From the President’s Desk

Hello AAHQ members,

I hope you are all having a good spring.

There are many new things happening in the quality arena of healthcare right now and I wanted to highlight a few I thought might be of interest:

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is merging with the National Patient Safety Foundation (NFPS) on May 1, 2017.  It will be interesting to see what changes this will bring when these two powerful entities unite.

As you know, the national health care reform debate continues.  The focus is on rising costs for the consumer as a part of the political debate. However purchasing/payment/accountability and measurement are continuing as important topics in the health care delivery process no matter what outcome of the political debate.

By now I am sure many of you will have seen the latest Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert (SEA) # 57 (https://www.jointcommission.org/sea_issue_57/ ) that came out on March 1, 2017.  The SEA addresses the essential role of leadership in developing a culture of safety and includes a wealth of information about patient safety and the safety culture foundation, Just Culture and High Reliability Organizations.  James Reason, safety leader from Manchester, England, who gave us the Swiss cheese model is also included.  The SEA also covers the work from Lucien Leape about joy and meaning in the work place. Other issues discussed are the second victim and my favorite, treating each other with dignity and respect.

Finally, the Joint Commission outlines their 11 suggested actions or Tenets of a Safety Culture. Since I have a special interest in human behavior I was excited to see the 3rd Safety Tenet is about leaders championing efforts to eradicate intimidating behaviors.  As probably all of us have experienced, intimidating behaviors have been around for a long time as well as the efforts to handle them.  I am particularly interested to see how this tenet unfolds and is handled in various organizations.  When I started working in healthcare in 1977 the Joint Commission did not have any standards about “disruptive behaviors”.  So I appreciate the progress that has been made in the recognition of the existence of these behaviors as well as the efforts in place to attempt to address them.

This is my most favorite Sentinel Event Alert yet!  And since I have been doing some reading for college courses I was actually fascinated to learn how much work has already been done on being kind to each other in healthcare.

On a more local note your board is continuing to work very hard for educational efforts for you and we should have some announcements about future educational opportunities coming soon.

Thank you very much for what you do for your patients, and please be kind to each another!

Teresa Jeffus, SRN, RN, CPHQ, CPPS
AAHQ President

Professional Development Roundup

Submitted by Shannon Finley

The Professional Development Team needs YOU: Call for Abstracts!

AAHQ’s Board of Directors understand that educational conferences are one of the most visible services to the membership and central to our mission as an organization; however, all-day meetings are becoming more difficult for members to attend. After much consideration, the AAHQ Board of Directors voted to offer one educational conference instead of both spring and fall sessions. The following were primary considerations in making this decision: 

 

1. AAHQ has an obligation to offer excellent continuing education opportunities to members.
2. Many facilities only pay for one educational conference each year for members.
3. Educational webinars or conference calls can be viable option for educational offerings.
4. Partnering with other organizations, to offer educational sessions, help build professional networks and emphasizes Arkansas’ dedication to quality across the healthcare continuum.

With the change to one all-day conference in Fall 2017, AAHQ asks that you consider submitting an abstract highlighting some of the ways that you/your teams are changing the face of healthcare around Arkansas! Presentations are encouraged from any of the following topic areas: Patient and Family Engagement, Leadership, Safety/Reducing Harm, Care Coordination, Communication, Quality Initiatives, Performance Improvement, Using Data to Drive Change and/or ‘Lessons-Learned’.

Please send the following information to Shannon Finley at sfinley55@gmail.com  by July 1, 2017 for abstract consideration.

Name:

Credentials:

Title:

Organization:

Email:        

Phone:

Biography (100 words or less):

Co-presenters (provide contact information and 100-word biographies for each co-presenter):

Title of Presentation:

Topic Area(s) of Submission:

Description of Presentation (200 words or less):

The AAHQ Professional Development Team will evaluate abstract submissions on the following criteria:

1. Clarity and organization: Abstract submissions should present topics/ideas in a logical, easy-to-follow format. Titles should be brief, clearly indicating the nature of the topic. Text should be grammatically accurate.
2. Relevance to Healthcare Quality
3. Innovation in Healthcare Quality

Accepted presenters will receive email notification by July 15, 2017 with additional guidelines to complete for continuing education requirements.

Congratulations to our new CPHQs in Arkansas:

 

2016

Shannon Finley

Diana Ramsey

Rhonda Reed

Dustin Edward Rhodes

Beth M Schooley

Devin K Terry

David A Vrudny

Nancy E Wilkins

2017

Shelly (Michelle) Armstrong

Tracey Carey

Melissa Hanna

Joseph Jimmerson

Beverly Seaberg

If you would like to serve on the Professional Development Team or have any suggestions, please contact Shannon Finley at sfinley55@gmail.com.

Membership Services Update

Submitted by Karen Donaldson

Who is AAHQ?  

AAHQ currently has 106 active members.  This number will increase as a few of our “slow” renewals trickle in, having ended last year with 135 members.  We are a very diverse group as far as where we work, job duties, and backgrounds. However, we all share a passion for providing the best quality of healthcare in Arkansas, and are always on the lookout for ways to make it better.  

AAHQ membership encompasses many of the healthcare professions and settings.  About half of the 75 Arkansas hospitals are represented in the membership.  There is room for growth in bringing some of these other hospitals into our group, although some quality departments cover their partner facilities.  Only 4 of 29 Critical Access Hospitals are represented, though some may be covered under corporate oversight, such as with Baptist, Mercy, and other larger entities.  In addition to hospitals, also represented are Home Health, Long Term Care, Ambulatory Care, Regulatory Agencies, Mental Health Services, Correctional Services, Quality Improvement Organizations, Clinics, Informatics, and others.

Approximately 50% of our members are RNs, with a sprinkling of Medical Technologists, Health Information, IT and other backgrounds.  Most occupy some quality related position within their organizations, ranging from Director of Quality, CEO, Quality/Data Analyst, Consultants, Patient Safety, Compliance, Risk Management, COO, Privacy Officer, Education, Case Management, Infection Control, Nursing Administration, and others.  Around 32% of our members are CPHQs.  We all bring something to the table.  We can all benefit ourselves and our organizations by our membership and involvement in AAHQ.  

So as I said, a VERY diverse group…..with a common focus, in an ever-evolving industry.   

Benefits of AAHQ Membership

Without fail, whenever I ask someone why they are a member of AAHQ or what benefit they receive from their membership, the answer is first and foremost – networking.  We have a state-wide membership, representing organizations with diverse healthcare related services, and members with different backgrounds and areas of expertise.  So networking opportunities abound.  If you are new in the profession, or seasoned, there is something to be learned from each other.  We are all willing to share what we are doing and how it is working, and any of us can have a better idea or process.  We encounter similar problems and successes and it is wonderful to have a new idea explained, or to have our own idea validated.  

The second most common response is education and professional development.  AAHQ offers up-to-date educational conferences, informational newsletters, CPHQ review courses, and other events throughout the year, aimed at fulfilling our member’s needs for staying on the cutting edge of healthcare quality and its continuing changes.  Nursing and CPHQ continuing education hours are offered.

In addition, AAHQ offers leadership and development opportunities, through membership on the Board, involvement in teams or committees, opportunities to speak at conferences, and through publishing articles in the newsletter.  Participation at the national level is also encouraged and supported whenever possible.   Scholarships are often offered to enhance growth of our organization and its members.   

Members also enjoy a reduced rate at the educational conferences, a cutting edge website, communications through social media, and support in obtaining the CPHQ certification.  Visit the Members Only portion of the website for more information, tools and resources.  www.arkahq.org

Member Spotlight: 

Elizabeth Lash

Elizabeth is the Medical Staff Quality Coordinator at Baxter Regional Medical Center, a role she moved into recently.  She has worked in the Quality Department since the fall of 2014, beginning as the Process Improvement and Implementation Specialist.  She received her BS in Nursing from UCA in 2010. She is also a member of APIC.  

Elizabeth says she “felt called into the field of Nursing to care for those in need and to make a difference in the lives of others.  When a position in Quality became available, I knew that I wanted to pursue that avenue of Nursing.  It allows me to influence the care we give to all our patients, and make a difference on a larger scale.  We often use the phrase One is Not None here at BRMC, meaning that if there is potential for even one patient to experience harm, there is still work to be done!”  

In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys reading and spending time with friends and family and she is the proud Dog Mom of the sweetest Wheaten Terrier named Rosie!  She says AAHQ has provided her an opportunity to network with other professionals that are passionate about the work we do in the field of quality.  Networking and the educational opportunities offered by AAHQ helps renew her zeal and broaden her knowledge in the field of Quality.  Elizabeth is shown here with Rosie – she is a cutie!

Member Spotlight: 

Lavanda Gangluff, APN, MSN, CPHQ

Lavanda has been working in Quality since 2004, and is currently the Baptist Health System Director for Quality and Case Coordination.  She received her Bachelors and MSN from ASU in Jonesboro, and is licensed as a CNS – Clinical Nurse Specialist, RNP – Nurse Practitioner, APN – Advanced Practice Nurse; CPHQ and CCM-Certified Case Manager.  She is also a member of the ACMA – American Case Management Association.  She got into quality because she wanted to have an impact on improving quality of care for large populations of patients rather than only on an individual basis.  Her Quality Philosophy is “devotion, compassion and empathy for every individual”, believing excellence in care comes from the study of evidence based findings, rationales and realistic interventions, standardizations with flexibility for individualizing care, and a non-wavering commitment to safest, highest quality care for every patient.  

When not working she enjoys hiking the state parks, vegetable and flower gardening. She collects vintage album covers and loves classic country and rock music.  She is also a PBS Masterpiece Theater junkie, and an avid reader of pretty much everything.  She enjoys fly fishing on the Little Red River with husband, Ron.  Her other family consists of Kitty Cat and Smokey, and lots of brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.    

She says AAHQ gives her an opportunity to network with other quality professionals and enjoys the newsletters. “It is rather validating to know that others are experiencing the same difficulties and it is rewarding to assist a peer in overcoming challenges.”  Lavanda is a busy lady and very passionate about healthcare quality.  

Communications Update

Submitted by Dalana Pittman

The AAHQ Communications Team is continuing to refine our processes throughout 2017. As mentioned in previous newsletters, we began the year by completely revamping how we store historical documents and how we collaborate on work within the organization. We are increasing our social media presence and working towards adding other social media to our communications line. As always, we appreciate the feedback you’ve given us over the last year and look to you for guidance with any new offerings you would like to see from our team.

For anyone interested in joining the communications team, please send an email to aahq2017@gmail.com or dpittman@americandatanetwork.com

We’d love to hear from you!

Finance Action Team Update

Submitted by Lynnette Jack

The goal of the Finance Team is to manage funds to support the mission, vision, goals and objectives of AAHQ.  The past few years have seen a strong, positive trend in our financials due in part to successful educational conferences and reduced expenses.  The return of the NAHQ Next Annual Conference and the approval to send the three elected board members is an anticipated expense for 2017.

The strong financial standing of AAHQ enables us to provide four scholarships to the 2017 Governor’s Quality Award Healthcare Seminar “Engaging Arkansans for Better Healthcare Outcomes” being held in Little Rock on June 20.  The scholarships are first come, first serve, so send an email to Lynnette Jack for this $50 value.

Reimbursement for the CPHQ examination may be considered for members applying for this assistance, if funds are available.  If you are interested, you may contact any board member who will be able to respond to any questions you may have about this benefit.

Our financial balance as of March 30, 2017 was $38,793.04.  Thank you for all the member support that makes the work of AAHQ possible!

  

External Relations

Submitted by David Vrudny

Arkansas Department of Health Rolling Out New Acute Stroke Ready Hospital Designation Program

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) is planning to soon roll-out a statewide stroke designation program to give Arkansas hospitals an opportunity to become designated as Arkansas Stroke Ready Hospitals (ArSRHs). Arkansas’s stroke system of care consists of Joint Commission certified Primary Stroke Centers and ADH designated ArSRHs. Hospitals designated as ArSRHs are capable of providing time-critical care to the stroke patient, including initial emergency evaluation, real-time stroke assessment and treatment through telemedicine. Hospitals recognized with the ArSRH designation will partner with both Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the Arkansas Trauma Communications Center (ATCC) to improve outcomes by helping ensure stroke patients are rapidly assessed and transported to the most appropriate hospital. EMS providers screen patients with standardized protocols to effectively recognize stroke and make sure patients receive timely care. EMS participating in the program contact the ATCC where dispatchers access a real-time dashboard for routing stroke patients to the most suitable hospital based on capacity and distance from the patient.

If your hospital in interested in becoming designated as an ArSRH, please contact David Vrudny, Stroke and STEMI System Manager with the Arkansas Department of Health at email address david.vrudny@arkansas.gov or phone number 501-661- 2096.

New Telemedicine Legislation Becomes Law in Arkansas

On February 20, 2017, The Telemedicine Act was created when Arkansas Senate Bill 146 received approval to become Act 203. This legislation, introduced by Senator Cecile Bledsoe, aims to reduce restrictions on telemedicine performed across the state and increase access to healthcare for Arkansans.

Telemedicine is defined in Act 203 as “…the use of electronic information and communication technology to deliver healthcare services, including without limitation the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient.” The bill relaxes restrictions on telemedicine in Arkansas by changing the state’s existing telemedicine law in the following ways:

• Expands the definition of “originating site” to where the establishment of a professional physician-patient relationship can take place from having to be a licensed health care facility to anywhere the patient is at the time (note: a professional relationship must be established prior to the delivery of telemedicine; if not done in-person at a licensed healthcare facility this can now be completed wherever the patient is using combined real-time audio/visual technology)
• Changes the definition of telemedicine to include any form of electronic communications and
• Provides parity in coverage and reimbursement to the health benefit plan for both in-person medical care and telemedicine services.

Some key stakeholders who have voiced their support for the bill include Wal-Mart, JB Hunt, Tyson Foods, Mercy Health, America’s Car Mart, AARP Arkansas, UAMS and the Arkansas Medical Society

New Heart Attack Registry Forming in Arkansas

As we know, heart attack has had a significant impact on our state. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Arkansas leads the nation in heart attack mortality and heart disease is the number one killer of Arkansans. The American Heart Association tells us every 40 seconds someone suffers a heart attack. I imagine you have friends and family who have been affected by this debilitating disease.

In January 2017, the Arkansas STEMI Advisory Council (STAC) under the direction of Arkansas Department of Health Director Dr. Nathaniel Smith was created to help coordinate efforts for reducing the impact of heart attack across the state. The STAC consists of Arkansas-based healthcare professionals including interventional cardiologists, EMS providers, nurses and public health officials. The STAC recommends the creation of an Arkansas Heart Attack Registry as an important step to reduce heart attack morbidity and mortality.

We invite Arkansas hospitals capable of providing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) therapy to join the Arkansas Heart Attack Registry. For more information about participating in this program, please contact the ADH Stroke and STEMI Systems Manager David Vrudny at email address david.vrudny@arkansas.gov or phone number 501-661-2096. This program will partner with your hospital’s STEMI team and local Emergency Medical Services providers to improve clinical outcomes and the quality of life for heart attack victims in Arkansas. Additionally, if you would like to attend STAC meetings, please let David know and you will receive meeting details.

Book Reviews

Reflecting on Healthcare Quality and the Relationship to Quality of Life: A Book Review
Submitted by Pam Cochran

Daily, quality professionals are challenged to create the passion necessary to inspire and affect change.  The work is both rewarding and exhausting.  Recently, I experienced renewed inspiration after reading the personal memoir of Paul Kalanithi.  Dr. Kalanithi’s autobiography, titled When Breath Becomes Air, reminds me that our work not only improves healthcare quality, but positively impacts the quality of life for those receiving care and treatment.

Dr. Kalanithi’s struggles began his last year of neurosurgery residency at Stanford University.  As a chief neurosurgery resident, Dr. Kalanithi’s schedule and work responsibilities were almost unimaginable.  Eventually, he could not continue to attribute his failing health to being overworked.  He was just 36 years old when he was diagnosed with lung cancer.  He never smoked. In his book, Dr. Kalanithi shares his thoughts, hurts, prognosis, and worry for his beloved wife and daughter with us.  Part II of the read is aptly titled Cease Not till Death.  He learned to live life to the fullest and face death courageously, until he lost his battle in March, 2015.  He died at the young age of 37, his book unfinished, as was his brilliant life

The epilogue is lovingly written by his wife, Dr. Lucy Kalanithi.  She beautifully writes about his search to learn and live a meaningful life. One particular line states, “Paul’s decision not to avert his eyes from death epitomizes a fortitude we don’t celebrate enough in our death-avoidant culture”.  Wow, what inspiring examples of courage and strength in the face of death.  His work reminds us to live life, even in the face of death, until the end.  Her words remind us of love, pain, loss, and hope.

As quality professionals, we frequently read and re-read standards and other quality publications.  Dr. Kalanithi’s book is not filled with information about safe medical practices, evidence-based psychotherapy, proper hand hygiene, MRI safety, or the multitude of other quality concerns professionals work to improve.  But, we know it lives there.  While reading this book, my hope was for his care to be of the highest quality, at a most reliable hospital, where the focus was on safety and improving his life.

Chassin and Loeb (2011) identified three shared attributes of highly reliable organizations.  The seminal work by leaders of The Joint Commission continues to be the model for organizations working to provide care that is consistent and of the highest quality.  The three defining characteristics are a leadership driven focus on quality, a culture of safety for all who work in the organization, and importantly, a robust process improvement practice.  Leadership is ultimately responsible, but it is the healthcare professional who strives to make improvement initiatives exciting and meaningful for those who do the work providing care.

The books I keep in my library are pristine.  I do not bend bindings or dog-ear pages.  However, my copy of When Breath Becomes Air, is worn and tattered from personal use and sharing with others. I encourage you to read this book and enjoy the work and story of a truly remarkable life.

Pam Cochran MSN, RN-BC, CPHQ

References

Chassin, M. R., & Loeb, J. M. (2011). The ongoing quality improvement journey: Next stop, high reliability. Health Affairs, 30(4), 559-568. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0076

Kalanithi, P. (2016). When breath becomes air. New York, NY: Random House.

The Use of Hypnosis at the End of Life
Submitted by Lisa Sigsworth RN

Hypnosis has long been used in grief counseling therapy.  Repetition techniques can reiterate positive messages until the patient or the caregiver begins to feel more at peace. Regression therapy can take them back to happier memories and more emotionally fulfilling times. Guided imagery creates the most transformative visions of a future for people who are near death, as they imagine themselves going to that comforting white light that so many speak of. Post-hypnotic suggestions can help them bring a little more joy to their everyday lives.  This is a wonderful therapy for end-of-life care.

Do you realize that you are hypnotized every day? Social hypnosis is continuous. We are constantly overloaded with information and messages targeted specifically for our subconscious minds. Advertisers know that once a message reaches our subconscious it can become an accepted belief. They also know that in the process of becoming relaxed and focused in front of a television or computer screen, it softens our critical conscious mind and opens our subconscious to receive their messages. Our conscious mind evaluates everything we hear and see everyday of our lives. Our EGO accepts some items and rejects others. Advertisers use these moments to convince us that we want to buy, eat or use what they have to sell. There are two ways that messages can reach our subconscious mind. One is by just hoping that the conscious mind will just let it in, or two by relaxing  the analytical conscious mind into allowing the message to go through.

Hypnosis can be done by a hypnotherapist; through the efforts of an advertising firm, or by a Magnetic Religious/Life-Coaching person and is based on simple techniques. Hypnosis can be as subtle as a 30 second television ad showing cars, soft drinks or even food; or as involved as a formal session designed to modify behavior. It can be divisive or benevolent.

How can hypnosis help my patients and their family?  Hypnosis uses meditation and concentration to bring into focus trigger points. For this discussion, trigger points are those issues which have significant meaning in a person’s life.  In order for a person to begin to let go of goals and trigger points, the person has to safely begin to detach and withdraw. Hypnosis is a conduit for safely allowing the person to “make peace” with dying. There are many preconceived notions about hypnosis. Many are true and some are exaggerated!  For this article, we will stay directed on hypnosis for focused meditation.  Hypnosis can be an enriching session allowing the person to begin the process of transitional detachment at the end of life.

What is Transitional Detachment? Transitional Detachment is the event when you move or pass from one state to another with the goal of disengagement. This stage coincides with the second to the fourth stages of grieving and loss. It is marked by shifting attitudes and acceptance of physical, emotional and mental instability and unpredictability. Disengagement and withdrawal from previously enjoyable activities happens. This may include moving away from loved ones, activities, hobbies and interests you once previously enjoyed. In this process a person can begin to let go of goals and objectives in order to decrease the emotional and spiritual pain of dying.  It is the beginning of completing unfinished business with family, friends and co-workers; asking for forgiveness and self-forgiveness for any perceived wrong-doings. The patient may begin releasing pent-up emotions that have been locked in the body and releasing attachments that may be preventing them from letting go of life on earth. The process of reconnecting disowned parts of themselves including their soul can help with developing or maintaining a strong spiritual connection. The end result being the release of pain, anxiety and stress related to the dying process. By using focused meditation, guided imagery and subtle hypnosis, the patient and family can be gently led to making peaceful decisions and reduce the stress surrounding the stages of death and dying.

Now, you may wonder just how hypnosis can be done by someone who is not trained and doesn’t know anything about it. You can begin the process by using active listening and artful guidance.

The simple process of actively listening does three things. It supplies you with information, creates a trusting therapeutic relationship and more importantly it helps the patient and caregivers to relax and focus. You can see the relaxation occurring as they speak. This may not be obvious on your first visit but it is happening through the power of trust. Some families haven’t had a moment of peace or trust their whole lives and they are not going to start with you! So remain open minded, realistic and patient.  Once your patient and caregivers are relaxed and focused, HOW you speak and WHAT you say can offer profound impact and direction. You will need to speak slowly, confidently, with direct eye contact and use positive affirming tones in order to get the point across and activity in motion.

Artful guidance is assisting with bundling the emotional and physical chaos so you can better offer direction, validation and clarity in a way that directs growth and success. By directing order and control, you create the environment to become relaxed and focused. When the patient and caregivers are relaxed, the better attention they pay to everything you say. In this relaxed state, your words and suggestions can reach their subconscious mind and have a more dramatic impact on their ability to cope and make decisions while dealing with their own issues of grief. Your words become their words and their actions. The repetition of supportive constructive suggestions and affirmations to those in a more relaxed and focused state of mind can have an enormous therapeutic effect.

It sounds much harder than it is. Just think about active listening and clarifying what the person has said. Many years ago, one of my wise teachers told me that hypnosis is just a mirror confirming what we already know, but was afraid to realize. He also told me that I was the professional in the room and to remember this in a humble way when with the patient.  You too can remember these words and actions when dealing with patients and families in the throes of end of life care and decisions.

My book, Crossing Over: Your Guide to Dying with Dignity is a good resource for anyone making their last journey or anyone helping those at the end of life.  It gives clarity and assistance to those seeking emotional and mental guidance on how to let go of personal goals, how to transition between the stages of grieving and loss and positive affirmations to utilize with each stage. The use of hypnosis, guided imagery or meditation is ingrained into nurses in nursing school, everyday life and every time we go to work. Use them and add dimensions to your work!

Articles

Continuing the Path to Quality Improvement
Submitted by Brenda Jacobs DNP APRN
CEO Daughters of Charity Services of Arkansas

Here at Daughters of Charity Services of Arkansas (DCS-ARK) we continue on the path to Quality Improvement. I return today to expound on our conversation in November on creating a culture of Quality. I am happy to report much progress has been made since our last conversation. We have most recently completed our assessment of the organization and current practices and protocols.  We have also managed to have our current Electronic Medical Record (EMR) assessed for readiness for data extraction. Early on we learned there was a lack of expert knowledge on features of the current EMR. Through an expert outside consultant, members of our team have been trained on features of the EMR that may assist us to achieve our goal.

As a result of the organization assessment we have achieved the following:

• Establishment of a defined quality team and quality plan
• Enhanced use of the EMR
• Improved methods of data collection and reporting on clinical quality measures (CQM)
• Improved associate and provider engagement
• Organized monthly Quality Team Meetings

All of the achievements listed above will help move us toward the culture we wish to create. While we recognize we still have some barriers that must be crossed, we feel confident it can be accomplished.

Some of the barriers we continue to face are:

• Total provider and associate engagement.
• Clear and concise conversations on the importance of quality.

DCS-ARK, along with our parent company Ascension Health, has recently completed a Ministry Positioning Study or Strategic Plan over the last five months to identify detailed steps for the next 3 years. During conversations, we identified a culture of continuous quality improvement to be an important factor in a competitive health care  market. Many of the steps outlined in our plan include a focus on quality and improved outcomes.

DCS-ARK leadership is also in the early stages of implementation of care coordination. The leadership team recently completed the first stage of training at the Stanford Coordinated Care Program. The second phase of training will take place in May 2017. This training will assist us in implementing care coordination for our patients and families which will assist in improved outcomes for those with chronic medical conditions.

An additional major hurdle includes implementation of daily huddles in all service areas. After 4 weeks of successful staff huddles, we performed a PDSA cycle to determine the effectiveness. A few minor adjustments were made from what we learned.

So as of this date, we are experiencing progress. There are now daily conversations on quality and how we can make adjustments to meet our goals. Some of those conversations are geared toward soliciting commitment and engagement from providers and associates, data input and extraction and workflow monitoring,

As a healthcare organization striving to make a difference in the Arkansas Delta, we are committed to the challenge of assessing and implanting changes to achieve our goal. The path is sometimes uphill with a few collisions along the way but progress is being made.

Using Data Inventory to Identify the Big Data You Need
Submitted by Susan Allen

Patient records. Treatment plans. Event reports. Medication orders. Supply distributions. In a healthcare facility, data collection sources are  without end. And that’s what we want, right? Big data. True, the more data we have, the more relevant data we have. However, it’s essential that we are able to differentiate the data that we really need; so, we can use it effectively.

A good first step is to really think about why we collect so much data. If accountability is our primary goal, metrics can become regarded as more of a necessary evil than a valuable agent of insight, but if we shift toward a “collect to learn” mindset, we can stimulate continuous improvement.  Next, we need to consider the steps that must be taken to skillfully manage the mountain of data created in our system. How do we convert that, which in its raw, unorganized state is virtually useless, into the wisdom needed to make sound decisions? Conducting a comprehensive data inventory is a challenging yet vital starting point.

Performing a data inventory is the only way to identify gaps and redundancies in the collection process, and it’s the best way to improve and streamline collection in order to put actionable information in the hands of decision makers. Ultimately, teams will be able to spend less time cleaning data and more time on analysis and strategizing.

Working together, administration and IT can obtain needed feedback from key departments to provide a more clear perspective of  data collection across a system. Here are 5 steps that provide a framework for getting started:

1. Develop a system-wide data inventory tracking tool or spreadsheet. This tool should provide a basic snapshot of your data, answering questions like: Who is asking for the data? What is the source of the data? Where is it housed, and who is responsible for collecting it? How often is it collected? To whom is the data reported and how often?
2. Send a systemwide request asking staff to utilize the new tracking tool by providing input regarding data collection activities in their departments.
3. Develop a data management program that establishes procedures and assigns responsibility for ongoing oversight of data management activities.    
4. Establish an approval process for ongoing data collection activities.
5. Share the findings of your gap analysis and develop an action plan to resolve deficiencies, redundancies, and/or barriers.

Clean, useful data is the best data — the biggest data. For more details associated with these basic steps for conducting a data inventory, watch American Data Network’s Tip Clip, Harmonizing a Data-Deluged Organization.

Our Sponsors

ARKANSAS FOUNDATION FOR MEDICAL CARE

Julie Kettlewell, RNP, AVP of Quality Programs 1020 West 4th Street, Suite 300
Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone 501-212-8740
E-Mail jkettlewell@afmc.org Website www.afmc.org

The Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC) was incorporated in 1972 as a private, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the evaluation and improvement of health care. We are the federally designated quality improvement organization (QIO) for Arkansas. Our staff includes physicians, nurses, statisticians, educators, communicators – professionals with widely varied expertise, at various stages of life and career, who have been on both sides of the health care system. We work with staff in every health care setting and offer free tools and resources, such as educational materials for patients and providers and help with Medicare and Medicaid issues. We review certain types of health care paid for by Medicare and Medicaid to ensure high-quality, cost-effective care and to resolve beneficiary concerns. We help find evidence-based ways to improve preventive care as well as treatment and management of specific illnesses and conditions. We are also a health information technology regional extension center (HITREC), federally funded to provide technical assistance to health care providers as they make the transition to electronic health records. Our roles and responsibilities are constantly evolving, but they all serve the purpose of building support systems and partnerships, and helping focus the efforts of the health care community, agencies and organizations toward common goals. Together, we’re working to make health care safer, more effective and more efficient.

BANCORPSOUTH INSURANCE SERVICES, INC. Tom Hesselbein, CPCU, Executive VP, Healthcare (Ramsey, Krug, Farrell & Lensing) 8315 Cantrell Road, Suite 300 Little Rock, AR 72227 Phone 501-614-1134 Email Tom_Hesselbein@rkfl.com

 

AMERICAN DATA NETWORK
Sherry Bird, Director, Business Development 10809 Executive Center Dr., Searcy Building Suite 300 Little Rock, AR 72211
Phone 501-225-5533
E-mail sbird@americandatanetwork.com
Website www.americandatanetwork.com

Founded in 1994, American Data Network provides clinical, quality, safety and financial data applications and services to healthcare executives, allowing them to better manage costs and care quality, influence physician practice patterns and meet demands for public accountability and disclosure.

2016 Board of Directors

President
Teresa Jeffus
501-296-1009
501686-8175 fax
JeffusTeresaM@uams.edu

 

 

Past-President
Phyllis Dorrough
501-202-1276
501-202-1159 fax
phyllis.dorrough@baptist-health.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President – Elect
Pam Cochran
501-257-3087
501-257-3110 fax
autocontrols@att.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secretary
Margaret Corbett
501-5135735
501-513-5312 fax
mcorbett@conwayregional.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action Team Leaders

Protocol
Pam Blake
870-718-1724
nursepamblake@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professional Dev.
Shannon Finley
501-296-1010
501-686-8175
Sfinley55@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

Membership Srv.
Karen Donaldson
870-382-7657
870-3382-6555 fax
kdonaldson@deltamem.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finance
Lynette Jack
501-379-8980
501-407-9288 fax
mqrs@comcast.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Communication
Dalana Pittman
501-537-7944
501-225-5539 fax
dpittman@americandatanetwork.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

External Relations
David Vrudny
501-661-2096
501-280-4207 fax
David.Vrudny@arkansas.gov

 

 

 

 

AHA Liaison

Cindy Harris
501-224-7878
501-224-0519 fax
charris@arkhospitals.org

 

 

 

Member at Large
Beth Schooley
870-845-8014
870-845-4178  fax
beths@howardmemorial.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editor: Dalana Pittman
American Data Network
Little Rock, AR