Watts Honored For Visionary Leadership

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — 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, has been honored with the Missouri Hospital Association’s Visionary Leadership Award. The award, established in 1999, recognizes hospital executives who have taken innovative approaches to managing the health of the communities they serve. The award was presented on Nov. 14 at MHA’s 102nd Annual Convention in Kansas City, Mo.

“As a physician and leader, Dr. Jennifer Watts runs toward challenges,” said Jon D. Doolittle, MHA President and CEO. “Her commitment to integrating pediatric emergency preparedness into overall preparedness, and her vision for managing the overall pediatric care capacity regionally have benefited not only Children’s Mercy Kansas City, but the broader community of hospitals and pediatric care stakeholders that serve children.”

As an emergency physician at Children’s Mercy, challenging situations are an important part of Dr. Watts’ job. However, her lifesaving work extends well beyond the emergency department — she leads teams that manage pediatric emergency preparedness locally and statewide, and coordinates overall pediatric care capacity regionally.

Dr. Watts leads the Patient Progression Hub that identifies and manages pediatric care capacity throughout a multistate region. The hub is a hospital operations center that uses predictive analytics and real-time information to optimize care progression and coordination from preadmission to discharge. Deferrals decreased 94% in the first seven months after the hub opened — from 198 to 11 — while delays decreased 86% and ED boarding by 99%. The system also reduces canceled surgeries and pediatric intensive care unit transfer times. These improvements mean better access for pediatric patients.

In her role as an emergency response leader for pediatric care in the Kansas City region, and in coordination with the State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Watts has prioritized integration of pediatrics into planning and response. Her efforts to build a stronger system were apparent on Feb. 14, where she was on site and delivered pediatric lifesaving care after the shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory parade.

“Dr. Watts and her team meticulously plan and train for mass-casualty events. While the hope is to never implement these plans, their preparation was instrumental in saving lives,” said Stephanie Meyer, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Children’s Mercy. “Her exceptional leadership in a chaotic situation enabled the team to respond efficiently, providing critical emergency medical care to everyone that day, including several children.”

A video honoring Dr. Watts is available here.

Photo caption: Jennifer Watts, M.D., Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, Chief Patient Progression Medical Officer and Chief Medical Emergency Management Officer at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Mo., is presented the MHA Visionary Leadership Award by Alan W. Greimann, MHA Board Chair, President/CEO of Royal Oaks Hospital and Executive Vice President of Compass Health Network in Windsor, Mo.