By Imamu Tomlinson, MD

“If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”  —Michael Jordan

My Emergency Department in Selma, CA recently faced a spacing emergency when the number of our ED patient beds was reduced from 24 to 10. We had no choice or advance notice and about a day to prepare.  We had to act and adapt quickly, because certainly our volume wasn’t reduced to help us with our transition.  With limited resources and no increase in staff, we had to achieve the same results working with less. To accomplish this, I tried to expand my own productivity, and at the same time I focused on building our team through communication, motivation, and integration. 

We were not only able to continue to serve the same number of patients, but our turnaround time to discharge (TAT-D) actually fell from 125 minutes to 108 minutes.  I believe that beds by themselves don’t make people efficient.  Instead, being part of a team that communicates well and shares leadership, vision, and ambition is what promotes efficiency; and this is what enabled us to increase our performance during this challenge.  We were able to galvanize enthusiasm and to shift the culture in the ED toward increased teamwork.  We did not let the number of beds dictate to us how we would do our job.

Part of the spirit in which I approach a challenge like this comes from what I saw in Michael Jordan over the years.  He has always been an inspiration for me. I played college basketball, and before I stopped growing I had been hoping to play in the NBA.  I try to bring some of Michael’s grit and competitiveness to what I do.  I recently had the chance to shoot baskets with Michael and I told him just that.

Michael’s coach Phil Jackson said about Michael, “(I hope others) will be influenced by Michael’s demeanor and by his sense of unselfish competiveness.  More than his championship rings, I hope this will be Michael’s legacy.”

I was recently approached to talk about physician leadership and how it can help with the challenges we in medicine face today.  My team and I put together this top ten list, I would be really interested to hear your comments and thoughts on this.  

We didn’t just accomplish what we did with leadership and talk.  We were able to implement key TAT-D innovations. As the team came together with these new programs, we sent out congratulations to the team and to individuals via email in order to maintain and boost morale.

I feel ready for our next challenge, and for the next one after that I believe our team will be ready for a “3-peat”, just like the Chicago Bulls.  Given all the resource challenges we have in the Acute Care Continuum going forward and how important the stakes are, I say it’s “game on.”

Imamu Tomlinson, MD received his bachelor of science in Biology from St. Lawrence University in New York and his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati. He completed his residency at Miami Valley Hospital in Ohio. Dr. Tomlinson has served as the Medical Director at Adventist Medical Center Selma since 2006, and served as the Medical Director at Adventist Medical Center Hanford from 2006 to 2011. Dr. Tomlinson was the Mid Valley Emergency Nursing Association Emergency Physician of the Year in 2006. Dr. Tomlinson has been an active member of the Hospital Medical Executive Committee. He led an effort to create the Department of Emergency and Diagnostic Medicine and currently serves as the chair of that department. As a result of his leadership, both medical centers have increased their volume by more than 90% and only 0.5% of patients leave prior to seeing a medical provider.