Let
SHS = Society for Health Systems
IISE = Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (formerly IIE = Institute of Industrial Engineers)
HSPI = Health Systems Process Improvement
I belong/belonged to a lot of different societies and clubs…because I have a lot of interests and do multi-method modeling but will try to focus on just IISE and SHS in this blog post.
As you probably already know there are many benefits to joining societies:
- Networking /* Students need to find jobs! Friends are also a plus. C++? I am a nerd/geek/whatever you want to label me as. */
- Spreading information about new innovations (e.g. services, products, simulation and math models, etc.)
- Discounts (e.g. conferences, books, etc.)
There are many benefits but cost is an issue. #poorcollegestudents, young professionals (trying to save to buy a house, etc.), and even other members (who might have kids to support and send to college) are all feeling the economic leanness. Maybe we need to have a GoFundMe. I read somewhere that some people are doing that to fund their college educations.
Anyway, if you are a health systems engineer or a health provider then I believe SHS is the right group for you. You get to meet the people who help improve the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, etc. Learn from the best. The definition of the best depends on different factors and weights on those factors. People have different objectives, constraints and goals đŸ˜‰
Administrators, nurses, medical doctors, professors, students, etc. attend the HSPI Conference. We analyze health processes and systems using simulation and math modeling and consider human factors by using data, observing, and talking to people. I encourage people to try a session in a field you are not familiar with. For me, I try to attend at least one human factors session because I never formally learned human factors nor ergonomics at WPI. If you cannot make it to the conference, then join to access IISE webinars.
We need to communicate more and break out of our silos. Breaking silos and promoting integration (not differentiation!) are one of the reasons I chose to be an industrial and systems engineer. As I’ve gotten older and learned more about the world and systems, I realized that social workers are like the health systems engineers of society.
I care about continuous improvement of self and continuous improvement of others. Learning from and supporting others are core parts of societies. That is why I am part of SHS.
If you have read my other blog posts or know me in real life, then you would know that I have been struggling with mental illness for a while now. IISE SHS members have supported me through this. I am still friends with the Lehigh University students (who are now working professionals) who adopted me into their group when I was the only WPI student at a HSPI Conference. A few of us went to Disney’s Magic Kingdom together after an Orlando based conference. We used apps, maps and heuristics to maximize the number of rides we go on/minimize our wait times. Waiting was fun though. We got to know each other while waiting.
Another time Ashley, Qing, (I forgot who else) Tom? (we worked for/with the New England VERC), and I went to Universal Studios together. That is more my (need for) speed đŸ˜‰
Sometimes it can be very lonely if you work in a small organization or in a remote area. Healthcare is tough. Joining SHS can combat that. We collaborate and confide in each other.
I will not be attending 2020 HSPI Conference. I am trying to save money to go to Bergen for The 38th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society. I’ve never traveled to Europe before and want to visit my friends who live in/are from France and Germany. I dislike traveling but love seeing my friends so I want to make the most of it.
Hope to see you in 2021 HSPI Conference! I am very friendly and love talking about Operations Research/Industrial and Systems Engineering…which span a lot of things. It’s everywhere!
Please correct me if I am wrong. I am lazy and don’t like writing, nor editing, nor presenting…but I try.
Oh yeah! There is an incentive for me to recruit/sponsor you. I am trying to get 2nd or 3rd place to help fund my studies and travels. Trying to sell an iPad would be too much work for me. Please message me here or email me ctang@wpi.edu if you join because of this message.
Soft Rock OR. Inclusive OR. Not exclusive OR! 