--- title: Dr. Matt Pollard, Quality Improvement & Lean at Intermountain Healthcare description: Our guest today is Matt Pollard, MD, MBOE, the Vice President of Continuous Improvement Intermountain Healthcare. Matt is an emergency physician and has a master's degree from the Masters of Business in Operational Excellence program at The Ohio State University. image: https://www.valuecapturellc.com/hubfs/Copy-of-Habitual-Excellence-Episode-Cover-Image.jpg --- # Dr. Matt Pollard, Quality Improvement & Lean at Intermountain Healthcare March 22, 2021 Written by Mark Graban ## Listen: *Scroll down for a transcript, how to subscribe, and more* Welcome to Episode #38 of [Habitual Excellence](https://valuecapturellc.com/thought-leadership/our-podcast-habitual-excellence/), presented by [Value Capture](https://valuecapturellc.com/). Our guest today is [Matt Pollard, MD, MBOE](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpollardmd/), the Vice President of Continuous Improvement Intermountain Healthcare. Matt is an emergency physician and has a master's degree from the Masters of Business in Operational Excellence program at The Ohio State University ([learn more about the program in this episode](https://valuecapturellc.com/habitual-excellence-episode-25-aravind-chandrasekaran-on-continuous-improvement-psychological-safety/)). In today's episode, host [Mark Graban](https://valuecapturellc.com/staff/mark-graban/) asks Matt about topics including: - How did you take such an interest in healthcare quality improvement? - What inspired your interest and why did you almost leave healthcare? - Who were your key mentors? - How did you come to see the importance of the management / operating system? - What did you learn by visiting Seattle Children's Hospital and Virginia Mason Medical Center? - Tell us about your Idea System and how it's different than a suggestion system... - How do you turn continuous improvement from a goal statement into a daily reality? - How do you measure progress, what are your KPIs? - How are you shifting time from budgeting to real improvement cycles? --- ## Video: --- ## Quotes: !["I was really frustrated. I considered leaving medicine. [Two colleagues said] Hey, would you be interested?
](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Matt-Pollard-Habitual-Excellence-Podcast-1-1.jpg) !["After I came back from that trip [to Seattle Children's and Virginia Mason], I decided I'm going to jump into this. And part of my career shifted towards process and quality improvement. I still do identify first as a physician. That's my DNA."](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Matt-Pollard-Habitual-Excellence-Podcast-2-1.jpg) !["If you have a plan to implement continuous improvement or Lean, and you don't have a plan to involve your physicians, then you're going to fall short because we drive the cost in healthcare. We drive the processes."](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Matt-Pollard-Habitual-Excellence-Podcast-3-1.jpg) !["We now have a very robust idea system where anybody in the entire organization can see a problem and suggest an idea. So it's not a suggestion box."](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Matt-Pollard-Habitual-Excellence-Podcast-4-1.jpg) --- ## Podcast Main Page: [Click to visit the main Habitual Excellence podcast page](https://valuecapturellc.com/thought-leadership/our-podcast-habitual-excellence/). --- ## Subscribe: To make sure you don't miss an episode, be sure to subscribe today! Please rate and review the podcast. [![Subscribe or Follow - Habitual Excellence Podcast, Presented by Value Capture](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5436566/8f2c6b31-ec1d-464b-a58e-665ee2313fe1.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5436566/8f2c6b31-ec1d-464b-a58e-665ee2313fe1) --- --- ## Transcript   [Podcast](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/tag/podcast), [Intermountain](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/tag/intermountain) ![Mark Graban](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/hubfs/Mark%20Graban%20Chair%20Lean%20Head%20Square%20600.jpg) #### Written by [ Mark Graban ](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/author/mark-graban) Mark Graban has served healthcare clients since 2005. Mark is internationally recognized as a leading author and speaker on Lean healthcare. His latest book is "The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation." ##### Like it? Share it: [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/dr-matt-pollard-quality-improvement-lean-at-intermountain-healthcare) [LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/dr-matt-pollard-quality-improvement-lean-at-intermountain-healthcare) [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/dr-matt-pollard-quality-improvement-lean-at-intermountain-healthcare) ### You may also like [Aravind Chandrasekaran on Continuous Improvement & Psychological Safety ](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-25-aravind-chandrasekaran-on-continuous-improvement-psychological-safety) ##### [Aravind Chandrasekaran on Continuous Improvement & Psychological Safety](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-25-aravind-chandrasekaran-on-continuous-improvement-psychological-safety) 26 October, 2020 Listen: Scroll down for a transcript, how to subscribe, and more [Read this article](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-25-aravind-chandrasekaran-on-continuous-improvement-psychological-safety) [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-25-aravind-chandrasekaran-on-continuous-improvement-psychological-safety) [LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-25-aravind-chandrasekaran-on-continuous-improvement-psychological-safety) [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/habitual-excellence-episode-25-aravind-chandrasekaran-on-continuous-improvement-psychological-safety) [Applying Lessons from Autoliv (Manufacturing) to Intermountain Healthcare: Scott Saxton ](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/lessons-manufacturing-autoliv-intermountain-healthcare-scott-saxton-lean) ##### [Applying Lessons from Autoliv (Manufacturing) to Intermountain Healthcare: Scott Saxton](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/lessons-manufacturing-autoliv-intermountain-healthcare-scott-saxton-lean) 2 November, 2021 [Read this article](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/lessons-manufacturing-autoliv-intermountain-healthcare-scott-saxton-lean) [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/lessons-manufacturing-autoliv-intermountain-healthcare-scott-saxton-lean) [LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/lessons-manufacturing-autoliv-intermountain-healthcare-scott-saxton-lean) [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/lessons-manufacturing-autoliv-intermountain-healthcare-scott-saxton-lean) [Timothy Pehrson, President and CEO of INTEGRIS Health on Leading the Improvement Charge ](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/timothy-pehrson-president-and-ceo-of-integris-health-on-leading-the-improvement-charge) ##### [Timothy Pehrson, President and CEO of INTEGRIS Health on Leading the Improvement Charge](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/timothy-pehrson-president-and-ceo-of-integris-health-on-leading-the-improvement-charge) 27 July, 2021 [Read this article](https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/timothy-pehrson-president-and-ceo-of-integris-health-on-leading-the-improvement-charge) [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/timothy-pehrson-president-and-ceo-of-integris-health-on-leading-the-improvement-charge) [LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/timothy-pehrson-president-and-ceo-of-integris-health-on-leading-the-improvement-charge) [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/timothy-pehrson-president-and-ceo-of-integris-health-on-leading-the-improvement-charge) #### Submit a comment ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mark Graban", "url" : "https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/author/mark-graban" }, "dateModified" : "2021-10-20T15:26:36.907Z", "datePublished" : "2021-03-23T00:40:20.000Z", "headline" : "Dr. Matt Pollard, Quality Improvement & Lean at Intermountain Healthcare", "image" : [ "https://www.valuecapturellc.com/hubfs/Copy-of-Habitual-Excellence-Episode-Cover-Image.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.valuecapturellc.com/blog/dr-matt-pollard-quality-improvement-lean-at-intermountain-healthcare", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.valuecapturellc.com/hubfs/social-suggested-images/www.valuecapturellc.comhs-fshubfsValue%20Capture%20White%20Logo%20Transparent-3.png" }, "name" : "Value Capture" } } ```