Spring 2025 AAHQ Newsletter

2025 Spring Newsletter

Please join us for our Spring 2025 Educational Conference. The Arkansas Association for Healthcare Quality (AAHQ) continues to focus on providing you with the most up to date information, and this spring our topics will include education on the new Patient Safety Structural Measure (with a panel of your peers!), Team Building activities, Age Friendly Structural Measure presentation (and ANOTHER panel!) as well as a look at what Arkansas Hospital Association Health Equity Dashboards can offer your hospitals. We look forward to seeing you on May 2!

Online Registration Link: AAHQ Spring 2025 Quality Conference

Full Flyer with biographical information or to print for faxed registrations, click link: AAHQ Conference Brochure

From the President’s Desk

Submitted by: Devin Terry, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, CPHQ

Hello AAHQ Members:

I am so thankful for the sun we have enjoyed over the past week, and I sincerely hope the longer days and warmer weather have made each of your days brighter after the past several months of winter temps and weather. Spring is a time of new beginnings, and the work the AAHQ board has mapped out for 2025 reflects this with plans to ‘renew’ what AAHQ brings to their members. I want to take this opportunity to thank Theresa Jeffus, for her service to the Board as last year’s President. We will be forever grateful for her leadership and guidance. We are diligently working to ensure the benefits offered to our membership align with the ever-changing needs of both healthcare quality professionals and their respective healthcare institutions, which we recognize continue to look different than many of us are accustomed to with challenges with consistent supply chain, personnel, and other challenging factors potentially affecting the quality healthcare Arkansans deserve and Healthcare providers strive to provide. Based on feedback from last year’s Fall Conference, your Board has planned the 2025 Spring Conference, including guest speakers to address some of the challenges identified by the membership. Please see the section of this newsletter containing additional information about educational opportunities for our membership.

Finally, I would like to mention that AAHQ would not be what it is today without our Board members – both past and present – and without YOU, our members. If you are looking for ways to get involved, I encourage you to consider volunteering as a team member on one of our action teams. We have action teams focused on Finance, Membership, Professional Development, Protocols, Communication, and External Relations. Please take the time to visit our website https://www.arkahq.org/, or Social Media pages Facebook & LinkedIn for how you can get involved or for other AAHQ information.

Devin Terry

AAHQ President

From the Past President’s Desk

Submitted by: Teresa Jeffus, MSN, RN, CPHQ, CPPS

I hope you are all staying safe and well, between the respiratory illnesses, measles and Spring storms there are a lot of environmental factors to watch out for right now.

On a happier note, 2025 is going to be a great year for AAHQ educational conferences! With a Spring In-person Conference on May 2^nd and another In-person Conference scheduled in the fall, this is an excellent time to get those CPHQ hours needed to renew your certification. Don’t have a certification? Well, this is a wonderful time to think about becoming certified, especially with scholarships offered from AAHQ. As with previous conferences, the speakers have been selected based on what you, as members said would be most helpful to you in your roles as quality professionals.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Spring Conference!

Teresa Jeffus

AAHQ Past President

Protocol Update

Submitted by: Chelsey Davidson, BS, CPHQ

With Erin Bolton’s transition to the role of President-Elect on the AAHQ Board, this is my first quarter to serve in the role of Protocol Team Lead and I am so excited about this opportunity to continue to assist the Board in a new way. Erin Bolton did a fantastic job as Protocol Team Lead and I’m genuinely looking forward to working with her in her new role as President-Elect. Thank you for all your hard work, Erin!

Every year, one of the Board’s first orders of business is to review our existing bylaws. In this review process, we discuss and propose any potential changes that may allow us to better serve our membership and our mission to engage healthcare quality leaders and improve care and patient safety in Arkansas. After a thorough review, the only bylaw change made for 2025 centers around meeting attendance requirements for AAHQ Board Members. Board members are now required to attend 70% of the regularly scheduled monthly meetings each year, which is a change from the previous wording which stated “Any Board Member absent from two (2) consecutive meetings without just cause shall be deemed as failing to perform the duties of his/her office…”. In recent years, our Board has moved from meeting bi-monthly to monthly. This new 70% attendance requirement promotes the active engagement of members of our Board, while still allowing some flexibility as we are now meeting more frequently. If you have any questions related to this change or our association bylaws, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me for more information.

I would also like to remind you all that we do still have some scholarships available to assist members with obtaining a new CPHQ certification and CPHQ renewals. If you would like more information about this, please reach out to me!

Chelsey Davidson

Protocol Team Lead

Communications Update

Submitted by: Joel Anderson, GC-MGMT, BBA

Happy Spring,

The goal of the AAHQ Communications’ Action Team is to promote recognition and visibility of the AAHQ organization through our website, newsletter publications, and social media platforms. One way to accomplish this goal is by increasing our followers on social media. If you are not currently following us on Facebook and LinkedIn, I would highly encourage you to do so! On social media, you’ll find AAHQ board member spotlights, AAHQ quarterly newsletters, information on our AAHQ educational conferences, and other healthcare quality information! We would love to spotlight your organizations quality achievements in 2025! Please feel free to email newsletter article submissions to andersonj@jrmc.org

Joel Anderson

Communications Team Lead

Membership Services Update

Submitted by: Tim Copeland, MHSA, BSMT, MT(ASCP)

As the new year has begun, membership renewals are rolling in. So thanks to all who have done that. If you haven’t submitted your renewal yet, you can go to the Association website at https://www.arkahq.org/sign-up-online/. And by doing so now, you can make sure to get the discount to the Spring Conference.

And as a reminder, the benefits of members include networking with your fellow quality professionals from a wide variety of settings across the state of Arkansas, education, including continuing education hours necessary to keep your certification current, and access to opportunities to develop and grow skills that are vital to job performance in healthcare quality. AAHQ draws members from diverse settings and disciplines and provides a forum to interact with vendors and providers of data and information that support the work we do. If you have not achieved certification yet, our organization can support you in that and we even periodically provide scholarships to help financially with accomplishing that very important goal. Membership is a great way to honor your commitment to healthcare quality, stay connected with professional peers and further advance your career.

Tim Copeland

Membership Services Team Lead

Hospital Quality Spotlight

Saline Memorial Hospital

Saline Memorial Hospital recently achieved a Leapfrog “A” in Fall 2024, showing improvement in barcode scanning administration, hand hygiene, computer physician order entry (CPOE) and harms. This grade, based on rigorous data analysis of hospital performance, demonstrates the hospital’s commitment to providing safe and high-quality care for patients. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital rating program focused on safety, preventable errors, injuries, and infections. Leapfrog’s information is publicly reported, allowing patients and families to make informed decisions about their care.

Saline Memorial Hospital is committed to reducing patient harms by implementing best practices and reviewing potential concerns daily through an interdisciplinary team comprised of nursing, quality, health information management, and executive leadership. This committee structure has been able to decrease the total number of harms by 39% from 2023 to 2024. Saline Memorial Hospital is dedicated to providing high quality care to the residents of Saline County and surrounding communities and will continue to implement and refine patient safety practices to ensure the best outcomes for all patients.

HIE is Empowering ACOs and CINs Across Arkansas

Submitted by: Justin Villines, MBA, BSM

How SHARE HIE is Empowering ACOs and CINs Across Arkansas with Real-Time Data Feeds

In the evolving landscape of value-based care, access to timely and accurate clinical data is critical for improving patient outcomes, closing care gaps, and enhancing care coordination. Across Arkansas, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and Clinically Integrated Networks (CINs) are leveraging SHARE, the State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (HIE), to streamline workflows, optimize patient care, and improve quality measures with real-time data feeds.

The Power of Real-Time Data in ACOs and CINs

ACOs and CINs operate under models that require care coordination across multiple providers and health systems, making real-time access to clinical data essential. SHARE HIE facilitates this by providing seamless data exchange between hospitals, clinics, specialists, behavioral health providers, and post-acute care facilities, allowing care teams to stay informed on their patients’ health status instantly.

Key Benefits of SHARE HIE for ACOs & CINs

Real-Time Alerts for Hospital Events

ACOs and CINs rely on timely information to reduce hospital readmissions and emergency department (ED) overutilization. Through SHARE’s ADT (Admission, Discharge, and Transfer) alerts, providers receive real-time notifications when their attributed patients are admitted to or discharged from a hospital or ED, ensuring prompt follow-up and reducing avoidable hospital stays.

Closing Care Gaps with Clinical Data Integration

ACOs and CINs must meet strict quality measures, including HEDIS, MIPS, and MSSP requirements. SHARE HIE enables participating providers to access clinical data such as HbA1c results, colorectal cancer screenings, immunizations, and mammograms—critical indicators that help track and close care gaps in real time. This ensures that payer-reported care gaps are validated and addressed, rather than relying solely on claims-based data, which often lags real patient care.

Supporting Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs)

SHARE helps ACOs and CINs identify patients needing an Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) and integrates this information into scheduling workflows. Providers can leverage real-time patient data to convert standard visits into AWVs, ensuring patients receive comprehensive preventive care while helping organizations meet quality benchmarks.

Enhancing Population Health & Risk Stratification

Through SHARE’s data feeds, ACOs and CINs gain actionable insights into population health trends. By analyzing clinical risk factors, chronic disease trends, and care utilization patterns, they can proactively manage high-risk patients and implement targeted interventions to reduce hospitalizations and improve health outcomes.

Streamlining Data Exchange for Performance Reporting

ACOs and CINs are required to track performance metrics and report outcomes to CMS and private payers. SHARE HIE simplifies this process by delivering HL7 & SIU messages directly into analytic platforms. This eliminates data silos, reduces administrative burdens, and allows ACOs and CINs to track progress on quality improvement initiatives in real time.

Statewide Impact: Improving Quality Across Arkansas

The integration of SHARE HIE within ACOs and CINs is driving tangible improvements in healthcare delivery across Arkansas. By bridging the gap between data and decision-making, SHARE helps:

✅ Reduce preventable hospitalizations and ED visits
✅ Improve chronic disease management through timely interventions
✅ Enhance patient engagement with proactive care coordination
✅ Support rural healthcare providers with real-time access to statewide data

The Future of Data-Driven Value-Based Care

As Arkansas continues to transition to value-based models, SHARE HIE remains a crucial partner in supporting ACOs and CINs with real-time clinical data integration. By ensuring seamless connectivity across healthcare settings, SHARE is not only improving patient care but also empowering providers to thrive in an increasingly data-driven healthcare environment.

For ACOs and CINs looking to optimize quality outcomes, streamline workflows, and enhance population health management, SHARE HIE provides the tools and real-time insights necessary to succeed.

Learn more: SHAREarkansas.com | 501-410-1999 | sharehealth@arkansas.gov

Improving Infection Control in Nursing Homes: A Call for Collaboration

Submitted by: Nicole Bonecutter, BSN, RN, RAC-CT, IP-C, ASCOM, CDP

Infection control is a critical part of resident care in nursing homes, but it can often feel daunting for Infection Preventionists (IPs). These professionals, typically the only ones overseeing infection control in long-term care, often juggle multiple responsibilities—leaving little time for education, training, or conducting thorough root-cause analyses when infections arise. As a result, IPs may face repeated resident infections, leading to unnecessary hospital transfers, frustration with infection data, and challenges in reducing antibiotic use. But what if there was a better way?

One of the most effective ways to tackle these challenges is through collaboration. Infection Preventionists in nursing homes and hospitals can work together to improve patient care, reduce hospital readmissions, and ensure more appropriate antibiotic use. By opening lines of communication, both settings can share crucial information about a resident’s medical history—such as antibiotic resistance, history of infections, and pending lab results—especially when transferring a resident between facilities.

A real-world example included a small rural nursing home and its nearby hospital, which recently established a successful partnership across its quality and infection prevention staff. Both Infection Preventionists were eager to work together to improve care and learn from each other. Although their roles differ, they share the same goal: better outcomes for the people they care for. The relationship was initially sparked by a Quality Improvement initiative focused on sepsis prevention. During a root cause analysis (RCA), both teams identified gaps in communication between the nursing home and the hospital, especially regarding infection-related information during transfers. This led to the creation of a more streamlined process for sharing information directly between Infection Preventionists at each facility.

Building these partnerships may look different depending on the needs of your setting. It could be a one-time phone call to discuss a specific case, a weekly or monthly meeting to review transfers, or even a quick email exchange to check in on any infection-related concerns. Having direct communication with your counterpart in the hospital or another nursing home can make a huge difference. You’ll have someone to discuss concerns, share best practices, and offer support. And you’ll be able to provide better care to your patients and residents.

Consider contacting your local hospital or nursing home to start a conversation. Case managers or admission coordinators can help connect you to the right person if you’re unsure who to contact. You don’t have to do this work alone. Establishing relationships and building communication with your counterparts in other settings can make your job easier and improve overall patient care. By working together, nursing homes and hospitals can share knowledge, improve transitions of care, and achieve better outcomes for the residents and patients they serve.

AAHQ Sponsors

Gold Level Sponsors

American Data Network

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. For more information about ADN and its services, please visit www.americandatanetwork.com.

Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care

For more than 35 years, AFMC has helped improve the quality of healthcare in Arkansas. As the federally designated quality improvement organization (QIO), we work with staff in every health care setting and offer free tools and resources. Together, we’re working to make health care safer, more effective and more efficient. For more information about AFMC’s services, please go to www.afmc.org.

Empower Healthcare Solutions

Founded in 2018, Empower is the largest of four Provider-led Arkansas Shared Saving Entities (PASSE) in Arkansas. Empower is committed to helping members live fuller, healthier lives at home and in their communities. For more information about Empower Healthcare Solutions, please visit https://getempowerhealth.com/

Sentact

Sentact’s digital, enterprise-wide rounding solutions help hospitals to create safer environments, increased patient engagement, and improved overall quality of care. For more information about Sentact’s services, please go to http://www.sentact.com