MRSA Awards
Albert Einstein Healthcare Network proudly announced that its SMASH initiative has won two prestigious awards from The Hospital Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP). On accepting the award Dr. Jerry Zuckerman said "It was a privelege to be able to accept the HAP award yesterday on behalf of SMASH and Einstein. It is an award and recognition for all the small things that WE have done TOGETHER. Two years ago, I would never have dreamed we would have achieved so much. Today, my dreams for future achievements are endless. Reflect on all that we have accomplished and envision how much we can overcome in the months and years ahead with the tools we have learned."
For more information, on the story, please visit their website.
Reducing Harm from MRSA
The article Reducing harm from MRSA tells the story of the Veterans Association's Pittsburg Healthcare System (VAPHS) and its efforts to reduce MRSA using the Toyota Production System strategy and Positive Deviance approaches. The PDI is actively invovled with the PD efforts in the VAPHS, and has provided technical support and facilitated PD discussion and trainings.
Farming the Amazon with a Machete and MulchThis NPR report details the efforts of Rosario Costa Cabral, a woman who is pioneering agricultural practices in the amazon. Rosario a clear example of a 'positive deviant' as she has been able to develop more beneficial agricultural technichniqes with the same resources as those around her. Rosario's story illustrates how the solutions to complex problems (in this case, the flooding of Amazon) already exist and are being developed by the affected people, not by 'experts' from the outside.
This paper was produced by the Delmarva Foundation and discusses PD methods to reducing MRSA infection. Regaining Control of MRSA discusses various techniques to reducing MRSA infection in a hospital setting.
The Nature Conservancy has conducted a study in Fiji, Indonesia, Philippines and the Solomon Islands examining communities that have been successful in protecting their marine habitat and reducing poverty. Typically, conservation efforts can negatively impact the livelihoods of local residents, where as the communities studied in the report were able to both conserve their environment and increase their incomes at the same time! The video Nature's Investment Bank can be viewed temporarily here and also at the Nature Conservancy's website. The BBC article entitled Nature's banks pays dividends also discusses the work of the study and positive deviant communities it showcases. Though the term Positive Deviance is not referenced in the report, PD by any other name is just as effective.