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Hardwiring Continual Learning

By December 10, 2012December 6th, 2023Caregiver, Consumer, ePatient, Written Only
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I’m learning to type. Amazing after all these years that I still hunt and peck. Cool though to know that I can still develop new brain pathways and muscle memory. Continual learning with a swiss cheese multiple sclerosis brain:)  I watch my grandsons learn, they just keep at it. Fearless repetition. Why is it that I’m reluctant to learn from others’ experience? When I first had kids, I was told to kiss my life as I knew it goodbye. I didn’t believe it, I didn’t learn from those ahead of me until a week after my oldest was born. Now with health care, seldom do we learn, or rather seldom do we have sustained learning. After decades in health care I feel like I’m seeing the same stuff recycle.  Is patient centered really new? Aren’t ACOs a retread? Quality Management is still only good management. Although there is a treasure of science of best practices, we know that clinicians struggle to keep up, break inertia and change practice based on evolving evidence.

Hardwiring continual learning is a magic lever for best health for individuals, organizations and the health care system. Personally, I only have so much energy and space for learning. Inertia is critical to getting on with life.  Success is inertia for what works, learning for what doesn’t. Continual learning requires mindfullness. How do we design continual learning into our lives, our relationships, our products, and systems?

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2 Comments

  • Sue Spivack says:
    December 11, 2012 at 9:29 am

    I love this post, Danny. Especially “Success is inertia for what works, learning for what doesn’t!” So true and so well said–for all of what life offers! In the past I’ve had a similar insight when I realized that “benign cycles” are the oppposite of “vicious cycles” and it should be my goal flip what was going on toward the “benign” in difficult situations. Happy Holidays to you and familyl! sue