Tim Hallock, an ASQ member for three years, works for St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center in Madison, WI. The hospital is a member of the SSM Health Care System in St. Louis. He also attends Madison section meetings and has given several presentations for ASQ.

Since 1990, Hallock has actively facilitated three to five quality improvement projects annually throughout the hospital. These projects include both clinical enhancements, such as improving outcomes in cardiovascular services, as well as operational improvements, like improving lead-time in emergency services.

Hallock began teaching quality methods in 1990 after he learned about a healthcare improvement approach modeled on the quality practices of Florida Power and Light. At the time, Hallock held a master’s degree in organizational behavior management and taught experimental design.

He continues to assist SSM Health Care System in developing and delivering quality training, including lean and Six Sigma concepts. He has coordinated and supported the writing for 10 applications to both state quality awards and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Hallock is a board examiner for the Baldrige Award and he serves on the panel of judges for the Wisconsin Forward Award. SSM Health Care is the first healthcare recipient to receive a Baldrige award, and St. Mary’s is the first Hospital to receive the Wisconsin Forward Award in Excellence.

Hallock believes the biggest challenge in healthcare is to change the culture from one that addresses complex processes in an ad hoc and ill defined fashion to a culture that focuses on systems of care, standardized approaches and the elimination of workarounds.

He suggests that healthcare quality leaders should not focus their quality efforts on the big problems of the day, but rather focus on the key processes that serve their patients day in and day out.

Click here to listen to Hallock’s audiocast about how St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center translated their mission into measurable results using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria.