12.19.24
Quality & Safety Update | December 2024
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Jackie Gatz
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The Quality & Safety Update provides health care professionals with up-to-date information on current quality improvement projects, resources and quality reporting. The newsletter also highlights announcements and upcoming events that could benefit your organization.
2025 Lean Six Sigma Application Period Is Open
Staff Contact: Jessica Stultz
Are you interested in earning your Lean Six Sigma green belt or black belt certification? Apply today for these classes that combine live, real-time (virtual) training and individualized coaching sessions. Students will apply the knowledge and skills learned in trainings as they work on a required hospital-based improvement project. Applications are due Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. Lean Six Sigma courses are offered at a reduced cost through A3 Solutions Group to employees of Missouri hospitals.
MHA Honors Awardees At Convention
Staff Contact: Jackie Gatz
Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the Visionary Leadership Award and Aim For Excellence Award! MHA presented these awards Nov. 14 at its 102nd Annual Convention in Kansas City, Mo.
The Visionary Leadership Award, established in 1999, recognizes hospital executives who have taken innovative approaches to managing the health of the communities they serve. Two health care leaders were honored for their achievements this year.
Jennifer Watts, M.D., Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, Chief Patient Progression Medical Officer and Chief Emergency Management Medical Officer at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, was recognized as being an emergency response leader for pediatric care in the Kansas City region. A video honoring Dr. Watts is available here.
Craig Thompson, CEO of Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare in Clinton, Mo., was honored for his advocacy efforts to help patients both locally and across the state.
A video honoring Thompson is available here.
In 2016, MHA introduced the Aim for Excellence Award, which recognizes Missouri hospitals’ innovation and outcomes. In 2024, two hospitals received this award.
Progress West Hospital in O’Fallon, Mo., was honored for efforts to improve care for expecting mothers through its Maternal Hypertension Collaborative. A video honoring Progress West Hospital is available here.
SSM Health’s Women and Infant Substance Help Center, or WISH Center, at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in St. Louis was recognized for providing comprehensive, high-risk maternity care for pregnant individuals affected by substance use disorders. A video honoring SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in St. Louis is available here.
2024-2025 Respiratory Virus Infection Vaccine Recommendations & Toolkit
Fall and winter mark the respiratory virus season — a time in which influenza, COVID-19 and RSV all typically circulate at once and have the potential to significantly impact hospital operations. To assist hospitals, community partners and providers, MHA developed this resource to provide information about these relatively new and updated vaccinations, testing and therapeutics.
New Resources Available To Improve Patient Safety
Coming in early 2025: MHA will introduce the Patient Safety Dashboard, an enhancement to the HIDI Advantage Care Optics portfolio, which will be available to MHA members at no cost. The dashboard will track key quality and patient safety metrics, as well as provide a tool to benchmark with peers. In addition, at the request of members, MHA is offering complimentary, on-demand education related to quality and patient safety with NAHQ, the industry-standard leader in health care quality. Sign up now to be a part of our next cohort starting Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
Education
January 28 | Bridging the Gap Between SDOH Screening and Z Codes
10 to 11:30 a.m. | Virtual | Register
March 5-6 | Changing Missouri’s Birth Story: 2025 Maternal and Infant Health Convening
All day | Chesterfield, Mo. | Register
A preconference will be held Monday, March 4, for attendees interested in equity-centered, trauma-informed care training.
March 20-21 | MHA Emergency Preparedness and Safety Conference
All day | Osage Beach, Mo. | Register