A Commitment to Quality
posted on Monday, April 11, 2011
Those unfamiliar with the concept of a community health center
may presume it is a last-resort option for those who have nowhere
else to go. This stigma discounts the fact that community health
centers such as HopeHealth do a great deal to improve health
outcomes and reduce health care costs for the communities we serve.
At HopeHealth, we have instituted a number of programs to evaluate
and improve not only health outcomes, but also high quality,
patient-centered care that makes us not the only choice, but the
best choice for health care in our community.
HopeHealth is building a robust quality improvement program to
identify and manage areas in need of improvement in our clinic.
Barry Taylor, who serves as the Ryan White quality improvement
coordinator, oversees proper documentation for patients with
medical case managers. He also spearheads efforts in Florence for
quality improvement cycles, in which committees follow the "Plan,
Do, Study, Act" model to develop methods to increase positive
outcomes. HopeHealth requires PDSA training for all our employees
and includes staff from all areas in committees to provide a broad
perspective for problem-solving.
In the year since we have adopted this program, PDSA committees
have conducted quality improvement cycles to improve tuberculosis
screenings, annual pap smears, and screenings for sexually
transmitted infections. These multidisciplinary committees will
soon tackle broader, operational improvements such as patient show
rates for scheduled appointments and patient wait times.
"While we have not seen dramatic improvements in some of these
areas, it is important to remember that the PDSA cycles are
designed to be repeated for sustainable, incremental improvements,"
said Mr. Taylor. "This ensures that the adoption of new policies,
and indeed, new attitudes are permanent, so that we create lasting
improvements."
As HopeHealth continues to grow, our commitment to quality
becomes increasingly important.
"Between Dec. 31, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2010, the number of patients
at our community health center increased by 88 percent," said Carl
Humphries, chief executive officer at HopeHealth. "Signs indicate
this demand will continue to grow, and we are committed to making
sure those who pass through our doors receive the quality health
care and customer service they would expect at any other health
care facility in our community."
Quality improvement cycles are also conducted at HopeHealth
Edisto and HopeHealth Lower Savannah. They ensure all our patients
receive the best care, and that we remain compliant and accountable
to our grantors, partners and patients.
Quality improvement initiatives align closely with one of
HopeHealth's core values: lifelong learning. We recognize lifelong
learning as essential to our ability to innovate and continually
improve ourselves, our organization and our community.
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A Commitment to Quality
posted on Monday, April 11, 2011
Those unfamiliar with the concept of a community health center
may presume it is a last-resort option for those who have nowhere
else to go. This stigma discounts the fact that community health
centers such as HopeHealth do a great deal to improve health
outcomes and reduce health care costs for the communities we serve.
At HopeHealth, we have instituted a number of programs to evaluate
and improve not only health outcomes, but also high quality,
patient-centered care that makes us not the only choice, but the
best choice for health care in our community.
HopeHealth is building a robust quality improvement program to
identify and manage areas in need of improvement in our clinic.
Barry Taylor, who serves as the Ryan White quality improvement
coordinator, oversees proper documentation for patients with
medical case managers. He also spearheads efforts in Florence for
quality improvement cycles, in which committees follow the "Plan,
Do, Study, Act" model to develop methods to increase positive
outcomes. HopeHealth requires PDSA training for all our employees
and includes staff from all areas in committees to provide a broad
perspective for problem-solving.
In the year since we have adopted this program, PDSA committees
have conducted quality improvement cycles to improve tuberculosis
screenings, annual pap smears, and screenings for sexually
transmitted infections. These multidisciplinary committees will
soon tackle broader, operational improvements such as patient show
rates for scheduled appointments and patient wait times.
"While we have not seen dramatic improvements in some of these
areas, it is important to remember that the PDSA cycles are
designed to be repeated for sustainable, incremental improvements,"
said Mr. Taylor. "This ensures that the adoption of new policies,
and indeed, new attitudes are permanent, so that we create lasting
improvements."
As HopeHealth continues to grow, our commitment to quality
becomes increasingly important.
"Between Dec. 31, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2010, the number of patients
at our community health center increased by 88 percent," said Carl
Humphries, chief executive officer at HopeHealth. "Signs indicate
this demand will continue to grow, and we are committed to making
sure those who pass through our doors receive the quality health
care and customer service they would expect at any other health
care facility in our community."
Quality improvement cycles are also conducted at HopeHealth
Edisto and HopeHealth Lower Savannah. They ensure all our patients
receive the best care, and that we remain compliant and accountable
to our grantors, partners and patients.
Quality improvement initiatives align closely with one of
HopeHealth's core values: lifelong learning. We recognize lifelong
learning as essential to our ability to innovate and continually
improve ourselves, our organization and our community.
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