Blogs

PHILADELPHIA ASQ MEMBER HIGHLIGHT - Melissa Duong

By Janet Lentz posted 09/15/24
PHILADELPHIA ASQ MEMBER HIGHLIGHT - MELISSA DUONG Melissa T. Duong, PA(ASCP)CM is a Pathologists' Assistant in the Philly area dedicated to improving healthcare quality. A graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Biological Sciences, Minor in Philosophy, and MS as a Pathologists' Assistant, she also completed a healthcare business certificate from Wharton School of Business and ASQ Certified Six Sigma Green Belt. She started at Penn Medicine Princeton and HNL Lab Medicine, where she also served as Process Excellence Lead, and returned to Penn Medicine as Associate Director of Anatomic Pathology at Chester County. There, she applies her growth mindset ...

SnapCab Lean Culture Tour

By Janet Lentz posted 07/08/24
I’d like to give a huge shoutout to SnapCab and their amazing Lean Culture Tour. We had a great time learning about their incredible lean journey. Their people were knowledgeable and highly motivated towards continual improvement. We left envious of their culture and their processes. Many thanks to Manny Veloso for suggesting our section take this tour.

10 Tips for Communicating with Senior Managers

By Janet Lentz posted 06/29/24
For Quality professionals, communicating with senior managers effectively requires a strategic approach. Oftentimes we are perceived as a “necessary evil” required by customers, so we are often dismissed as lacking value. Here are 10 key tips for optimizing your chances of getting your message through. 1. Be Clear and Concise - Senior managers are pressed for time. Get to the point quickly. Focus only on key points. Avoid unnecessary details. 2. Know Your Audience - Understand their priorities and concerns. Tailor your message to align with their goals and interests. 3. Prepare Thoroughly - Know your stuff. Anticipate questions. Have data ...

Respect Your Quality Manager Like Your Doctor

By Janet Lentz posted 05/22/24
IMPROVE YOUR OUTCOMES - RESPECT YOUR QUALITY MANAGER LIKE YOUR DOCTOR Quality managers and doctors use similar skill sets. So why do you listen to your doctor with respect and dismiss your Quality Professional? Root Cause Analysis - Just as doctors diagnose illnesses, QPs diagnose problems within processes, systems, or products. Both use various tools and techniques to identify the root causes of issues. Preventive Action - Doctors focus on preventive medicine to keep patients healthy. QPs keep your QMS healthy by implementing preventive measures to avoid defects or failures in processes and products. Continual Improvement - Both aim ...

Respect Your Quality Manager Like Your Lawyer

By Janet Lentz posted 05/20/24
RESPECT YOUR QUALITY MANAGER LIKE YOUR LAWYER. It has struck me more than once how, as a quality professional, I needed to think and act like a lawyer. Quality professionals are a lot like lawyers to the people they serve. Lawyers give legal advice to clients based on their experience and expertise in the law. QPs give advice to organizations based on their experience and expertise in Quality. They both give advice everyone wants to hear - until they hear the price. Lawyers help you avoid jail, quality professionals help you avoid defects - and sometimes jail. Lawyers ensure clients don’t end up as fodder for the next episode of “Law ...

Thank You ASQ for a Successful 2024 WCQI

By Janet Lentz posted 05/17/24
I had the good fortune to attend this years World Conference on Quality and Improvement (WCQI) in San Diego, CA. I'd like to thank our Board of Directors and our fabulous Events Team for putting on such a great conference. There was plenty of networking and learning opportunities. I especially liked Member Leader Day. I learned a lot and look forward to next year's events. I'd like to give a shout out to @Monica Rynders for helping once again with the volunteers and scheduling. Great job! Another shout our to my partner in crime, Betsy Macht, for co-chairing the site committee with me for the second year in a row.

Auditing from Multiple Perspectives

By Janet Lentz posted 05/05/24
In quality auditing, success hinges on the ability to perceive, assess, and correct problems. Embracing diverse viewpoints is crucial. Different auditors bring unique experiences, backgrounds, and expertise to the table. This diversity fosters a multifaceted approach to problem identification, ensuring that issues are thoroughly examined from various angles. By uncovering discrepancies that might have otherwise been overlooked, having multiple perspectives mitigates the risk of systemic errors and enhances the overall accuracy of quality audits. We operate in a complex economy that includes increasingly diverse cultural environments. Auditors who possess ...

NEW Mid-Atlantic Region LinkedIn Page

By Janet Lentz posted 04/26/24
Follow the new Mid-Atlantic Region LinkedIn for more information about activities in our area.

Meet Our 5/22/24 Speaker - Nancy Sperliing

By Janet Lentz posted 04/19/24
On 5/22/24 Philly ASQ will have the honor of hearing Nancy Sperling speak about Counterfeit Drugs as part of Philly ASQ's new "Members Teaching Members initiative. Nancy will speak just prior to our monthly meeting program, Incorporating Risk Management into Process Improvement with Tony DiMarinis. This is a FREE webinar open to everyone. 5/22/24 5:30 - 6:30 pm EDT Nancy Sperling Counterfeit Drugs 6:30 - 8:30 pm EDT Tony DiMarinis Incorporating Risk Management into Process Improvement Register for BOTH webinars with one convenient link. Register Here. ABOUT OUR SPEAKER Nancy is a Quality Assurance and Regulatory ...

Meet Our 5/22/24 Speaker with Registration Link - Tony DiMarinis

By Janet Lentz posted 04/19/24
Next month Philly ASQ will have the honor of hearing Tony DiMarinis speak about I ncorporating Risk Management into Process Improvement . This is a FREE virtual meeting open to everyone. May 22, 2024 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm EDT Registration Link Here Note: Earn additional RUs by joining early at 5:30 PM EDT to hear Nancy Sperling speak about Counterfeit Drugs. ABOUT THE TOPIC Effective Risk Management (RM) involves a systematic, data-driven approach to monitoring trends and identifying and mitigating risks before they result in costly delays, rework, product recalls or other unwelcome surprises. Many RM webinars focus mostly reviewing the ...

Another Successful Philly ASQ Women in Quality Event!

By Janet Lentz posted 04/18/24
Another successful Philly ASQ Women in Quality event completed! Many thanks to our panelists Geneva Bowman and Alex Williamson. We enjoyed collaborating with our friends at RAPS.

Philadelphia ASQ WIQ 2024 Is Sold Out!

By Janet Lentz posted 04/11/24
Philadelphia ASQ 2024 Women in Quality is sold out. Thank you to everyone who registered.

You Haven't Missed It! Register soon for WIQ 2024 with Philly ASQ.

By Janet Lentz posted 04/01/24
You haven't missed it! There's still time to register for the joint, in-person meeting of Philadelphia ASQ and RAPS. Don't wait, registration closes soon. Women in Quality Panel Discussion: Women in Healthcare featuring the experience and expertise of Alexandra Williamson and Geneva Bowman, MS, ASQ CQA, ASQ CMQ-OE. Learn how women can support women to be successful in the healthcare field. This event is open to everyone. There is a registration fee of $30 per person, which includes dinner. Students are $20. Wednesday, April 17, 2024 5:00 - 9:00 pm Best Western Plus 3499 Street Road Bensalem, PA 19020 Agenda 5:00 - 6:00 pm Networking ...

Meet Our Panelists - Alexandra Williamson

By Janet Lentz posted 03/15/24
Join Philadelphia ASQ and RAPS for our in-person joint meeting! Women in Quality Panel Discussion: Women in Healthcare featuring the experience and expertise of Alexandra Williamson and Geneva Bowman, MS, ASQ CQA, ASQ CMQ-OE. Learn how women can support women to be successful in the healthcare field. This event is open to everyone. There is a registration fee of $30 per person, which includes dinner. Students are $20. Wednesday, April 17, 2024 5:00 - 9:00 pm Best Western Plus 3499 Street Road Bensalem, PA 19020 Agenda 5:00 - 6:00 pm Networking 6:00 - 7:00 pm Dinner (there is a vegetarian option) 7:00 - 8:30 pm Panel Discussion 8:30 ...

Meet Our Panelists - Geneva Bowman

By Janet Lentz posted 03/15/24
Join Philadelphia ASQ and RAPS for our in-person joint meeting! Women in Quality Panel Discussion: Women in Healthcare featuring the experience and expertise of Alexandra Williamson and Geneva Bowman, MS, ASQ CQA, ASQ CMQ-OE. Learn how women can support women to be successful in the healthcare field. This event is open to everyone. There is a registration fee of $30 per person, which includes dinner. Students are $20. Wednesday, April 17, 2024 5:00 - 9:00 pm Best Western Plus 3499 Street Road Bensalem, PA 19020 Agenda 5:00 - 6:00 pm Networking 6:00 - 7:00 pm Dinner (there is a vegetarian option) 7:00 - 8:30 pm Panel Discussion 8:30 ...

Save the Dates! 2024 Philly ASQ Programs

By Janet Lentz posted 01/04/24
Hello Philly ASQ Members, Our Program Committee has been working hard to put together some fantastic programs for 2024. Here's the plan so far, so save the dates! We are always looking for good speakers, so if you'd like to present, let us know. We'll give you all the help you need to put on a program. January 17th - Failure Modes & Effects Analysis with ASQ Fellow Denis Devos. February 21st - Baldrige: Changes, Communities of Excellence, and New Approaches with MAAPE CEO Bob Bitner https://asq.webex.com/weblink/register/r994659893c8f8d177a3e9326a8267bc6 March 12th - Joint Meeting with ASCM, Voice of the Customer with Tony Belilovskiy ...

You Choose

By Janet Lentz posted 12/26/23
Sometimes life stops you in your tracks. You can sit there, fuming, frustrated, worried, or angry you’re no longer in control of a situation. Or - What an opportunity! To relax. Listen to music. Feel gratitude. Learn something new. Be creative. You choose.

Philly ASQ 2023 Women in Quality is a success!

By Janet Lentz posted 11/16/23
We had a great time at Philly ASQ’s 2023 Women in Quality event. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Marnie Smith, Sr. Director of Quality at Network Partners who spoke about quality culture, and Divya Gowder, CEO of NubGenix who spoke about medical device classifications. We enjoyed the networking and great food. Can’t wait until next year

Worth the Effort

By Janet Lentz posted 11/15/23
WORTH THE EFFORT Yesterday I acquired a heavily tarnished silver plate and two silver cups from Goodwill. It took time and more than a little elbow grease, but eventually I got them to glow. Turns out the plate has a beautiful pattern engraved on it. It’s quite lovely. One of the cups is engraved with a date - 1952. Someone else must have used them, and loved them, long ago. As I scrubbed away the years of neglect, I had time to reflect on how my life is like this silver. My skills and knowledge will tarnish with age unless I continually work to keep them shiny and new. My body will certainly deteriorate unless I live a healthy lifestyle. My relationships ...

Auditing Basics: Interviewing and Data Analysis

By Janet Lentz posted 10/26/23
We had a fabulous response to our October webinar, Auditing Basics: Interviewing and Data Analysis, f eaturing the expertise of Dr. Betsy Macht. The role playing was especially fun. Here's a link to the recording and slide deck in case you missed it: Auditing Basics Webinar Recording Thank you Betsy, for a great presentation.