimists won, and we launched the effort to build. 

The journey to completion on that building was not only significant, it turned out to be extremely difficult.  Don't get me wrong, the architects did a great job.  Engineering was fine, and all of the members of our building committee worked hard to bring it to fruition. 

Interestingly enough, due to nearly 18 months in delays and some difficult publicity, we ended up losing three biotech companies that had intended to locate here in Windber.  They went to New York State, New Jersey and Harrisburg.

Now, several years later, after trying to attract new biotech organizations to our building, we found several physicians who were willing to move in, but, unlike the companies that had previously chosen us, these physicians cannot do their work without contiguous parking spaces for their patients.  Consequently, a year ago, we began our quest to assist our neighbors at St. Mary's Byzantine church by providing a parking lot for their use on weekends.  This would also provide the needed spaces for the doctors offices during the week.  It was all about neighbors helping neighbors, for which the community would be richer.

Fortunately, or—depending upon your point of view—unfortunately for some, our medical facilities are currently being stressed because of increased use.  We are growing fast and, to meet those demands, must continue to expand.  This growth cannot take place in a vacuum.  To continue to grow takes both money and co-operation, and both are sometimes very hard to come by. 

If we want a sub specialist on our campus, parking must be a consideration.  If the emergency room is to be large enough to accommodate the demand, it needs to be doubled in size.  If there is no place for education, large meetings, or significant activity space for children's exercise programs, a building must be built.  Finally, the need to accommodate the birth of numerous babies will also require more physicians and more space.

If we cannot grow, we will all pay the price, and that price will include inconvenience and lack of adequate expansion capabilities.   

Let's hope and pray that co-operation will become the key to forward movement.  Otherwise, we will spend countless dollars, hours and energy staying small.  Our future rests in our ability to treat more people more efficiently, and that cannot happen without co-operation. 

Do You Have The Guts?

As very small children, the funniest jokes that kids can come up with always seem to be "poopy talk" jokes.  As we age, it is interesting that we remain shy about our natural functions.  In fact, some people are so shy that they would rather die than say, do, or even think about anything related to their colons. 

The E-mail that I received this week was a challenge to "Take the Test," and, although it was an advertisement, there were enough good points made in that E-mail that I decided to dedicate this week's blog to Katie Couric.  In 2000, Katie submitted herself to a public colonoscopy on national television.  Why?  Because she had lost her husband at the relatively young age of 42 to colon cancer. 

After Katie's big adventure, among the 400 gastroenterologists surveyed, the number of colonoscopies performed each month rose from an average of 15 before the Couric exam to 18.1 after.  It was so successful that it is still referred to as the Couric Effect.

As indicated in the correspondence, over 150,000 people are diagnosed with colon cancer each year and at least 1/3 of them die.  Unlike ovarian and numerous other cancers, there are several screening tests available to determine the presence of colon cancer. 

At a meeting last year our Chief of Medicine stated that "There is no longer a reason why anyone should die from colon cancer."

Even though it was part of my suggested battery of tests the year before, my colonoscopy was completed a few months ago.  Except for the fact that I woke up with a few children's tattoos on my body from our playful employees and a threat that there would be a video at 11, all went well. 

Okay, I will admit that the preparation for the test was somewhat of a drag, but it wasn't as bad as being a long term patient.

The goal of their E-mail was for us to persuade everyone to use their diagnostics. The quoted website was: www.DoYouHaveTheGuts.com 

The goal of this blog is to get you to think about taking care of yourself.  It is to convince you to love yourself and your family enough to ensure that you all have a future.  It is to get you to be saved by having a colon test, some test, any test. 

If you're still embarrassed by colon jokes, GET OVER IT.

It could truly be a matter of life or death.