Micromanagement Steals Creativity and Many Billions of Dollars

Calculations reveal just how much micromanagement is costing primary care practices where they are most needed. The costs involve other specialties that are also basic, smaller, less organized, and most needed. With reflection, the epidemic of measurement has had even greater spread. Micromanagement costs and consequences devastate education in these same lowest concentration counties.

Primary Care in 2621 Lowest Workforce Concentration Counties 

The calculations reveal at least 8 billion dollars less remaining to invest in primary care in 2621 counties lowest in concentrations of primary care, health care workforce, and physicians. The same financial designs that impact primary care also impact nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians. Women's health and basic surgical services are impacted.


Measurement focus in health care has attempted to improve costs and quality

1. But costs have been increased by digitalization, innovation, certification, and regulation
2. Quality has not been increased by digitalization, innovation, certification, and regulation
3. Care delivery has been complicated and impaired by measurement focus
4. Primary care where most needed has been reduced from 38 billion to only 30 billion to invest in primary care.
5. Outcomes are likely to be worse because the subtraction of 8 billion dollars results in lesser social determinants and other consequences that are more specific to outcomes.

Education has clearly faced the same issues of digitalization, innovation, certification, and regulation with measurement focus a top priority.

I do not have a way to calculate the cost of education measurement and distraction, but the news media presented a great opportunity to illustrate the problem.

Teachers Are Fed Up with Micromanagment

At a Varnett charter school in Houston, Eddie Brown is teaching sixth graders about the different forms of energy. The kids love him in the classroom. But, by all accounts, Eddie is even more effective in the teacher's lounge, where he demonstrates the power of laughter.

There's an underlying theme to each joke: that teachers are fed up with being micromanaged and would like to be trusted again. In fact, at the end of each concert, Eddie is as serious as a detention.

"So don't let them snatch your creativity," he said at one show.

That'show this one man came to speak for an occupation.

What Happened to the Promises of Deregulation? 

Deregulation focus would give the opportunity to "let our people go" away from micromanagement in health care and in education.

So far this does not appear to be the case.


People to People Interactions 

Relationships are the key to health care and to education. Adaption of one to the other is most important. It cannot be legislated or regulated or innovated from afar.

Creativity and innovation in health care and education 

occur within the relationships. 

Those far away in very different situations who design care should not force ways to relate and steal the time to relate.

Designs for health care and for education need to support the team members that serve, care, and relate.