NEWS RELEASE -- Studer Group was invited to advocate before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs in Washington, D.C., on June 12.

The company’s chief operating officer Dan Collard testified about the importance of reducing variance and creating a culture of consistency, alignment, and standardization.

Collard testified that in Studer Group's experience with more than 900 hospitals and healthcare organizations, those who implemented "standardized approaches to care" were consistently the most successful organizations. As he stated in his address "the amount of variance and the lack of willingness to standardize leadership has created an unfortunately predictable outcome.

"As we would say, "What you permit, you promote."

Read his full testimony here.

Collard used several examples of Studer Group partners in illustrating the idea that when you reduce variance in practices, you create greater predictability in outcomes...and employees, physicians and patients all win. He cited Community Health Systems as an organization that moves with urgency to implement standardized practices in safety, patient communication and leader accountability.

Collard observed that "Many health systems work with an organized labor environment. Many have a large geographic footprint with a corporate office thousands of miles from where care is being delivered. Many organizations serve a large indigent and disadvantaged patient population. And yet these organizations find a way to not only survive, but thrive."

He mentioned Grady Health System in Atlanta and Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham as organizations that don't let excuses stand in the way of improved care.

Collard's testimony begins about the 15:15 minute mark.

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