Critical Access Hospitals - Quality Improvement Committee

Quality Improvement Committee

A primary goal of KRHOP is to help communities improve access to, and quality of, locally available health services.  In an effort to address a broad "quality" agenda in a systematic fashion,  KHROP  convened a CAH Quality Committee which was charged with the development of a statewide Quality Plan to serve as an evolving blueprint for a statewide rural Quality Improvement Program in Kansas.  This development is in progress. 

The Quality Committee is composed of administrative and nursing representatives of CAHs as well as representatives from Supporting Hospitals, EMS agencies, the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care (the state Quality Improvement Organization), and physicians in rural practice, and other members deemed appropriate by KRHOP.  Members to the committee will be selected by the KRHOP.  Their participation is not restricted to a particular term of office.  The committee is responsible for developing the Plan, developing metrics for process and outcome monitoring of the Program, regularly reviewing progress towards Plan objectives using these metrics and other observations, disseminating Program results, assuring that funding mechanisms to support Program activities are consistent with the Plan, and maintaining active communication with Program participants.

One aspect of the plan was the development of Quality focus areas that will be reviewed by the Committee on an annual basis.  The focus areas developed by the Committee that were used in developing guidance for the Fiscal Year 2002 Network Development Grants include:

 

1. Enhancement of CAH Capacity (Tools, Training, and Informational
    Technology) for Performance Improvement:

• Broadening access/training related to informational technology for staff and managers within CAH and networks

• Training staff and managers in the use of basic and/or advanced QI tools

• Implementation of analytic and statistical reporting tools for QI reporting at CAH and network levels

• Using informational technology to enhance network wide clinical, financial, or operational performance

2. Network/Consortium Based Performance Improvement Processes:

• Other initiatives that focus on improvement of network wide clinical, financial, or operational performance

• Network/consortium solutions to address common quality management issues (credentialing, peer review, medication errors, infection control, etc.)

• Network wide performance improvement projects in priority areas

• Initiatives that promote intra and inter network communication and dissemination of performance improvement processes and projects 

3. Peer Benchmarking:

• Initiatives to create network or cross network peer benchmarks and/or performance standards in Kansas

• Initiatives to apply externally available peer benchmarks and standards to Kansas CAH or network performance

• Initiatives to create CAH or rural network equivalents to national benchmarks

• Initiatives that result in the dissemination of performance related information within and across networks in Kansas

4. Improvement in Patient Care Operations and Processes:

• Projects that focus on attaining measurable improvement in identified patient care operations and/or process deficiencies at CAH

• Projects that focus on improvement of identified deficiencies in shared network wide patient care processes and operations, including levels of care, transfers, consultation, etc.

5. Collaboration between CAH and EMS for Performance Improvement:

• Initiatives that develop new (or enhance existing) collaborative performance improvement systems between EMS providers and CAH or networks

• Initiatives that focus on improvement of specific conditions requiring the interface of CAH and/or network hospitals with EMS providers

• Projects that focus on the improvement in the quality or efficiency of the continuum of EMS-hospital care 

6. Care of the Elderly in Rural Communities:

• Initiatives or projects that focus on improvement of the health status or hospital experience of the elderly in CAH or network hospitals

• Initiatives that focus on improvement of care or care processes for specific conditions affecting the elderly

• Initiatives that focus on improvement of the continuum of care for elderly patients within the network setting

7. CAH and Network Participation in Achieving Community Health
    Objectives:

• Initiatives that link CAH and network hospitals with communities in defining and/or meeting community and/or statewide health status objectives

Quality Improvement Committee Meeting Minutes

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