Knowledge on the Go

Ambulatory Patient Access

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0500

Access to care in an ambulatory setting continues to challenge health systems as patient expectations grow, pushing organizations to rethink how patients connect with care. Our host Michelle Lewis joins Tyler Bauer, Senior Vice President of System Ambulatory Operations at University of Chicago Medicine to explore how their team is transforming access through more connected and intuitive processes.

Guest:
Tyler Bauer, MA, MBA, LCPC
Senior Vice President, System Ambulatory Operations
UChicago Medicine

Host:
Michelle Lewis
Senior Director Programs, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:45] Areas of improvement in ambulatory access
[02:16] Biggest pain points for patients: connectedness, personalization, and navigation
[03:51] Creating an omnichannel experience
[04:43] AI tools being brought in to help with access strategy
[06:18] Using ambient listening and other AI tools to make a difference for patients and staff
[08:26] Organizational buy-in and compliance with AI application strategy
[10:31] Advice to other healthcare organizations

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Patient Transfers

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0500

Patient transfers are a common part of hospital care, but they carry real risk, making strong communication and coordination essential for safe outcomes. Sharon Johnson, Executive Director of Throughput and Capacity at Community Health Network, shares a how her health system is rethinking its approach to transfers and patient flow. Joined by Vizient host Shannon Hale, they explore challenges and creative strategies involved in moving patients safely and efficiently.

Guest Speaker:
Sharon Johnson, MBA
Executive Director, Throughput and Capacity
CHNw EMS education/ Ambulance Transportation

Host:
Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ
Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:20] – Management of ambulance transportation
[02:22] – Throughput initiatives implemented in each hospital
[03:29] – Establishing communication through EMR
[05:39] – Training staff and bringing awareness
[06:40} – Communication and creating own triage process
[09:20] – Creating buy-in with your hospital leadership
[12:26] – Developing policies and protocols that work with each facility
[13:58] – What is the “easy button” for staff and patients

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Mortality Outcomes

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0600

Mortality affects hospitals all over the country and having structured systems in place helps improve outcomes. Tiffany Harvey, Quality Assurance Reviewer at INTEGRIS Health, joins host Shannon Hale, Senior PI Program Director at Vizient, to discuss why a meaningful mortality review process is so critical to quality improvement work. They reflect on lessons learned from Vizient’s mortality review collaborative and the value of learning alongside peer organizations.

Guest Speaker:

Tiffany Harvey, RN

Quality Assurance Reviewer

INTEGRIS Health

Host:

Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ
Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:52] – Participation in Establishing a Structured Mortality Review Team Collaborative

[01:35] – Goals from joining the collaborative

[02:29] – Insights that helped inform change to mortality process

[03:33] – How Integris and Tiffany’s team are improving the outcomes

[04:59} – After the collaborative where is team and the improvement work going

[06:04] – Sustainability in mortality review

[07:18] – Looking to the future what is the dream for mortality review

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Sepsis Awareness

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0600

Sepsis affects millions of people each year and remains one of the most complex and deadly medical emergencies facing healthcare today. Michelle Lewis, Senior Director of PI Programs at Vizient, is joined by Shannon Hale, Senior PI Programs Director and sepsis subject matter expert, to explore why sepsis is so difficult to identify. Together, they discuss awareness gaps that still exist across providers, staff and communities.

Guest Speaker:
Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ
Senior Program Director
Performance Improvement Programs

Host:
Michelle Lewis
Senior Director Programs
Performance Improvement Programs

Show Notes:
[00:47] Why sepsis remains a critical and complex challenge in healthcare
[01:58] Vizient sepsis projects and what members are struggling with most
[2:45] Lessons learned from sepsis performance improvement teams and the role of champions
[03:43] Executive sponsorships and celebrating wins
[06:10] Sustaining education, addressing staff and resident turnover
[07:10] New approaches to education including social media and community engagement
[08:28] How organizations and individuals can increase sepsis awareness
[10:09] Public policy advocacy and educating lawmakers about sepsis
[11:01] Potential role of AI in earlier identification

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Care Between Visits

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0600

Healthcare providers are receiving patient portal messages at large volumes, reshaping how care teams deliver and manage care between visits. As patient messaging grows from simple prescription questions to complex clinical concerns, this “invisible” work is placing a significant strain on provider workload. In this episode, Vizient Fellow Mathilde Hanchard talks to Dr. Ko, Director and Chief of Dermatology Service Line and Associate Chief Quality Officer at Stanford Health Care, about how his team uncovers the true scope of patient medical interactions.

Guest Speaker:
Dr. Justin M. Ko, MD, MBA
Director and Chief of Medical Dermatology
Stanford Health Care (SHC)

Host:
Mathilde Hanchard, MS-HSM
Fellow, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:52] Dr. Ko explains provider workload tied to patient portal messaging
[02:12] Rapid growth of patient portal messages since 2020
[03:50] Making portal messaging more visible and measurable
[05:27] The complexity of accurately quantifying the communication workload
[07:47] Plans to publish and share data
[11:19] Evaluating patient portal messages and trends
[12:57] The future of patient portal messaging within care delivery

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Automated patient messaging

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0600

Patient messaging has become more common across health systems, but few use it in a way that truly supports better health outcomes. Northwestern Medicine’s Smart Outreach for Better Health is taking patient communication a step further by using automation to identify specific populations and send personalized clinically relevant messages. Our host Myesha Williams and Northwestern’s Program Manager Dharmesh Patel share how this initiative bridges care gaps, boosts follow up rates and helps patients stay engaged in their own care.

Guest speaker:

Dharamesh Patel
Program Manager, Quality and Patient Safety
Northwestern Medicine

Host:
Myesha Williams SN, RN
Fellow, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show notes:

[00:56] – Overview of the Better Health initiative and how patient messaging was deployed

[01:53] – Collaboration between data and quality leaders that launched automated patient outreach

[03:17] – Implementing a systemwide strategy to enhance outreach and care coordination

[04:19] – Timing messages to reach patients when they’re most likely to respond

[06:32] – Role of patient and family advisors in driving success and credibility

[07:40] – How the team increased follow-through rates, engaging 13% of patients

[09:12] – Tackling challenges and leveraging EMR analyst expertise

[09:54] – Addressing time constraints as a key project barrier

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Pharmacy medication histories

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Pharmacy driven medication history programs are essential for accurate transitions of care and patient safety, especially in rural and resource-limited settings. Jenny Slavens, from IU Health Arnett shares how her team built a 24/7 regional program that provides medication history support for their community hospital and several critical access facilities. She discusses the shift from a nurse-led to a pharmacy technician-driven model, the operational challenges of scaling services across multiple sites, and the decision to use phone-based interviews to streamline workflows.

Speaker:
Jenny Slavens, PharmD, BCPS
Pharmacy Manager Inpatient Clinical Pharmacy Services
Department of Pharmacy
Indiana University Health - West Region

Host:
Jim Lichauer, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP
Sr PI Program Director, Pharmacy
Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show notes:

[00:52] – Jenny outlines the structure of the medication history team at IU Health Arnett and how the program operates across facilities

[02:10] – Discussion of coverage for critical access hospitals and how the team manages varying hours across sites

[02:53] – The evolution from a nurse-led process to a pharmacy-driven model for medication history documentation

[04:08] – Why the team shifted from using web-based technology to phone-based medication histories for efficiency and safety

[05:20] – How bidirectional communication between pharmacy staff and physicians is maintained through the electronic medical record system

[07:03] – Establishing the goal of completing 80% of medication histories within four hours of admission to support timely care decisions

[08:55] – How the newly added Tipton facility improved from 10% to 72% completion of medication histories

[10:56] – Strategies for balancing staff workload across inpatient, surgical, and emergency admissions

[14:22] – Demonstrating the value of the medication history process and creatively using FTE staffing to improve coverage and efficiency

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Savings through preference card management

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Preference card management plays a critical role in improving accuracy, reducing costs, and driving efficiency across surgical services. Host LaTammy Marks, Senior Performance Improvement Program Director at Vizient, sits down with Carol Zelenkowski, System Operations Manager for Surgical Services at Main Line Health, to discuss their journey toward optimizing over 20,000 preference cards. Carol shares how her team used data to uncover cost variations, build surgeon buy-in, and achieve reduction in card volume. She also reflects on lessons learned and how these improvements are now expanding into other specialties, offering valuable insights for health systems nationwide.

Guest speaker:

Carol Zelenkowski, BSN, RN, CNOR
System Operations Manager
MLH Surgical Services, Main Line Corporate Center

Host:
LaTammy Marks, MBA, BSN, RN
Senior PI Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show notes:

[01:01] – Main Line Health’s starting point and challenges with preference cards before joining the Vizient collaborative

[01:50] – Why Main Line Health chose to participate in the Vizient collaborative

[02:51] – How the team decided which preference cards to prioritize for review and optimization

[03:24] – Key insights uncovered in the data, including cost saving and variation trends

[04:33] – Gaining surgeon buy-in by presenting accurate preference card data

[05:35] – The measurable savings achieved and the positive impact on Main Line Health’s surgical services

[06:52] – Expanding preference card optimization to other specialties and the future of this work.

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Unlocking savings through preference card management

Transform your perioperative supply chain

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System quality structures

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Quality and clinical outcomes improve when healthcare systems are built on strong and cohesive quality structures. Dr. Matthew McCambridge, Chief Quality Officer at Lehigh Valley Health Network, joins host Amber Hanser to explore findings from a Vizient benchmarking survey that reveals the positive impact of system quality executives on clinical performance. He shares practical strategies for aligning governance and organizational priorities highlighting how leading through influence can strengthen both clinical excellence and financial stability.

Speaker:
Matthew McCambridge, MD,
Senior Vice President and Chief Quality
Patient Safety and Acute Care Continuum Officer
LVHN

Host:
Amber Hanser, MHA, CPHQ
Senior Director, Programs
Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:
[1:20] – Defining the Chief Quality Officer role and how a hub and spoke model supports large health systems
[3:02] – Ways to assess if a system’s structure can sustain strong clinical performance
[4:13] – Ensuring integration success and the role of quality subcommittees in governance
[5:41] – Departments and functions that report under quality
[8:10] – How quality executives collaborate with peers across the industry
[11:04] – Leading with data rather than drama to drive improvement

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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AI in healthcare

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 09:25:00 -0500

AI is advancing rapidly in the healthcare space, raising important questions about how it will be used responsibly and effectively. Host Courtney Furrow White is joined by Sarah Pollet and Julia Bongiorno from UCSF to explore the evolving role of AI in clinical environments. Together, they break down the development of UCSF’s IMPACC framework, a platform designed to evaluate and guide enterprise AI implementation. The conversation dives into what it takes to make AI safe, reliable, and trustworthy, not only for patients, but for the frontline staff who rely on these tools.

Guest speakers:

Julia Bongiorno, PMP, MSHC
Health AI Program Supervisor (Interim)
UCSF Health

Sarah Pollet, MPH
Program Director
UCSF AI Impact & Monitoring (IMPACC)

Host:
Courtney Furrow White MPM, RN
Senior Director, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show notes:
[1:47] Overview of UCSF’s AI I-M-P-A-C-C framework and how it informs future deployments.
[3:02] UCSF’s approach to AI governance emphasizes safety, ethics and active research.
[4:03] What it takes to ensure AI tools are reliable and clinically trusted.
[6:41] Providers seek AI tools that reduce cognitive burden and improve workflows.
[10:43] Educating patients on AI while reflecting on tools that failed to deliver.
[13:01] How AI is shaping the nurse experience through practical tool integration.
[15:44] Advice for other organizations on implementing AI responsibly and effectively.

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Mortality

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Mortality is often viewed as a key indicator of the quality of care in a healthcare organization, and something that most organizations are working to improve upon.

Through Vizient's work with national organizations all working to improve mortality, key lessons learned have emerged that can help organizations improve mortality within their facilities. Shannon Hale Senior PI Director of Performance Improvement Programs at Vizient joins host Nicole Spatafora, AVP, Performance Improvement, Vizient, to discuss mortality improvement.

Guest:
Shannon Hale
Senior PI Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Host:
Nicole Spatafora
AVP, Performance Improvement
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:47 – 02:48] Why it is so important that healthcare facilities look at mortality

[02:49 – 04:24] Getting C-Suite buy in

[04:25 – 07:36] How organizations can get their frontline engaged

[07:37 – 08:58] What happens if you don't have engagement at the C-suite level or frontline level

[08:59 – 10:55] Sustaining change

[10:56 – 12:15] PI Mortality future plans

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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The power of value analysis

Mon, 19 May 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Value analysis empowers health systems to make strategic, evidence-based decisions to optimize patient outcomes and reduce costs. Host LaTammy Marks and guest Nicole Schmidt talk about the power of value analysis in healthcare. Nicole shares how her team built a structured process that emphasizes stakeholder engagement, data integration, and continuous improvement at the University of Kansas Health System.

Guest speaker:
Nicole Schmidt
System Assistant Director
The University of Kansas Health System

Host:
LaTammy Marks, MBA, BSN, RN
Senior PI Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Show notes:
[ 00:44 – 01:26] Why value analysis has been top-of-mind for The University of Kansas Health System
[01:27 – 02:20] Why it’s important for The University of Kansas Health System to participate in Vizient Value Analysis Benchmarking Survey
[02:21 – 03:57] Gaining buy-in from leadership when initially implementing your Value Analysis program?
[03:58 – 06:09] How The University of Kansas Health System goes beyond price and manage and analyze data to support value analysis decisions
[06:10 – 07:37] Lessons Learned in The University of Kansas Health System Value Analysis Program
[07:38 – 10:24] Notable achievements related to The University of Kansas Health System’s Value Analysis Program
[10:25 – 11:52] Number one thing Nicole would share with organizations on how they can get started on focusing on value analysis more
[11:53 – 13:10] What is next for The University of Kansas Health System Value Analysis Program

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Mobility is medicine

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Patient immobility can lead to serious complications such as muscle loss, blood clots, depression and loss of independence. However, without proper training and support, many healthcare workers feel it is unsafe to mobilize patients. Host Laura Hoffman is joined by Nancy McGahn, enterprise safety mobility manager at Intermountain Health, to discuss "Mobility is Medicine." They explore how the Safe Mobility Program integrates fall prevention, safe patient handling, and mobility strategies to improve outcomes.

Guest speaker:
Nancy McGann PT, CSPHP, CPPS
Enterprise Manager of Safe Mobility
Fall Prevention, Safe Patient Handling & Mobility
Intermountain Health

Host:
Laura Hoffman DNP, MSN, RN, CPHQ
Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Show notes:
[01:25] – Exploring the risks to both caregivers and patients when mobility isn't executed safely and properly.
[02:00] – The fears around mobilizing patients and highlighting the knowledge gaps that often fuel those fears.
[03:11] – Not moving patients can increase their risk of falling.
[04:42] – Introducing the three-part cycle of a successful mobility program.
[06:26] – Building fall prevention care plan matters when working with patient goals
[08:29] – Supporting staff beyond physical and occupational therapy to feel confident in moving patients.
[09:53] – The unique mobility challenges in the ICU and why early movement is critical to patient recovery.
[10:39] – The Bedside Mobility Tool empowers nurses with the right technology and confidence to mobilize patients safely.
[11:18] – Reviewing key performance indicators (KPIs) and program data to measure the impact and success of the mobility initiative.

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Systemness

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Hospital mergers and acquisitions can be both transformative and complex, requiring careful alignment and integration of systems. In this episode, host Thomas Sauls speaks with Ed Moore, President of UMass Memorial Harrington Hospital, and Eric Alper, Chief Quality and Clinical Informatics Officer at UMass Memorial Health, about the successful acquisition of Harrington Hospital. They share insights into the integration process, from transitioning to a unified electronic health record system to enhancing financial and quality performance while preserving organizational culture and community-focused care.

Guest speakers:
Ed Moore
President, UMass Memorial – Harrington Hospital

Eric Alper MD
Chief Quality Officer and Chief Clinical Informatics Officer
UMass Memorial Health

Host:
Thomas Sauls
Fellow, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Show notes:
[0:51] Driving forces behind the merger of Harrington Hospital and UMass Memorial
[3:05] Aligning the mission and vision as a key reason for the merger
[04:51] Preserving the local leadership and culture during the acquisition
[7:05] Key operational challenges and strategies used to align hospital systems post-merger
[09:10] How patient care improves with data and metrics
[10:55] Best practices for ensuring a smooth transition and integration between the two systems
[13:13] Improvements to the systems six to twelve months after the merger
[15:32] Balancing autonomy with integration—how hospitals can maintain local identity and control
[16:50] Examples of how systemness can benefit patients and staff
[18:12] Giving up independence and benefits of integrating
[19:10] Being entity focused and centralized to deliver across the entire system

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Workplace violence in the ambulatory setting

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0600

Workplace violence in ambulatory care settings presents unique challenges due to open access, isolated locations and limited security resources. Jennifer Rodgers, Chief Nursing Officer at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, speaks to our host, Maha Siddiqui, about effective strategies for preventing and managing risks. Jennifer shares her experience developing key interventions, including AI-driven communication tools and her role supporting both staff and patients.

Guest speaker:
Jennifer Rodgers, DNP, ACNP-BC, FAANP
Chief Nursing Officer
Assistant Professor, Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine
University of Colorado Hospital
UC Health

Host:
Maha Siddiqui
Fellow, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Jennifer Rodgers: Jennifer.Rodgers@uchealth.org

Show notes:
[0:55] Ambulatory care includes in-person, electronic, and phone interactions, each with unique workplace violence challenges
[2:49] Advocating for patients and staff helps improve safety and understanding
[3:30] Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT) model created for rapid response strategies to manage crises
[5:37] Scripting and decision tools help the staff handle patient aggression
[7:05] AI filters supports de-escalation and strengthens staff boundaries
[8:58] Analyzing frontline cases helps identify causes and improve patient support
[10:16] A workplace safety toolkit provides triage protocols and de-escalation strategies

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Establishing a structured sepsis performance improvement team

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 09:00:00 -0600

In this episode Dr. Lauren Williams, Patient Safety Manager at AHN Wexford Hospital, shares valuable insights from her hospital's efforts to improve sepsis care. Speaking with host Shannon Hale, Lauren highlights the critical need for enhanced compliance with SEP-1 sepsis care bundles, tackling challenges like high readmission rates and resource constraints. She discusses innovative strategies, such as providing real-time feedback to emergency departments and inpatient teams to drive improvement.

Guest speaker:
Lauren Williams, DNP, MA, RN, NE-BC
Patient Safety Manager
AHN Wexford Hospital

Host:
Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ
Senior program Director, PI Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[1:12] Dr. Lauren Williams discusses entering Vizient’s Performance Improvement Collaborative to understand how other healthcare systems are addressing sepsis challenges

[1:59] Goals for joining the collaborative and information shared across the board

[3:13] The importance of using data to improve outcomes for sepsis patients and how it leads to meaningful process changes

[4:35] Dr. Williams explains how her hospital was able to overcome significant barriers and navigate challenges despite working with limited resources

[5:13] Celebrating some of the greatest successes, including improved compliance, reduced readmission rates and lower mortality rates

Links | Resources:
Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Dr. Lauren Williams’ email: Lauren.Williams2@ahn.org

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Environmental Sustainability: A journey worth taking (UW Medicine’s story)

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0600

More than 200 medical journals identified climate change as the greatest global threat. In this podcast, UW Medicine describes how focusing on environmental sustainability improved their vendor selections, supply chain flow, patient care and saved them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Guest speakers:
Tara T. Biss, MBA, CSFA
Value Analysis Portfolio Manager, Strategic Sourcing
UW Medicine Supply Chain
bisst@uw.edu

Gabriella Henkels
Sustainability and Waste Manager, Essential Services
Harborview Medical Center

Louise Simpson, MHA
Associate Vice President, Clinical Integration
Office of the President, UW Medicine Hospitals & Clinics
ljws@uw.edu

Host:
LaTammy Marks, MBA, BSN, RN
Senior PI Program Director
Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[1:34] UW Medicine’s green team and their purpose

[3:45] Determining environmental sustainability opportunities

[6:00] What teams to include and how to get leadership buy-in

[7:45] Establishing goals

[8:30] Environmental sustainability success stories

[12:50] Lessons learned

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

To learn more about Vizient’s Environmental Sustainability program contact: ES@vizientinc.com

Another podcast on this same topic: Go Green: Why your healthcare system should be engaged in environmental sustainability: https://knowledgeonthego.podbean.com/?s=go%20green

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Nurse delegation

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Hospitals are in the business of improving care and want to keep patients safe and have a satisfied workforce. More creative staffing models are emerging, and hospitals are focusing on more advanced training of non-licensed nursing personnel (unlicensed associates) to perform tasks previously relegated to nurses. Nurses have the capability and responsibility to delegate. With effective teamwork, patient outcomes can improve as nurses are freed to work at the highest level of their education and experience.

Guest speaker:
Michelle Davis, MSN, BPS, RN, CMSRN
Assistant Vice President, Medical Services
Unity Health

Host:
Amber Hanser, MHA, CPHQ
Senior Program Director
Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:21] Nursing Operations at Unity Health

[02:00] Comprehensive delegation training: components and oversight

[03:50] Putting the training program together

[05:41] Tools and sessions

[08:07] Advice to other organizations about nurse delegation

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go:

picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Amber’s email: amber.hanser@vizientinc.com

Michelle’s email: michelle.davis@unity-health.org

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Building Success for the Community Health Worker

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Chronic illnesses present a significant challenge to our healthcare system, straining resources and impacting patient quality of life. One innovative approach to tackling this issue is the community health worker model, a strategy that empowers individuals to take control of their health and navigate complex healthcare systems more effectively.

Today, we are exploring the creation of the model and how to create sustainability. Vanessa Saylor, systems director of health equity at Main Line Health in Philadelphia joins us to discuss her work on building the community health worker model.

Guests:

Vanessa Saylor, Ed.D, MSW, LSW, CCM

System Director, Health Equity

Main Line Health

Host:

Margaret Rudisill, RN, BSN, MS-HQS

Senior PI Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:21 – 02:24] The moment Vanessa realized that a community health worker model could make a significant difference in managing chronic illnesses

[02:25 – 03:58] Gaining buy-in from stakeholders

[03:59 – 05:23] Initial challenges you faced when trying to implement the community health worker model and overcoming them

[05:24 – 07:17] Most effective strategies fostering trust between the community health worker and the patients

[07:18 – 08:32] Data collected and analyzed to demonstrate the worth and sustainability of the program

[08:33 – 09:47] Advice for other organizations looking to build a successful community health worker model

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Pharmacy Revenue Cycle

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0500

The pharmacy revenue cycle is a multi-phase continuous process, which requires ongoing collaboration across many disciplines. The process starts at pre-registration and continues through payment reconciliation. Steven Loborec, associate director of Pharmacy at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center joins host Jim Lichauer to discuss the details of his program.

Guest:
Steven Loborec, PharmD
Associate Director of Pharmacy
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Moderator:
Jim Lichauer, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP
Senior PI Program Director, Pharmacy
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:45 – 02:34] Overview of pharmacy revenue cycle process and areas where tOSU Wexler Medical Center is engaged

[02:35 – 04:10] Addressing the Charge Master

[04:11 – 09:14] Finding new and additional revenue streams

[09:15 – 13:31] Identifying medications or sites of care opportunities that generate greatest margins

[13:32 – 14:14] Lessons learned

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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High Reliability: the nuts and bolts

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 16:21:22 -0500

Healthcare organizations across the nation strive to become highly reliable organizations. Vizient defines an high reliability organization as an organization that has experienced significant success in avoiding harm within an environment of high complexity and risk. This podcast discusses strategies and emerging practices identified in Vizient’s high reliability culture of safety collaborative. Joining in the discussion to share their insights on how to improve your health organization’s culture of safety is collaborative participant, Caryn Douma, Corporate Director of Patient Safety Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Michael Leonard, Senior Principal at Vizient and an High Reliability expert.

Speakers:
Caryn Douma, MS, RN, CPPS
Corporate Director of Patient Safety Strategy
University of Pennsylvania Health System

Michael Leonard, MD
Senior Principal
Vizient

Host:
Marilyn Sherrill, RN, MBA
Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show notes:

[2:08] Essential elements for High Reliability

[5:00] Senior leader engagement and feedback

[7:00] How to close the loop with frontline staff at a large, comprehensive, academic medical center

[8:30] Making leadership rounds meaningful and positive

[11:40] Personal accountability and teamwork helps with the patient care tasks reliably getting done

[13:36] How to set your staff up for success rather than punishing them for results that didn’t come out as intended

[[14:25] Creating a culture where staff feel comfortable speaking out

[17:45] Psychological safety

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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School Transitions Following Psychiatric Hospitalization

Mon, 20 May 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Imagine the stress of returning to school, following a psychiatric hospitalization for the pediatric patient, their family and caregivers. Dr. Sarah Edwards, director for the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Courtney Vaughn, school transition Specialist at the University of Maryland join join host Laura Hoffman, Sr. Performance Improvement Program Director, to explain how their school transitions program helps these patients and families adjust to that transition.

Guests:
Sarah Edwards, DO
Director for the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
University of Maryland

Courtney Vaughan, MSW, LCSW-C
School Transition Specialist
University of Maryland

Moderator:
Laura Hoffman, DNP, MSN, RN, CPHQ
PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:52 – 02:54] Overview of the school transitions program

[02:55 – 03:55] What is a family connector and how they provide emotional support

[03:56 – 05:30] Program elements that help youth to stay on track

[05:31 – 07:57] Impressive outcomes of this program

[07:58 – 09:16] What this program has meant to them from a personal or a professional standpoint

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Using AI to improve observed mortality

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Artificial Intelligence has been helping improve healthcare for years, but just recently, there has been a seismic shift in capability, buy-in and attention. Healthcare systems across the country are looking into safely and effectively using AI to improve observed mortality. On this episode, we examine how Intermountain Health is effectively using AI for their patients.

Guest speaker:

Sathya Vijayakumar, MS, MBA

Senior Manager, Clinical Operations

Intermountain Health

Moderator:

Shannon Sullivan, MHA

Fellow

Performance Improvement

Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:22] Opportunity to benchmark observed mortality

[02:11] Using AI to track observed mortality

[06:16] Details on the process used at Intermountain Health

[08:37] How Intermountain piloted and fostered adoption of the initiative – outcomes

[12:09] Barriers to implementation

[13:43] Will never replace clinical judgment

[14:43] Recommendations and takeaways

[07:02] Next steps

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Shannon’s email: shannon.sullivan@vizientinc.com

Sathya’s email: Sathya.Vijayakumar@imail.org

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Hospital-acquired infection improvement journey

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:34:57 -0500

Hospital-acquired infections affect every health organization. These infections may be caused by a variety of pathogens including bacterial, viruses, fungi and parasites. They can lead to increased morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Joining us to discuss their efforts to reduce hospital-acquired infections at SSM Health are Dr. Shephali Wulff, System Vice President of Quality and Safety and Chief Quality Officer and Chris Zirges, System Director of Infection Prevention.

Guest speakers:
Shephali Wulff, DO
System Vice President of Quality and Safety, Chief Quality Officer
SSM Health

Chris Zirges, DNP, APRN-BC, CIC, FAPIC
System Director of Infection Prevention
SSM Health

Host:
Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN
Senior PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[:56] SSM Health infection prevention overview

[1:35] Current infection disease collaboration between four teams: infection disease physicians, infection prevention, microbiology and infection disease pharmacists

[2:43] Partnering with continuous improvement team to put hospital-acquired infection guidelines into a change package

[3:05] Over a span of two years, efforts led to 60% infection reduction for three targeted infections

[3:20] Challenges with standardizing the work

[4:15] Standardizing process structure and change framework

[7:00] Process checks to support freezing and/or unfreezing behavior for validity and sustainability

[10:00] Training modules and tools

[11:45] Focus strategy for monitoring and reducing other hospital-acquired infections

[14:40] Different processes are needed for patients that are entering care in different ways: i.e., elective vs emergent surgery vs. in-patient surgery

[15:20] Lessons learned

Links | Resources:

For more information: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Improving sepsis bundle compliance

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Sepsis has long been a challenge for healthcare organizations. It is a leading cause of morbidity, readmissions and mortality. As a reaction to an infection, sepsis can spread quickly, progress to septic shock and eventually shut down organ systems. Catching it early is a priority and the basis for much of a hospital’s approach to the disease. This episode features a healthcare expert who shares her organization’s approach to sepsis, as part of a Vizient collaborative, that has resulted in significant reduction in the disease.

Guest speaker:
Leanne Bonds, MSN, RN, CPHQ
Director of Quality and Patient Safety
UF Health Shands Hospital

Host:
Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:14] Rationale for participating in the collaborative

[01:53] Goal of participation

[02:23] Increasing compliance with the sepsis order set

[03:11] Use of sepsis sidebar

[04:06] Barriers to implementation

[04:46] Outcomes from collaborative

[05:45] A takeaway from the collaborative

[07:02] Next steps

Links| Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Shannon’s email: shannon.hale@vizientinc.com

Leanne’s email: lbon0001@shands.ufl.edu

CDC sepsis website: https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/what-is-sepsis.html

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Patient-initiated Portal Communications

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:50:00 -0600

Navigating patient-initiated portal communication to create better experiences for patients is a national priority for healthcare systems. The goal of the patient-initiated portal communication project collaboration between Vizient and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is to understand the different ways that health systems are responding to patient-initiated portal communication, and the usage of e-visits, and its impact on the Quintuple AIM, equity, quality, patient experience, care team experience and cost. By learning the pros and cons of communication through the electronic patient portals, health systems can create better messaging and clarity for patients.

Danielle Carder, Senior Program Specialist from AAMC, joins host Courtney Furrow-White to share their collaborations on patient-initiated portal communication. Each share statistics, challenges and results from their findings and how organizations and patients are impacted.

Guest speakers:

Danielle Carder MSc

Senior Program Specialist, Access & Clinical Innovations

Association of American Medical Colleges

Host:

Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN

Senior PI Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[1:38] Partnership between Vizient and AAMC to understand how health systems respond to patient initiated portals

[2:34] Analyzing the billing data of 78 clinical practices

[3:25] Members survey compiling data from equity, ROI to provider and patient satisfaction

[5:45] The challenges health care organizations face with e-visits, and managing perceptions of care

[7:33] Measuring feedback and engagement around the value of patient portals

[10:58] Active education and communication with patients on best ways to access care

[12:51] The operational workflows implemented to ease conversations about visit type

[14:34] Concerns from patients about billing and processing

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Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) to decrease LOS and improve capacity

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 10:35:10 -0600

We know that social determinants of health such as housing instability, food insecurity, transportation barriers and limited access to education significantly influence individuals’ health outcomes. By screening for these factors, healthcare providers can provide, or healthcare providers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of patients' lives beyond their medical conditions. This holistic approach allows for tailored interventions that address the root causes of health disparities.

Heather Blonsky, Lead Data Scientist at Vizient, joins host Margaret Rudisill to talk about this topic and how we have used our Vizient vulnerability index tool, lovingly called the VVI tool, to address some of the nonclinical issues of each organization's top 2% in patient utilizers in our current collaborative, creating capacity transitioning of high-risk patients.

Guests:
Heather Blonsky
Lead Data Scientist
Vizient

Moderator:
Margaret Rudisill
PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:27 – 04:04] Why and how the Vizient Vulnerability Index tool was created

[04:05 – 06:09] Homelessness and how it impacts health?

[06:10 – 10:02] Other factors that are common in the top 2% utilizers and utilization of Z codes

[10:03 – 11:39] How hospitals use that and Heather’s advice

[11:40 – 14:05] What do hospitals do when you they identify these needs

[14:06 – 15:06] How Vizient attempts to tie those 2% needs with the VVI and how beneficial it might be

Links | Resources:

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Readmissions

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 12:13:46 -0600

Reducing preventable hospital readmissions is a national priority for payers, providers, and policy makers seeking to improve health care and lower costs. More important than costs, are the goals of providing quality care to patients who present with healthcare needs, helping them heal, and returning them safely to their home and loved ones.

Tod Baker, Principal, Dawn Sagliani, Consulting Director, and Christine Pilley, Consulting Director, all from Vizient join host Marilyn Sherrill, Sr. Performance Improvement Program Director, to discuss the emerging practices related to reducing readmissions.

Guests:
Tod Baker
Principal
Vizient

Dawn Sagliani
Consulting Director
Vizient

Christine Pilley
Consulting Director
Vizient

Moderator:
Marilyn Sherill
Sr. PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:14 – 02:48] How hospitals are managing the financial challenges, and taking risks for readmissions

[02:49 – 03:11] What hospitals are doing to reduce readmissions through better processes

[03:12 – 05:41] Why are patients being readmitted to hospitals

[05:42 – 09:49] The key elements to consider during the critical time of transition that can reduce a patient's risk of readmission

[09:50 – 010:40] Role of Nurse Navigators

[10:41 – 11:41] Benefit of assessing the home environment

[11:42 – 15:34] Barriers to reducing readmissions

[15:35 – 16:13] One recommendation for hospitals to bring about a more robust readmission program

Links | Resources:

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Building relationships: referral and marketing strategy for remote patient monitoring

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Remote patient monitoring, commonly referred to as RPM, is a type of telehealth in which healthcare providers monitor patients outside the traditional care setting using digital medical devices. The data collected from these devices are then electronically transferred to providers for care management. Automated feedback and workflows can be built into data collection, and out-of-range values or concerning readings can be flagged and then addressed by patient’s care team. In this episode two leading experts discuss building relationships to help drive referrals for an RPM program.

Guest speakers:
Stephen Kropp, MS
Director of Telehealth
The University of Kansas Health System

Jacob Finke, BSN, RN
Remote Patient Monitoring Nurse Supervisor
The University of Kansas Health System

Moderator:
Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN
Senior Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:16] RPM program at The University of Kansas Health System

[02:20] Early focus areas and peripheral devices used

[03:22] Well-suited for patients with chronic conditions

[03:50] Barriers faced

[06:15] Increasing referrals

[07:53] Marketing strategy

[11:00] Drawing patients into the RPM program

[14:54] Finding staff with people skills

[15:29] Building patient trust

[18:04] Advice to those just starting out

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go:

picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Courtney’s email: Courtney.furrowwhite@vizientinc.com

Steve’s email: skropp@kumc.edu

Jacob’s email: jfinke@kumc.edu

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Zero Restraint Use in Pediatric Psychiatry

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Restraints can have a negative emotional impact on pediatric patients. Being physically restrained can be traumatic and lead to feelings of helplessness, anxiety and loss of control. Having to put pediatric patients in restraints takes a toll on staff as well.

Tanya Isaacs, Behavioral Health Clinical Instructor and Cheryl Miller, Behavioral Health Registered Nurse from The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii join us to talk to us today about their journey toward zero restraint use in pediatric psychiatry are.

Guests:
Tanya Isaacs, BSN, RN, PMH-BC
Behavioral Health Clinical Instructor
The Queen’s Medical Center

Cheryl Miller, BSN, RN-PMH-BC
Behavioral Health Registered Nurse
The Queen’s Medical Center

Moderator:
Laura Hoffman, DNP, MSN, RN, CPHQ
PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:08 – 02:07] How did Queen’s Medical Center determine the right path to take to zero restraint use in your pediatric psychiatry unit

[02:08 – 03:47] Defining moment that helped to solidify this decision from Tanya and Cheryl

[03:48 – 05:32] How they began this initiative

[05:33 – 07:28] “The how to help me plan”

[07:29 – 09:42] How the “how to help me plan” changed the way that you practice as a clinician

[09:43 – 11:47] Were they able to reduce restraint use for your pediatric patients with mental health issues?

[11:48 – 14:29] Other impacts other than a decrease in restraint use

Links | Resources:

Contact Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Updates for Antimicrobial Stewardship Standards

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Antimicrobial resistance continues to be a public health threat across the globe. Recent updates to the Joint omission standards provide an opportunity to evaluate our current programs for improvements. Today’s program looks at what two health organizations are doing to optimize antimicrobial utilization, mitigate antimicrobial resistance and improve patient outcomes.

Joining Vizient’s Jim Lichauer for this discussion are Michael Postelnick System Program Director of Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Stewardship at Northwestern Medicine and Lucas Schulz, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Director and PGY1 and PGY2 for Infectious Disease at University of Wisconsin Health.

Guest speakers:
Michael Postelnick, RPh BCPS AQ-Infectious Diseases
System Program Director, Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Stewardship
Northwestern Medicine

Lucas Schulz, PharmD, BCIDP
Clinical Manager, Acute Care Services
Residency Program Director – PGYI and PGY2 Infectious Diseases
University of Wisconsin Health

Moderator:
Jim Lichauer, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP
Senior PI Program Director, Pharmacy
Vizient

Show Notes:

[1:10] The Joint Commission and CMS updates are driving antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) forward

[3:50] EP 10 criteria to determine necessary resources to operate the stewardship program effectively and ensure that the resource allocation matches the determined needs

[5:20] EP 12 is revised to specifically require competency-based training for medical staff

[7:35] EP 20 recommends reporting ASP data to hospital leadership and prescribers

[9:45] Joint Commissions new standards include ambulatory care

[13:25] CMS rules for infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship (CMSQSO-22-20)

Links | Resources:

Contact Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Mortality

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 08:49:06 -0600

Mortality is often viewed as a key indicator of the quality of care in a healthcare organization, and something that most organizations are working to improve upon.

Through Vizient's work with national organizations all working to improve mortality, key lessons learned have emerged that can help organizations improve mortality within their facilities. Shannon Hale Performance Improvement Program director at Vizient joins host Nicole Spatafora, AVP, Performance Improvement, Vizient, to discuss his work on mortality improvement.

Guest:
Shannon Hale
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Moderator:
Nicole Spatafora
AVP, Performance Improvement
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:47 – 02:48] Why it is so important that healthcare facilities look at mortality

[02:49 – 04:24] Getting C-Suite buy in

[04:25 – 07:36] How organizations can get their frontline engaged

[07:37 – 08:58] What happens if you don't have engagement at the C-suite level or frontline level

[08:59 – 10:55] Sustaining change

[10:56 – 12:15] PI Mortality future plans

Links | Resources:

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Task Rebalancing to Improve Discharge Efficiency

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0500

Transitions from hospital to post-acute care is both time consuming and complex. When discharge tasks are not coordinated and stacked on the patient’s last day, any disruption can cause a cascade of negative events. In fact, 30% of all hospital admissions have a 24-hour discharge delay due to non-clinical reasons.

Bennett Masden, Director of Quality at Great River Health in West Burlington, Iowa joins host Margaret Rudisill, Performance Improvement Director at Vizient to explore how moving tasks before the day of discharge can help reduce a patient’s length of stay.

Guest Speaker:
Bennett Masden, BBA
Director of Quality
Great River Health

Moderator:
Margaret Rudisill, RN, BSN, MS-HQS
PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:22] Task rebalancing to alleviate resource constraints at discharge

[02:04] Use a process map to determine when tasks are happening and decide what tasks can move earlier

[03:13] How to respond to pushback

[04:10] A cross-functional team of stakeholders develops an action plan and encourages commitment

[04:31] Example: moving exercise oximetry tests to the day before discharge

[05:35] Other examples: medication reconciliation and physical therapy

[07:35] Staff reaction to task rebalancing

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Bennet Masden’s email: bmasden@greatriverhealth.org

Margaret Rudisill’s contact: margaret.rudisill@vizientinc.com

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How a Nurse Residency Program supports Performance Improvement and Retention

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0500

Similar to residency programs physicians and other healthcare disciplines undergo, these programs give recently graduated nurses the support and learning opportunities to smooth the transition from novice to competent clinicians, while providing valuable peer and mentor support; keys that also address turnover.

Janine Lindgreen, nurse residency coordinator, and Dawn Profit, staff development specialist, both of University of Kentucky, Albert B. Chandler Hospital join Host LaTammy Marks to discuss what healthcare organizations can do to improve their new nurse graduate journey, utilizing the Vizient American Association of Colleges of Nursing, or AACN Nurse Residency Program, also NRP, and how they can increase the use of evidence-based practice while focusing on continuous performance improvement.

Guests:
Janine Lindgreen
Nurse Residency Coordinator
University of Kentucky, Albert B. Chandler Hospital

Dawn Profit
Staff Development Specialist
University of Kentucky, Albert B. Chandler Hospital

Moderator:
LaTammy Marks
PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[02:56 – 04:39] How University of Kentucky operationalized the NRP

[04:40 – 06:55] A performance and improvement project done by the nursing residents and how a process improved as a result of this work including evidence-based practice

[06:56 – 10:01] Ways that University of Kentucky utilizes the NRP to monitor retention

[10:02 – 11:44] Describing the quarterly scorecard and why focusing on nurse retention is important to monitor on the scorecard for your organization

[11:45 – 14:23] How participation in these PI Collaborative supports the NRP

[14:24 – 16:20] What has contributed to the overall success of their NRP

[16:21 – 17:29] Advice for organizations that are starting a NRP program to shift their focus to retention of nurses, especially new nurses

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Caring for patients where they are: Examining a successful home infusion program

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0500

Care is moving outside the hospital at a faster and faster pace. Due to payer mandates, shifts in sites of care to locations outside the hospital will bring an additional 18 percent expansion of patient visits to physician offices and outpatient facilities by 2032. Strategies for home infusion will play a big role in this shift as well. Currently, over 550 medications are available for home infusion. On this episode, two leading experts will detail their successful home infusion strategy at their organization.

Guests:
Alicia Ranasinghe, PharmD, IgCP
Medication Access Services Pharmacist
Fairview Home Infusion

Brett Benfield
Director of Home Infusion and Compounding
Fairview Infusion Consulting Services

Moderator:
Jim Lichauer, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:35] Fairview Pharmacy Services and home infusion

[03:06] IVIG Stewardship Program

[04:13] Process to establish patients in home infusion

[05:25] Pharmacist involvement

[05:50] Getting buy-in from colleagues

[06:58] Impact on patients

[08:12] Looking to the future

[08:39] Take-aways from the program

Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Jim’s email: jim.lichauer@vizientinc.com

Alicia’s email: alicia.ranasinghe@fairview.org

Brett’s email: brett.benfield@fairview.org

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Sepsis Month: Racing to reduce readmissions

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:10:40 -0500

Recent studies have demonstrated that sepsis patients have a much higher readmission risk than other common conditions such as heart failure, heart attacks, and pneumonia. The National Institutes of Health states that sepsis is a substantial healthcare burden, accounting for 6.2% of total hospital costs in the United States.

Shannon Chase Weck, Performance Improvement Specialist and Sepsis Coordinator at Houston Methodist West in Texas joins Host Shannon Hale to discuss share their work to decrease sepsis readmissions.

Guests:
Shannon Chase Weck
Performance Improvement Specialist and Sepsis Coordinator
Houston Methodist West Hospital

Moderator:
Shannon Hale
PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:58 – 01:24] Looking at Sepsis as an organization

[01:25 – 02:30] Organizations approach to sepsis readmissions

[02:31 – 03:09] Grand Prix theme and outcomes

[03:10 – 04:58] How they have sustained improvements

[04:59 – 06:15] The barriers

[06:16 – 07:23] Ah-has to share

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Change Management

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 09:00:00 -0500

Change management is a term bandied about a lot in industry as a whole and in the health care industry in particular. Yet, organizations struggle in carrying it out and few seem to see lasting results from their efforts. In this episode, two industry leaders in change management share principles to make your change management initiatives succeed.

Guest speaker:
Dwayne Banks, CCP
Senior Change Management Partner
Vizient

Kimberly Kisner, MBA
Director, Change Management
Vizient

Moderator:
Amber Hanser, MHA, CPHQ
Senior Improvement Program Director
Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[03:04] Defining change management

[03:46] Leading change

[05:35] Change fatigue

[08:47] Leading practices in change management

[10:22] How organizations should approach change management

[13:50] Communicating in times of uncertainty

[18:31] Sustaining change

[20:16] Start at the beginning of the process—steps to take

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Amber’s email: amber.hanser@vizientinc.com

Dwayne’s email: dwayne.banks@vizientinc.com

Kimberly’s email: kimberly.kisner@vizientinc.com

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Go Green: Why Your Healthcare System Should be Engaged in Environmental Sustainability

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 08:36:52 -0500

Many issues facing our healthcare systems, such as rising costs, staffing shortages, supply chain disruptions, why should sustainability be top of mind for healthcare organizations and what they how can they improve their sustainability journey.

Rebecca Hou, Environmental Sustainability product advisor for Vizient joins Host LaTammy Marks to discuss this important issue.

Guests:

Rebecca Hou

Environmental Sustainability Product Advisor

Vizient

Moderator:

LaTammy Marks

PI Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:23 – 02:19] Rebecca’s role at Vizient

[02:20 – 04:18] Why environmental sustainability should be top of mind in healthcare

[04:19 – 05:32] Health risks our patient populations can face

[05:33 – 07:00] Hospitals focus on increased health risk utilization to improve sustainability

[07:01 – 08:44] How organizations are contributing to the environmental risk

[08:45 – 10:35] What healthcare organizations can do to decrease emissions

[10:36 – 12:05] The number one thing that organizations can do to start focusing on sustainability

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Revisiting Workplace Violence series from 2022 - Part3

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:46:39 -0500

We have a Workplace Violence Survey underway now. The survey consists of 9 questions related to 4 outcome metrics. The deadline to submit data is August 18, 2023. If interested, please contact picollaborativesteam@vizientinc.com

Closing out Workplace Violence Awareness Month, Lindsay Mayer and Heidi Boehm deep dive into protocols and procedures for dealing with the aftermath of a violent event.

Guest speaker:
Heidi Boehm
Behavioral Health Program Manager
The University of Kansas Health System

Moderator:
Lindsay Mayer
Senior Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:02] Survey employees to learn how supported they feel.

[02:59] Awareness campaigns help reduce workplace violence.

[05:39] Implement a comprehensive and standardized debriefing process.

[08:37] Simply checking in with staff, post-event, is a powerful tool.

[09:50] COVID has impacted the launch of a post-event leadership guidebook.

[11:02] Routine, ongoing data collection is very important.

[12:29] Leaders must be equipped with the necessary tools.

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Revisiting Workplace Violence series from 2022 - Part 2

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:22:35 -0500

Continuing the discussion for Workplace Violence Awareness Month, Lindsay Mayer, Rick Litzinger, and Dan Hunnisett explore the importance of building a solid foundation for staff education and training programs around workplace violence.

Guest speaker:
Rick Litzinger
Manager, Emergency Preparedness, Safety, Security
Altru Health System

Dan Hunnisett
Security Program Specialist, Security
Altru Health System

Moderator:
Lindsay Mayer
Senior Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:26] Education is foundational in addressing workplace violence, so it is vital to assess your organization’s training gaps and educational needs.

[03:00] Strong training programs include several key components.

[03:54] Altru’s multi-tiered training curriculum.

[07:09] The challenges and successes of virtual learning, as experienced during the pandemic.

[08:44] Surveys are extremely important in understanding your organization’s culture of safety, as well as education needs and preferences.

[11:01] Recommended to strengthen your training program: Data collection and cross-discipline strategic partnerships.

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Revisiting Workplace Violence series from 2022 - Part 1

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 15:55:07 -0500

In recognition of Workplace Violence Awareness Month, Lindsay Mayer, Mark Reed, and Diana Scott discuss the latest workplace violence statistics and the trends organizations are facing within the industry.

Guest speaker:
Mark Reed
Director of Support Services
MLK Community Healthcare

Diana Scott
Associate Vice President of Accreditation and Regulatory Advisory Services
Vizient

Moderator:
Lindsay Mayer
Senior Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:53] Workplace violence has increased continuously throughout 2020 and 2021.

[02:49] The pandemic is a major contributing factor.

[04:30] The workforce shortage has impacted organizations.

[05:38] The Joint Commission has released new requirements for 2022.

[08:24] Organizations are implementing unique and innovative strategies.

[10:55] Leaders can aid in addressing and preventing workplace violence.

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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First Things First: Advance Care Planning for Inpatients with Cancer

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 08:50:00 -0500

More and more, healthcare organizations are focusing on Advance Care Planning as a best practice for treating patients with multiple chronic conditions. This approach can be particularly beneficial in working with patients who have exhausted treatment options and approach end of life. On this episode, two clinical leaders from The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania discuss their approach to Advance Care Planning.

Guest speakers:

Rachel Mea, MSN, RN, OCN

Clinical Practice Lead

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Erin Lightheart, MBA

Master Improvement Advisor

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Host:

Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ

PI Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:23] Advance Care Planning defined; rationale for this approach

[01:09] Origins of initiative at Penn Medicine

[02:03] Starting point

[02:49] Avoiding moral distress among clinicians

[04:00] Improved communications

[05:10] Challenges

[06:07] Outcomes

[06:47] What’s next

[07:29] Feedback; relevance to families

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Shannon’s email: shannon.hale@vizientinc.com

Erin’s email: erin.lightheart@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Rachel’s email: rachel.mea@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

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Patient mobility and safe patient handling

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:24:49 -0500

Most hospital patients spend over 80 percent of their stay in the bed. Immobility contributes to higher lengths of stay, increases in falls, pressure injuries and new nursing home placements. All of this reduces overall quality of care and patient satisfaction. On this episode, we examine a health care organization that has embarked on a journey to reverse this trend by getting patients up and moving all across the hospital. ThedaCare participated in the Creating a Culture of Mobility Collaborative, and we’ll provide the details on this podcast.

Guest speakers:

Kelly Parish, DPT

Physical Therapist

ThedaCare

Amy Shadick, RN, BSN, CV-BC

Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit Manager

ThedaCare

Host:

Laura Hoffman, DNP, MSN, RN, CPHQ

Performance Improvement Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:26] Empowering patients by improving their handling

[02:10] Story of bariatric patient who became mobile

[02:58] Use of Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool (BMAT)

[03:36] Training in patient handling: didactic and hands-on

[05:45] Meaning of safe patient handling; equipment used for initiative

[07:03] Details and impact of hands-on training: 3 fewer nursing injuries, 10 fewer falls

[08:56] Mobilizing patients and effect on falls

[11:20] Metrics on new program

[12:09] Future plans and partnerships

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Laura’s email: laura.hoffman@vizientinc.com

Kelly’s email: kelly.parish@thedacare.org

Amy’s email: amy.shadick@thedacare.org

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Effective strategies for sustaining and optimizing telehealth

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 08:45:00 -0500

Telehealth found wide adoption and acceptance during the pandemic, accompanied with loosened government restrictions on its use. On this episode, two experts examine the current state of telehealth, bolstered by findings from the project Effective Strategies for Sustaining and Optimizing Telehealth in Primary Care conducted by Vizient and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

Guest speaker:

Danielle Carder, MSc

Senior Program Specialist

Access and Clinical Innovations

Association of American Medical Colleges

Host:

Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN

Senior PI Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:26] The project

[00:37] The surge of telehealth

[02:15] Vizient-AAMC partnership: survey and resulting video interviews

[03:37] Foundational investments: technology, work force, care services

[05:25] Effective strategies to incorporate telehealth

[07:05] Provider and staff engagement – physicians as drivers

[08:25] A seamless patient encounter

[09:36] Use of metrics

[10:34] Challenges and barriers

[14:16] Use will continue into the future

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Joint Telehealth Report: Click here

Courtney’s email: courtney.furrowwhite@vizientinc.com

Danielle’s email: dcarder@aamc.org

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AI-assisted detection of heart murmurs

Mon, 15 May 2023 09:00:00 -0500

Since its development over 50 years ago, the stethoscope hasn’t changed much – until now. Enter artificial intelligence (AI). On this episode, we discuss how AI, working with robust datasets, promises to enhance the newest generation of stethoscopes, maybe in the very near future.

Guest speaker:
Joe Cummings, PhD
Technology Program Director
Vizient

Moderator:
Marilyn Sherrill, RN, MBA
PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:36] Deep learning AI algorithms for heart sounds

[03:04] Need for a large data set to train an AI neural network – machine learning

[04:08] Electronic stethoscopes

[05:21] Public databases: the key to development of alternative technologies

[05:33] Phonocardiogram

[07:30] Does it work?

[08:35] Adjunct tool

[09:42] “Hospitals should be buying outcomes, not technologies”

[10:15] Publications and studies to come

[10:53] Improving diagnostic accuracy over time

[12:57] Detecting heart failure (Mayo)

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go:

picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Marilyn’s email: marilyn.sherrill@vizientinc.com

Joe’s email: joe.cummings@vizientinc.com

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Elevating the Workforce: Reimagining Models of Care

Mon, 01 May 2023 09:00:00 -0500

In the wake of COVID, the nation’s health care organizations are experiencing staffing shortages, burnout and other workforce challenges. Health leaders are turning to innovation, technology and alternative staffing models to address these challenges. Vizient’s Principal of Clinical Workforce Strategy, Dr. Jacqueline Herd, joins us to discuss ways health organizations can improve efficiency, workforce optimization and redesign their models of care.

Guest speaker:
Jacqueline Herd, DNP, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE
Principal, Clinical Workforce Strategy
Vizient

Moderator:
Amber Hanser, MHA, CPHQ
Senior Program Director
Performance Improvement Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:24] Dr. Jacqueline Herd’s background

[02:47] The need for new models of care to handle shortages and to compete with retail

[04:55] Reimagining workflow involves redesigning how work is done and how to make it more efficient so we stop burnout and exhaustion

[05:27] Models of care that make work more efficient

[08:05] Working top of license and certification

[10:21] Integrating the community care worker into the care team

[12:16] Understanding what a licensed practical nurse (LPN) can do helps them work at top of license

[14:52] Virtual nursing

Links | Resources:

Vizient Nursing Workforce Intelligence Report: Click Here

Contact Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Jackie Herd’s email: jackie.herd@vizientinc.com

Amber Hanser’s email: amber.hanser@vizientinc.com

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Sprinting to Decrease LOS

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 08:50:00 -0500

Patient length of stay (LOS) is a crucial measurement for health care organizations since longer patient stays increase patient risk for complications while reducing patient satisfaction. They also represent higher costs for the hospital. At the University of Kentucky, using a model of short-term improvement actions called “sprints,” along with participation in a Vizient performance improvement collaborative and the commitment of senior leaders, a clinical performance team has led an initiative to reduce LOS that has produced strong, ongoing results.

Guest speakers:

Jennifer Rose, MBA

Associate Vice President

Core Clinical and Performance Services

UK HealthCare

Lauren Miller, MBA

Senior Quality Improvement Specialist

Core Clinical and Performance Services

UK HealthCare

Moderator:

Margaret Rudisill, MS-HQS, RN

Performance Improvement Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[02:54] Working on reducing LOS at UK HealthCare

[04:00] Joining the Vizient Performance Improvement Collaborative

[04:32] Leadership involvement, participant accountability, process transparency

[06:39] Linking with the stakeholders

[07:46] The Sprint Model and the Forcefield Analysis

[08:51] Three themes

[09:56] How the Sprint brings testing to a quick resolution

[11:09] Sprint example

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Margaret’s email: margaret.rudisill@vizientinc.com

Jennifer’s email: jennifer.rose@uky.edu

Lauren’s email: lauren.miller@uky.edu

Sample Forcefield Analysis: Forcefield Analysis Template

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Digital Technologies for Pediatric Mental Health

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0500

The mental health of our children is important to our society. Unfortunately, the state of mental wellness for our nation’s children and adolescents is declining. Twenty percent were diagnosed with a mental disorder before COVID-19, and only a fraction of that is receiving professional help. Vizient’s Technology Program Director, Joe Cummings joins us to discuss innovative digital technologies to help our young people who are getting mental health treatment.

Guest speaker:

Joe Cummings, PhD

Technology Program Director

Vizient

Moderator:

Laura Hoffman, DNP, MSN, RN, CPHQ

Program Director

Performance Improvement Programs

Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:30] Digital technology used in healthcare

[02:20] Prescriptive digital therapeutics

[04:05] Innovative digital technologies that appeal to children

[07:40] Game playing improving ADHD outcomes

[09:12] Virtual reality to improve adolescent stress

[09:50] Family engagement important for successful outcomes in pediatric behavioral health

[11:40] Digital therapy is one tool for cognitive care, may still need in-person care

[13:10] Technology for diagnosing pediatric conditions

Links | Resources:

Contact Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Joe’s email: joe.cummings@vizientinc.com

Laura’s email: laura.hoffman@vizientinc.com

Addressing the Pediatric Mental Health Crisis with Integrated Behavioral Health blog: Click Here

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Remote Patient Monitoring

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0500

In healthcare today, with care shifting from hospitals and clinics to the home, remote patient monitoring (RPM) provides a key foundational element to the success of that transition. Health care organizations need to fully implement RPM as a vital strategy to promote health and improve patient management and care. Through RPM, providers capture disease-related and physiological data on the patient and digitally transmit that data via telephone, internet, or video conferencing from the patient's home to a healthcare center, providing clinical feedback. Nowadays, RPM devices such as intelligence sensors, wearables, or handheld devices, internet-connected cellphones, and implanted monitoring devices are widely available. This podcast episode explores the latest RPM innovations with a leading expert in health technology.

Guest speaker:

Joe Cummings, PhD
Technology Program Director
Vizient

Moderator:

Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN
Senior Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:32] Ramping up digital technologies

[02:12] Shortening the hospital learning curve of tech adoption

[03:21] Making captured physiologic info part of the care paradigm

[04:06] Solving several healthcare challenges

[05:13] Impact of consumerism on RPM: wireless, patches, expanding vitals collection

[08:50] Contactless sensors: how they work

[10:04] AI is here: chatbots, disruption, deep-learning algorithms, decision support

[12:14] Challenges to RPM

Links | Resources:

Contact Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Joe’s email: joe.cummings@vizientinc.com

Courtney’s email: courtney.furrowwhite@vizientinc.com

“If you still aren’t sure what ChatGPT is” (Business Insider): Click here

Innovative Technology for Remote Monitoring (Vizient): Click here

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Surgical Services Throughput, Part 2

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 09:00:26 -0600

Revenue and margins, deferred surgeries, preventive care, rising patient acuity, a maturing inpatient to outpatient shift and the persistent pressure of health inequality impact surgery volumes.

In the second part of this two-part program, Dr Jay Prystowski and Rosanne Zagone join host Marilyn Sherrill to discuss the effects of first case, on time starts and how important staying on time is for a surgical facility.

Guests:

Jay Prystowski, MD

Principal

Vizient

Rosanne Zagone, MS

Associate Principal

Vizient

Moderator:

Marilyn Sherrill

Senior PI Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:32 – 03:07] Why first case, on time starts are so important

[03:08 – 04:12] Standard definition of on time starts

[04:13 – 06:34] Grace periods for on time starts

[06:35 – 07:41] Cutoff times for on time starts

[07:42 – 12:33] Impacts of first case delays

[12:34 – 16:15] Getting schedules back on track

[16:16 – 19:47] Benefits of on time starts

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Surgical Services Throughput, Part 1

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Revenue and margins, deferred surgeries, preventive care, rising patient acuity, a maturing inpatient to outpatient shift and the persistent pressure of health inequality impact surgery volumes.

In the first part of this two-part program, Dr Jay Prystowski and Rosanne Zagone join host Marilyn Sherrill to discuss the effects on surgical services throughput as it relates to operating room utilization and how it impact a hospital’s mission.

Guests:
Jay Prystowski, MD
Principal
Vizient

Rosanne Zagone, MS
Associate Principal
Vizient

Moderator:
Marilyn Sherrill
Senior PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:32 – 02:39] Why operating room utilization is so important

[02:40 – 05:42] How operating room utilization is calculated

[05:43 – 07:44] The item that most impacts optimal utilization

[07:45 – 10:00] Open room blocks and how they help with operating room utilization [10:01 – 13:24] Is there a standard calculation of operating room utilization

[13:25 – 16:09] Typical utilization rates on average

[16:10 – 19:05] Other thoughts

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Optimization of Biosimilar Medications Collaborative Strategies - Mayo Clinic

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0600

This episode continues examining insights gained from the Optimization of Biosimilars Medications Collaborative.

Chelsee Jensen and Scott Soefje from Mayo Clinic discuss their participation in the project, key takeaways and what's on the horizon in the Biosimilar market.

Speakers:

Chelsee J. Jensen, Pharm.D., BCPS, R.Ph.

Senior Pharmacy Specialist, Pharmaceutical Formulary Manager

Supply Chain Management

Mayo Clinic

Scott Soefje, PharmD, MBA, BCOP, FCCP, FHOPA

Director, Pharmacy Cancer Care

Assistant Professor of Pharmacy

Mayo Clinic

Moderator:

Jim Lichauer, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP

Sr PI Program Director, Pharmacy

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:42] Current state of the Biosimilar market

[01:58] The financial opportunity available and what that opportunity might look like

[03:56] Key strategies and impactful strategies utilized during the collaborative

[07:07] Key takeaways from the collaborative project

[08:25] Moving Biosimilars into the retail space and what that might mean

[10:48] Navigating the complexities of medications covered under the pharmacy benefit

[11:46] Other Biosimilar products on the way

[12:30] Final thoughts and advice for organizations considering Biosimilars

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Optimization of Biosimilar Medications Collaborative Strategies - Thedacare Regional Medical Center

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 10:17:17 -0600

With a potential savings of over $100 million over the next five years, spend on biologics continues to outpace the total market by a two-to-one margin. However, utilization rates in the United States have been slowed by numerous issues.

Wendy Biese and Carmen Gust join this episode to discuss the strategies ThedaCare Regional Medical Center has adopted to optimize biosimilars, and some of the barriers they’ve had to overcome in order to achieve their successful results.

Speakers:

Wendy Biese, PharmD, DPLA

System Director – Pharmacy Services

ThedaCare Regional Medical Center

Carmen Gust, PharmD, BCPS

System Clinical Pharmacy Coordinator

ThedaCare Regional Medical Center

Moderator

Jim Lichauer, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP

Sr PI Program Director, Pharmacy

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00.05] Background information on biosimilars and the history of biologics spend.

[01:40] Background information about ThedaCare.

[03:42] ThedaCare’s initial work with biosimilar conversion, from 2018 to early 2022.

[05:57] How ThedaCare’s game-changer initiative began, in the cancer center, and how key stakeholders were engaged.

[09:37] ThedaCare’s best practices for actively converting patients to biosimilars.

[12:04] Results so far, including outcomes and projected savings.

[13:01] Advice for organizations planning to implement similar biosimilar strategies.

[15:21] How ThedaCare is moving into the next phase of biosimilar conversion, and strategies for overcoming challenges.

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Insights From The IPS Care at Home Strategy Accelerator

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 15:06:33 -0600

Studies have shown that Care At Home promotes an effective and cost-efficient manner for patients to recover.

Jayme Zage and Brianna Motley, both from Sg2, join this episode to discuss the findings and insights garnered from the Integrated Performance Solution Care At Home Strategy Accelerator and how organizations can identify and prioritize what options and programs best fit their health-care-at-home strategy.

Speakers:

Jayme Zage, PhD

Principal, Intelligence

Sg2

Brianna Motley

Principal, Intelligence

Sg2

Moderator:

Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN

Senior Performance Improvement Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:21] Background information about the IPS Strategy Accelerator and how Vizient and Sg2 define Care At Home

[03:28] Explanation of the portfolio approach to Care At Home

[04:52] Why it makes sense strategically for an organization to consider Care At Home

[06:10] Questions organizations should ask of themselves and their leadership as they consider this strategy

[07:44] Insights gained from participants in the Strategy Accelerator

[11:27] Levers needed to develop a sustainable Care At Home business model

[14:05] How this strategy can impact staffing concerns

[17:39] Recommendations for organizations looking to prioritize Care At Home resources they might already have

[20:16] Final thoughts and advice

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Screening for Social Determinants of Health

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0600

Research indicates that unmet social determinants of health —such as transportation, housing, and food security —can negatively impact health outcomes.

Kristin Burger O’Neal and Donna Avila join this episode to discuss how their team at Norman Regional Health System began screening for social determinants of health, and the impact on patient care.

Speakers:
Donna Avila, RN
Director, Care Coordination
Norman Regional Health System

Kristin Burger O’Neal, BSN, RN, CCM, ACM-RN
Administrator, Post-Acute Transitions and Community Engagement
Norman Regional Health System

Moderator:
Laura Hoffman, DNP, MSN, RN, CPHQ
Program Director
Performance Improvement Collaboratives

Show Notes:

[01:20] Why now is the right time to concentrate on social determinants of health.

[03:36] Norman Regional Health System’s engagement in the communities they serve, and the idea of the “elder orphan.”

[05:13] The transportation program’s impact on elder orphans.

[07:15] What’s involved in screening for social determinants of health, and what is done with patients determined to be at-risk.

[11:14] The Community Health Navigator role and its effect on patients in the community.

[13:59] Next steps in the process for Norman Regional Health System.

[15:50] Advice for other health systems considering screening for social determinants of health.

[16:41] Why it is invaluable to keep an open mind about your patient population.

Links | Resources:

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Subscribe Today!

Improving Health Equity

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0600

Adults with food insecurities have an increased risk for negative health outcomes, including obesity and chronic disease; and children with food insecurities may be at a higher risk for obesity, developmental problems and mental health issues. In this podcast, we’ll discuss what Main Line Health is doing to address food insecurities for their patients who come through their emergency departments.

Guest speakers:
Joanna Dixon, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CEN
Lead Clinical Nurse Educator
Nurse Residency and Onboarding
Main Line Health System

Joseph MacDonald, CSSBB, MBA
Process Improvement Engineer
Main Line Health System

Shonalie Roberts, MHA, ARM, LSSGB
System Director, Health Equity
Main Line Health System

Host:
Laura Hoffman, DNP, MSN, RN, CPHQ
Program Director
Performance Improvement Collaboratives

Show Notes:

[1:48] Why Main Line Health decided use the emergency department to screen for food insecurities

[2:53] Their screening revealed 530 patients with food insecurities, and the nurses wanted to do more for those patients and that was the beginning of their food bag program

[3:34] The ED screening program isn’t the first food insecurity program at Main Line Health. The Deaver Wellness Farm on their Lankenau Medical Center campus has supplied fruits and vegetables to patients during doctor visits since 2015.

[6:00] Who supports the food bag program

[6:47] EMR helps with the lunch bag program’s workflow

[8:00] Sustainability for the program takes streamlined behind the scenes logistics and standardization of tasks

[10:52] Food bag content

[12:00] Follow up after the patient receives the food bag

[12:48] Program impact on the patients and staff

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Engaging stakeholders in quality through system communications

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 11:35:24 -0600

This episode features a team using a systemwide approach to communicate quality data and engage their stakeholders. Through this ongoing process, they have forged relationships that have improved patient care throughout the Intermountain Healthcare organization.

Guest speakers:
Bonnie Gregson, MSN, CPHQ
System Quality Senior Clinical Operations Manager
Office of Patient Experience
Intermountain Healthcare

Daniel Barker, MBA, RRT
Clinical Operations Manager
Office of Patient Experience
Intermountain Healthcare

Moderator:
Margaret Rudisill, MS-HQS, RN
PI Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:26] Developing communication process to impact each care site

[02:34] Communication channels

[03:18] Engagement approach – a non-threatening attitude

[05:36] Looking at gaps to reduce PSI 3s (patient safety indicator for pressure ulcers)

[06:14] “What if” calculator for care site benchmarking

[07:04] Sharing systemwide – “system learning”

[09:05] Quality Insights Dashboard – sharing PSI data and best practices systemwide

[11:29] Other communication approaches across the system

[13:18] Beyond PSIs – mortality, QAPI data

[14:38] Not about reducing the numbers

[16:18] “Fail fast, move forward”

Links | Resources:

Recent PI Collaborative broadcast featuring Bonnie Gregson and Danny Barker discussing their quality approach at Intermountain Healthcare: Click Here

To contact Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

To contact Bonnie: bonnie.gregson@imail.org

To contact Danny: daniel.barker@imail.org

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Using AI for early detection of sepsis

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0600

CDC statistics suggest that one in three people who die in a hospital have sepsis. Furthermore, in almost 87% of cases the patient had sepsis or a sepsis-causing infection before admission to the hospital.

Innovative healthcare organizations are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to combat sepsis.

In this episode, Dr. Joe Cummings explains the technology and shares the latest developments in the battle against sepsis.

Guest speaker:
Joe Cummings, PhD
Technology Program Director
Vizient

Moderator:
Shannon Hale
Performance Improvement Collaboratives Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:36] Basic definition of artificial intelligence (AI).

[02:21] AI subtypes important to the sepsis discussion.

[03:49] More on how AI can combat sepsis.

[05:39] Barriers to implementation.

[09:55] Other AI models and their results.

[11:33] What the future holds for sepsis models.

[12:20] Advice to organizations interested in AI options for sepsis.

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A Patient-Centered Approach to Optimizing Ambulatory Access

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Facilitating access to care for patients is focused on ensuring timely, necessary, and appropriate health care services. Improving access to care is a strategic priority for most health systems and a challenge for nearly all.

The Association of American Medical Colleges and Vizient recently collaborated on a study regarding a patient-centered approach to optimizing ambulatory access. Guests on this episode discuss those findings and insights from ambulatory care leaders, physicians, and staff in five academic medical centers whose organization's access performance has been outstanding.

Guest Speakers:
Nicole Spatafora, MS-HSM
AVP, Performance Improvement
PI Collaboratives
Vizient

Danielle Carder, MSC
Senior Program Specialist, Access & Clinical Innovations
Association of American Medical Colleges

Moderator:
Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN
Senior Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:28] General findings from the project, including primary drivers of success.

[04:12] More details about what the framework.

[04:56] The role engaged leadership plays in success.

[06:03] Supporting foundational leadership and culture with organization-wide structure and standard processes.

[07:08] Actionable data and analytics.

[09:43] Optimizing care delivery.

[11:50] The role of workforce engagement in reducing turnover and burnout.

[13:28] Leveraging technology.

[16:36] Summary of the project findings.

[17:44] Recommendations for organizations that want to incorporate this framework.

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The State of Indirect Spend and its Importance in Healthcare

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Indirect spending is defined as any purchase or services that are internal or external to a healthcare organization but fall outside of med-surg supplies, pharmacy, physician preference items (PPI), and capital. You might be surprised to learn that indirect spending accounts for up to 30% of a hospital’s total operating expenses.

Today’s guests discuss the current state of indirect spending, its importance in the healthcare space, and some of their success stories.

Guest speaker:
John Andrews
Strategic Sourcing Manager - Purchased Services
Business Diversity Manager
Rush University Medical Center

Hawanya Blakely, MBA
Strategic Sourcing Manager - Purchased Services
Purchasing & Contracting
Rush University Medical Center

Moderator:
LaTammy Marks, MBA, BSN, RN
Performance Improvement Program Director, PI Collaboratives
Vizient

Show Notes:

[02:04] The state of indirect spend within healthcare organizations today.

[03:33] How Rush University Medical Center took a proactive approach to identifying indirect spend opportunities.

[05:01] Why Rush University Medical Center made indirect spending a priority.

[07:51] How leadership sponsorship contributed to their success.

[09:12] Where a healthcare organization should start.

[10:23] Importance of participating in the Vizient Reducing Variation Indirect Spend Benchmarking Study.

[11:25] Understanding your indirect spending and the number of vendors that you’re using within a specific category.

[12:07] Importance of aligning across various system facilities.

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New multi-cancer early detection test

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Early detection of cancer can dramatically increase the efficacy of curative treatment. Unfortunately, early screening tests exist for only a small number of cancers, meaning most are not diagnosed until symptoms arise in the later stages of the disease.

Better cancer screening is, therefore, a major focus area for clinical performance improvement. Marilyn Sherrill talks with Dr. Joe Cummings about a new genomic test that can theoretically screen for more than 50 different types of cancer using a small blood sample, and what the future may hold for this technology.

Guest speaker:
Joe Cummings, PhD
Technology Program Director
Vizient

Moderator:
Marilyn Sherrill, RN, MBA
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:28] The Grail Galleri liquid biopsy test.

[02:18] Sampling methodology.

[02:55] The analytic process of the Grail Galleri test, and some developmental history.

[04:01] Testing methodology is based on methylation patterns.

[05:36] Results of the clinical studies to-date, and status of ongoing studies.

[08:13] Early adopters include some larger healthcare systems and, potentially, anyone willing to self-pay.

[09:04] Test costs and preliminary cost/benefit anaylsis.

[11:02] Considerations re: payers’ willingness to cover test costs.

[12:09] Looking forward to trial results and potential FDA approval.

[13:05] With many companies doing R&D in the liquid biospy field, the development of competing and complementary tests is to be expected.

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Sepsis Awareness Month: Sepsis Early Recognition

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 09:00:00 -0500

As sepsis continues to be a major cause of death representing a substantial healthcare burden, Vizient hosted a performance improvement collaborative focused on sepsis early recognition. Shannon Hale explores guidelines and best practices with collaborative participant Amy Lorenz of Covenant HealthCare.

Guest speaker:
Amy Lorenz
Lead Quality Improvement Specialist
Covenant Healthcare

Moderator:
Shannon Hale
Performance Improvement Collaboratives Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:03] Covenant Healthcare identified sepsis fallouts in order to enhance education related to Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines.

[01:59] Covenant created an online reference tool — a sepsis awareness page —to communicate about guideline revisions and fallout areas with all clinical staff.

[03:27] The sepsis awareness page was promoted to educate clinical staff and ensure usage.

[04:08] Executive and physician-driven support strongly enriched the collaboration.

[05:06] Covenant provides sepsis awareness page data monthly.

[05:40] Lack of education about and awareness of the CMS guidelines has been the greatest challenge.

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High Reliability Culture

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0500

A high reliability organization is an organization that has experienced significant success in avoiding harm within an environment of high complexity and risk. These organizations create a collective state of mindfulness that produces an enhanced ability to discover and correct errors before they escalate into a crisis. Marilyn Sherrill discusses high reliability culture with Dr. Michael Leonard of Safe & Reliable Healthcare and Dr. Gena Futral from Vizient.

Guest speaker:
Michael Leonard, MD
Founder, Chief Medical Officer
Safe & Reliable Healthcare LLC

Gena Futral, DHA, RN, CPHQ, FACHE
Executive Principal, Reliability and Management Systems
Vizient

Moderator:
Marilyn Sherrill, RN, MBA
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:42] Background information about Safe & Reliable Healthcare LLC and culture.

[02:30] Why Vizient has partnered with Safe & Reliable Healthcare LLC.

[03:20] Safe & Reliable Healthcare’s high reliability framework.

[05:13] The synergies between Vizient and Safe & Reliable Healthcare.

[06:38] The importance of culture and why it is a starting point for this work.

[09:00] Measuring culture: survey results and what that data means.

[10:37] Vizient’s methodology for helping organizations along their high reliability journey, including LENS, Safe & Reliable Healthcare’s management and communication technology.

[15:14] Advice for organizations considering a high reliability journey, and last thoughts.

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Immune Globulin

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Jim Lichauer, Meryl Biksacky, and Conor Hanrahan discuss the strategies Intermountain Healthcare implemented to improve their immune globulin utilization.

Guest speaker:
Meryl Biksacky, PharmD
Pharmacist, Drug Information Specialist
Drug Shortage Management CO-Lead
Intermountain Healthcare Drug Information Services

Conor Hanrahan, PharmD, MS, BCPS, CPHQ
Medication Policy, Outcomes and Stewardship Director
System PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program Director
Intermountain Healthcare Pharmacy Services

Moderator:
Jim Lichauer, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP
Sr Performance Improvement Program Director, Pharmacy
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:50] Intermountain Healthcare is a complex system.

[03:19] Challenges included the size and scale of the organization, drug shortages, as well as technology and data capture issues.

[05:30] The development of IG appropriate use guidelines was intricate and enterprise-wide.

[08:21] A medication use evaluation was conducted.

[10:08] Evaluation of adherence to weight-based dosing strategies produced shocking results.

[11:41] Surveying stakeholders revealed a lack of awareness of internal guidelines and standards.

[12:42] A formal policy to optimize IG weight-based dosing is in the process of being approved.

[13:35] Advice for those planning similar strategies includes system-wide collaboration, establishing and monitoring adherence rates, standardization, and quantification of cost savings.

[15:12] Intermountain Healthcare has exciting developments on the horizon.

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Redesigning Ambulatory Care

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0500

In this episode, IU Health Southern Indiana Physician’s Service Line Administrator discuss their experience with the Redesigning Ambulator Care Collaborative. Each participant chose a performance improvement project to address and Elizabeth Thompson shares the rather surprising discovery the team made and the solution that made a difference.

Guest speaker:
Elizabeth Thompson, BS, MSL
Service Line Administrator
IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians – Surgical Specialties

Moderator:
Courtney Furrow-White , RN, MBA
PI Program Director, PI Collaboratives
Vizient

Show notes:

[01:17] IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians choose their improvement project

[02:14] What prevention was missing—or was it?

[03:01] What they learned about their data

[03:58] Solving the code crisis

[05:29] Pseudo codes

[06:16] Working with IT

[08:11] Lessons learned

[09:06] How the collaborative experience leads to progress

[10:08] Advice for your journey

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Augusta University Medical Center’s Interhospital Transfers

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Marilyn Sherrill and her guests, Dr. Matthew Lyon and Dr. Max Bursey, take a deep look at Augusta University Medical Center’s successes and challenges regarding Interhospital transfers.

Guest speakers:

Max Bursey, DO
Associate Professor, Service Chief
Department of Emergency Medicine
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University

Matthew Lyon, MD
Associate Dean, Experiential Learning
Director, Center for Ultrasound Education
Vice-Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University

Moderator:
Marilyn Sherrill, RN, MBA
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:36] Georgia is unique in that it has a large number of rural hospitals, requiring a large number of interhospital transfers for high acuity cases.

[03:50] Telemedicine and ED-based critical care services have aided rural hospital quality of care and decreased the need for transfers.

[05:48] These two services have evolved from intervention in the ED only to a holistic program of care for patients in rural hospitals.

[07:38] The ED ICU service provides inpatient level care to patients waiting on an ICU bed and “short-stay” ICU patients, and works closely with the telemedicine critical care to prevent and manage transfers.

[09:53] Telemedicine interacts with Emtala in ways that allow rural hospitals to admit and keep a broader selection of patients.

[11:13] Challenges have included the need for training providers on the use of telemedicine, and training and staffing ICU-level nurses in the ED ICU and in rural hospitals.

[13:53] Starting slow and adequately training staff are important best practices.

[16:03] Telemedicine isn’t going anywhere and should be utilized fully, and included in the work of the ED.

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IPS Care at Home Technology

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0500

As the demand for patient care at home increases, one component driving the move is technology. In this Knowledge on the Go episode, Dr. Joe Cummings of Vizient and Andrew Rebhan of Sg2 outline what’s connecting clinicians and their patients. From smartphones to sensors to artificial intelligence, PI Program Director Courtney Furrow-White quizzes our experts on how technology is making a difference in patient care today—and will transform it in the very near future.

Guest speaker:
Joe Cummings, PhD
Technology Program Director
Vizient

Andrew Rebhan
Consulting Director
Sg2 Intelligence

Moderator:
Courtney Furrow-White
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:15] There is renewed interest in home care due to affordability and the rise of consumerism.

[02:19] Hospital IT Infrastructure and patient home IT equipment are vital.

[04:02] There is no singular approach when considering patient acuity.

[05:20] Telehealth technology must be customizable and comparable to in-person visits.

[07:29] Digital devices with always-on connectivity provide remote patient monitoring.

[09:00] Imaging technology can also be achieved in the home.

[10:25] With home data collection, AI can proceed with the patient.

[13:09] AI can carry the future of home care into a new world of service.

[18:04] A health system should follow specific strategies to ensure success.

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Bonus Episode: Sg2 Perspectives: Diving Into Health Care at Home - Start With Your Organization’s “Strategic Why”

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0500

This week on Sg2 Perspectives, Sg2 Principals Heidi Pandya, MSHA, and Jayme Zage, PhD, join us to discuss all things related to health care at home. Heidi and Jayme start with the current landscape and why health care organizations are evaluating care-at-home services, and then cover how organizations can get started with health-care-at-home programs and prioritize their options. (Hint: stand back and take stock of your strategic imperatives first, then prioritize those strategies and see where care at home fits.)

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Improvement Journey with Contextualist Model for Change

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Michelle Lewis and Pat Reagan Webster discuss the challenges and successes of Strong Memorial Hospital’s improvement journey with onset C. difficile infection rates.

Guest speaker:
Pat Reagan Webster
Associate Quality Officer
Strong Memorial Hospital

Moderator:
Michelle Lewis
Senior Director, Programs
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:09] Strong Memorial Hospital had plateaued in its efforts to decrease hospital-onset C. difficile infection rates.

[02:06] Strong’s successful prevention team was diverse and physician-led.

[04:09] Strong’s analysis, using the contextualist model, included brainstorming drivers, blueprinting, and identifying barriers.

[07:06] Interventions were established, monitored, and modified appropriately.

[08:38] COVID continues to cause challenges.

[09:42] Interventions have proven to be successful, and infection rates have dropped dramatically.

[10:24] Strong made “really significant change in a time when we thought no change was possible.”

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Digital Technologies for Behavioral Health

Mon, 16 May 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Dr. Joe Cummings and Courtney Furrow-White explore fascinating new technologies that are advancing mental health care yet, at the same time, are causing some concerns.

Guest speaker:
Joe Cummings, PhD
Technology Program Director
Vizient

Moderator:
Courtney Furrow-White
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:21] Digital technologies include apps, AI, VR, and chatbots.

[02:13] There are an exuberant amount of applications for use.

[04:13] Digital phenotyping applications are still controversial.

[05:37] Digital applications may be the only mental health resource for some.

[07:06] Most of these applications are not subject to FDA regulation.

[10:09] Data on smartphone applications still in very early stages.

[13:01] There is risk for possible harm with some of these technologies.

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Workplace Violence – Part 3

Mon, 02 May 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Closing out Workplace Violence Awareness Month, Lindsay Mayer and Heidi Boehm deep dive into protocols and procedures for dealing with the aftermath of a violent event.

Guest speaker:
Heidi Boehm
Behavioral Health Program Manager
The University of Kansas Health System

Moderator:
Lindsay Mayer
Senior Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:38] Survey employees to learn how supported they feel.

[02:35] Awareness campaigns help reduce workplace violence.

[05:15] Implement a comprehensive and standardized debriefing process.

[08:13] Simply checking in with staff, post-event, is a powerful tool.

[09:26] COVID has impacted the launch of a post-event leadership guidebook.

[10:38] Routine, ongoing data collection is very important.

[12:05] Leaders must be equipped with the necessary tools.

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Workplace Violence – Part 2

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 10:32:56 -0500

Guest speaker:
Rick Litzinger
Manager, Emergency Preparedness, Safety, Security
Altru Health System

Dan Hunnisett
Security Program Specialist, Security
Altru Health System

Moderator:
Lindsay Mayer
Senior Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:02] Education is foundational in addressing workplace violence, so it is vital to assess your organization’s training gaps and educational needs.

[02:36] Strong training programs include several key components.

[03:30] Altru’s multi-tiered training curriculum.

[06:45] The challenges and successes of virtual learning, as experienced during the pandemic.

[08:20] Surveys are extremely important in understanding your organization’s culture of safety, as well as education needs and preferences.

[10:37] Recommended to strengthen your training program: Data collection and cross-discipline strategic partnerships.

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Workplace Violence – Part 1

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 09:00:00 -0500

Guest speaker:
Mark Reed
Director of Support Services
MLK Community Healthcare

Diana Scott
Associate Vice President of Accreditation and Regulatory Advisory Services
Vizient

Moderator:
Lindsay Mayer
Senior Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:29] Workplace violence has increased continuously throughout 2020 and 2021.

[02:25] The pandemic is a major contributing factor.

[04:03] The workforce shortage has impacted organizations.

[05:14] The Joint Commission has released new requirements for 2022.

[08:00] Organizations are implementing unique and innovative strategies.

[10:30] Leaders can aid in addressing and preventing workplace violence.

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High Reliability: Strategies to Reduce Patient Falls

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 08:45:00 -0500

High Reliability Organizations are organizations that experiences success in avoiding harm within a highly complex and risky business. This podcast will discuss how one participant of the Vizient High Reliability PI Collaborative reduced their patient falls.

Guest speakers:
Bert Lindsey, PT, DH
Director of Rehab Services & Patient Mobility, Acute
Saint Tammany Health System

Rebecca Baradell
Rehab Manager for Acute Care
Saint Tammany Health System

Moderator:
Marilyn Sherrill, RN, MBA
PI Program Director
Vizient

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

[01:30] Saint Tammany uses new graduates as mobility technicians to increase patient rounding and mobility assessment.

[3:10] Saint Tammany uses Weick and Sutcliffe’s pre-occupation with failure techniques. They train their young, just out of college, staff to expect errors and to work on repeatable results.

[4:30] GEM (Greenville Early Mobility) is a four-integer scoring system developed by a group of physical therapists to aid acute care nurses by assigning patients to a level of mobility.

[5:35] Saint Tammany uses the GEMs as part of their Progressive Mobility Program which is an order set for nurses to mobilize patients to their highest capability twice a day.

[6:54] Data showing the correlation between the patient’s mobility and their likelihood to fall

[9:03] Mobility technicians look for the 3 P’s: pain, potty and position.

[10:09] Communicating patient mobility status with the caregivers

[12:30] Getting the program started

[14:00] Future plans for improving the Progressive Mobility Program

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Colonoscopy Screening Technology

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 08:45:00 -0600

In recognition of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Joe Cummings and Marilyn Sherrill explore exciting and innovative technological advancements in colonoscopy screening.

Guest speaker:
Joe Cummings, PhD
Technology Program Director
Vizient

Moderator:
Marilyn Sherrill, RN, MBA
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:20] A new technology called GI Genius is aiding in polyp detection.

[02:54] Adenoma detection rate statistics are promising, but still emerging.

[06:48] There’s a learning curve and shift in workflow to successfully use AI.

[09:17] There will be brand competition for AI platform development.

[11:58] There are many early-adopter hospitals currently using AI.

[12:50] Hospitals should evaluate AI technology appropriately.

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AI in Stroke

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0600

Dr. Joe Cummings and Heather Ramirez discuss the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for stroke detection, triage, and notification.

Guest speaker:
Joe Cummings, PhD
Technology Program Director
Vizient

Moderator:
Heather Ramirez, MS-HSM
Ventures Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:26] There are many types of, and uses for, Artificial Intelligence.

[02:54] AI brings high value when used for acute stroke.

[07:37] There are 5 FDA-cleared, AI products available for LVO stroke.

[08:41] CMS’ New Tech Add-on Payment program is a major accomplishment.

[10:42] Clinical evidence supports good AI accuracy.

[11:49] Different AI applications offer a wide variety of services.

[12:55] Hospitals need to be ready for the AI revolution.

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Evidence Analysis for Clinical Supply Integration

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0600

Vizient Technology Program Director, Dr. Joe Cummings, provides insights on evidence-based technology assessments in support of the knowledge domain, one of four performance domains in Vizient’s CSI model, which focuses on clinical literature and evaluation.

Guest speaker:
Joe Cummings, PhD
Technology Program Director
Vizient

Moderator:
LaTammy Marks, MBA, BSN, RN
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[02:09] Clinical evidence defined.

[02:50] Many sources, including PubMed, are used to support CSI.

[04:58] How to use “gray literature.”

[05:46] Literature search is a fulltime job.

[06:37] Use an evidence grading scale to rate literature strength.

[09:49] A mature CSI program involves financial analysis.

[11:54] Tips for hospitals struggling with evidence-based data.

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Cool Technologies for Redesigning Ambulatory Care

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 09:21:33 -0600

The pandemic has shifted ambulatory care drastically. Vizient technology and innovation expert, Dr. Joe Cummings, shares incredible new technologies that are reshaping the future of ambulatory care.

Guest speaker:
Joe Cummings, PhD
Technology Program Director
Vizient

Moderator:
Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN
Performance Improvement Program Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:31] Non-traditional types of technology are increasing.

[02:31] Recent developments in the pod technology.

[03:47] Ambulatory interaction with smart devices and wearables.

[06:34] AI-based algorithms are needed for data collection.

[07:56] Hospitals need to be ready for AI and robotics.

[10:31] Tips for hospitals as they embrace the future.

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Rapid Diagnosis of Sepsis

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 20:04:40 -0600

Technology Program Director, Dr. Joe Cummings, shares information and insights about innovative technologies in the field of rapid diagnostics of sepsis.

Guest speaker:

Joe Cummings, PhD

Technology Program Director

Vizient

Moderator:

Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ

Performance Improvement Collaboratives Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:15] New testing with new technologies is rapidly developing.

[03:23] How the T2Dx device is used.

[04:52] Explanation of cost and payments thorough CMS.

[06:08] Antimicrobial susceptibility testing options.

[08:26] The future of sepsis technology.

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Patient Transitions to Post-Acute Care

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 09:00:00 -0600

It’s estimated that 40% of all Medicare patients go into post-acute care and of those, nearly 23% are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. This podcast highlights what one organization plans to do to reduce their readmissions.

Guests:

Heidi Young, RN

Senior Quality Project Manager

ProHealth Care

Jessica Zuercher, MS, MBA, RN

Director, Continuum of Care

ProHealth Care

Moderator:

Lindsay Mayer, MSN, RN

Senior Director, PI Collaboratives Programs

Vizient

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

[00:45] ProHealth Care has a multidisciplinary all-cause readmission team for post-acute patients

[1:00] ProHealth Care has shifted their focus to look at anywhere along the continuum of care for opportunities to prevent readmissions

[2:52] Earlier efforts to reduce readmissions were ineffective because of lack of follow up

[3:35] ProHealth joined the Vizient Patient Transitions to Post-Acute Care Collaborative

[4:00] They developed plans with facility partners, medial directors and sepsis team, making it collaborative and connected with all parties.

[4:36] Worked as a group to detail how to fully operationalize their preventive strategies

[6:30] Embedded medical directors and Advanced Practice Providers

[7:03] Plans for follow up

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Clinical Documentation Improvement

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0500

In this program, Michelle McCormick, Revenue Integrity Director, Clinical Documentation Integrity and Mark LeBlanc, Manager Clinical Documentation Integrity, both at Stanford Health, discuss how they shaped their successful CDI program through the fundamentals of prioritization, clarity and transparency.

Guests:

Michelle McCormick, RN, MBA-HCM, BSN, CCDS, CCS, CRCR

Revenue Integrity Director, Clinical Documentation Integrity

Stanford Health

Mark LeBlanc, RN, MBA, CCDS

Manager, Clinical Documentation Integrity

Stanford Health

Moderator:

Marilyn Sherrill

PI Program Director

Vizient

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

[00:00 – 01:56] CDI prioritization

[01:57 – 03:09] When prioritizing DRG’s look for the unusual.

[03:10 – 05:05] Clarity within the reporting process

[05:06 – 06:30] Transparency and how it shapes future improvement initiatives

[06:31 – 07:56] Feedback from their physician partners

[07:57 – 09:18] Meaningful response rate advantages

[09:19 – 09:43] Don’t try and boil the ocean

Disclaimer

This presentation is intended for educational purposes only and does not replace independent professional judgment. The statements and opinions expressed are those of the speakers and, unless expressly stated to the contrary, do not represent the views or opinions of Stanford Health Care. Stanford Health Care does not endorse or assume responsibility for the content, accuracy or completeness of the information presented.

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Supply Chain Resiliency

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 09:00:00 -0500

In this program, Ed Bonetti from UMass Memorial Health Care and Vizient shares his insights on how the COVID pandemic exposed the difference between strategic and actual preparedness of the medical supply chain. a Vizient PI Collaborative helped them to learn from each other and prepare to re-evaluate their preparedness and find ways to be more resilient for future catastrophic events.

Guest Speaker:

Ed Bonetti
Supply Chain Operations
UMass Memorial Health Care and,
VP, Supply Chain Operations
Vizient

Moderator:

Carla Stephens, CMRP
Networks Director
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:00 – 01:48] COVID exposed preparedness of supply chains

[01:49 – 02:44] Keep calm, carry on, and communicate

[02:45 – 04:09] Making quick decisions on alternative products

[04:10 – 05:04] Standardizing and implementing processes for reordering alternate and critical product

[05:05 – 06:20] Preparing for future catastrophic events

[06:21 – 07:32] Future response

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Sepsis management

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 09:00:00 -0500

Effectively managing sepsis is a challenge in every health care organization, and it has required an extensive and involving program at the medical center for Keck Medicine of USC in Los Angeles. Keeping clinicians, particularly physicians, engaged is crucial to improving clinical outcomes in sepsis patients. This podcast delves into real-world, essential details about how both the work of a physician champion and the use of supporting data have contributed to effective sepsis management.

Guest speakers:

Lisa Johnson, DNP, MSN, RN, CENP

Director

Quality and Outcomes Management

USC-Keck Medical Center

Tarina Lee Kang, MD

Clinical Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine

Medical Director, Quality

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Tusdi Rodriguez, BSN, RN, OCN

Clinical Quality Specialist

USC-Keck Medical Center

Moderator:

Marilyn Sherrill, MBA, RN

PI Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:25] Start of the new sepsis initiative at USC-Keck Medical Center (Lisa Johnson)

[01:51] Challenges in prior efforts and changes made (Tusdi Rodriguez)

[03:07] Role of the physician champion (Tarina Kang)

[03:53] Attitude to take when working with physicians on sepsis – the long game (Kang)

[05:29] Value of physician champion in saying what others cannot (Johnson)

[06:07] Preparing for the crucial conversation – know the patient (Kang, Rodriguez)

[09:10] Rundown of a successful sepsis management framework (Johnson)

Links | Resources:

Archived video of PI Collaborative on Sepsis Management Click here

Slide presentation from Vizient PI Collaborative on Sepsis Management Click here

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Social Determinants of Health

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 08:45:00 -0500

Social determinants of health is a problem that affects all American communities. Every hospital needs to assess their community’s social needs, some do it better than others. This podcast highlights one organization with a unique approach on how to identify individuals with social needs and address those needs.

Guest speakers:

Kathryn Bazylewicz

Vice President, Marketing and Population Health

Cottage Health

Monica Ray

Population Health Strategic Development Manager

Cottage Health

Host:

Kellie Goodson, MS, CPXP

Performance Improvement Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:27] Cottage Health is located in Santa Barbara, California

[00:50] Cottage Health has centralized its population health efforts

[01:36] Santa Barbara has 12% of the overall population is below the poverty line, and the county has the highest percentage of homeless students and the third highest percentage of families in poverty.

[02:08] Ron Werft, Cottage Health CEO, started the organization’s vision for population health

[02:08] In 2015, Cottage Health changed their mission statement to include the words, “improve the health of our communities,” and then launched our new organizational focus on population health.

[02:33] Cottage Health’s Center for Population Health works to improve health and wellness, focusing on equity for the most vulnerable in their hospitals and in the community.

[03:00] Started with a community health needs assessment

[03:30] After collecting community data, they published the results on CottageData2go.com

[04:20] Cottage Health staffing for their Center for Population Health

[04:55] Cottage Health CEO and population health team conducted “Listening Tours” with up to 250 community members to gather their assessment of the community’s health needs.

[06:00] Learned that Cottage Health employees need help too.

[06:35] They set up the Employee Resource Connect to partner with human resources to screen all employees for food, housing, transportation and behavioral health needs. Discovered that 25% of their employees need help.

[07:00] Developed a food program for employees.

[08:50] Expanded screening to other patient populations.

Links | Resources:

Cottage Center for Population Health Click here

Cottage Health’s Community Health Needs Assessment Click here

Cottage Data2Go Click here

Modern Practice podcast, “The effect of COVID-19 on social determinants of health – Part 1” Click here

Modern Practice podcast, “The effect of COVID-19 on social determinants of health – Part 2” Click here

“Addressing Social Determinants of Health During COVID-19 and Beyond: Leveraging Collaboration and Partnerships,” Shaifali Ray and Karyl Kopaskie Click here

“Addressing Social Determinants of Health During COVID-19 and Beyond: Leveraging Data that Matters,” Heather Blonsky Click here

Addressing Social Determinants of Health During COVID-19 and Beyond: How to Find Your Organization’s Fit,” Shaifali Ray and Karyl Click here

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Capacity management

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 08:30:00 -0500

Managing patient capacity in a health care facility is a complex, crucial undertaking that involves teamwork across the care continuum. On this episode, leaders from Keck Medicine of USC discuss their areas of focus to get their capacity management program off the ground, how they pulled together the right individuals to improve their process and the steps other organizations can take to get their own program going.

Guest speakers:

Dana Asato, MBA, RN, CENP, CSSMBB

Manager

Capacity Management and Staffing Solutions

Keck Medicine of USC

Jason Willardson, MHA

Process Architect

Keck Medicine of USC

Moderator:

Courtney Furrow-White, RN, MPA

PI Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:30] Rationale for the program

[02:32] Getting the right team in place and the role of the Vizient collaborative

[03:41] Engaging the team

[04:56] Reducing patient length of stay

[07:53] The role of the Vizient Clinical Data Base (CDB)

[08:55] Involving new areas in the program

[10:43] How to get started

Links | Resources:

Archived video of PI Collaborative on Capacity Management Click here

Slide presentation from Vizient PI Collaborative on Capacity Management Click here

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High reliability

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 08:30:00 -0500

One of the most compelling lessons Marcia Baker learned from a recent Vizient High Reliability and Sustainability Benchmarking Study is that “variation hides issues.” She and her colleague Sandy Cox have worked to uncover those issues and, in Sandy’s words, “Fix the problem.” On this podcast, Marcia and Sandy share about the efforts across Novant Health to engage team members to uncover issues, fix the problem and bring high reliability and safety to patient care.

Guest speakers:

Marcia C. Baker, MSN, DHA, RN, CPPS

Director, Patient Safety

Novant Health Clinical Excellence

Sandy J. Cox, RN, BSN, CIC

Director, Patient Safety

Novant Health Clinical Excellence

Moderator:

Jim Lichauer, PharmD, BCPS, FASHP

PI Program Director, Pharmacy

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:30] Novant Health’s goal for patient care

[00:51] Beginning of the journey

[02:17] Safety huddles, visual management boards and other approaches

[05:36] Getting the word out

[08:25] Involvement in Vizient’s High Reliability and Sustainability Benchmarking Study

[09:12] Variation hides issues

[09:40] Story of a safety initiative

Links | Resources:

Data from Vizient’s High Reliability and Sustainability Benchmarking Study Click here

Novant Health recognized by Leapfrog Group Click here

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Well-being: Leading your staff during a crisis – Part 2

Mon, 03 May 2021 09:00:00 -0500

The Coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on hospitals and clinicians across the country. As the surge persists, staff stressors increase, and the relentless pressure compounds the seriousness of the problem. This episode reveals how Rush University Medical Center’s Strategic Communications department became a key player in helping the hospital, staff and community cope during the COVID pandemic crisis.

Guest speaker:

Anne Burgeson

Associate Vice President, Strategic Communications

Rush University Medical Center

Moderator:

Nicole Spatafora, MS-HSM

Senior Director, PI Collaboratives

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:27] Rush staff were very stressed as they prepared for “tsunami” of COVID heading their way and their first patient

[00:55] Rush set up a Hospital Incident Command to prepare for COVID pandemic

[01:50] Volume of positive COVID patients at Rush University Medical Center

[02:10] Established a communication plan and collaborated with command center and senior leaders

[02:50] Rumors were controlled by transparency and consistency in communications

[03:57] Rush used every means possible to spread the latest information – emails, newsletters and intranet accessibility at home, including positive articles, message boards and Q&A

[05:08] Senior leaders rounded seven days a week to directly answer questions and thank staff for coming to work and caring for patients in such an amazing way

[05:27] Started virtual town hall meetings

[06:05] Staff relied on constant and trusted communication

[06:49] Engagement survey numbers showed staff were still excited to come and do their jobs

[07:30] Robust communication to support community’s knowledge of latest COVID information

[08:30] Preparation for emergencies and frequent, reliable communications helped hospitals, staff and people around the world in a meaningful way

Links | Resources:

CDC: Stress & Coping Click here

AMA: Caring for Health Care workers during a crisis, Creating a resilient organization Click here

Harvard Medical School: Strengthening Resiliency in Health Care Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic Click here

American Academy of Pediatrics: TheResilienceProject. We can stop toxic stress Click here

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Well-being: Leading your staff during a crisis – Part 1

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0500

The Coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on clinicians across the country. As the surge persists, staff stressors increase, and the relentless pressure compounds the seriousness of the problem. This episode reveals how a new Chief Medical Officer at Loyola Medical Center helped his staff and himself get through this unusual crisis event.

Guest speaker:

Kevin Smith, MD, MBA (Guest)
Chief Medical Officer
Loyola University Medical Center

Moderator:

Nicole Spatafora, MS-HSM
Senior Director, PI Collaboratives
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:19] Loyola staff felt fear and confusion when COVID hit

[00:56] Kevin Smith was a new Chief Medical Officer when the pandemic hit

[01:18] Leadership team was new to Loyola

[01:48] Leadership stayed on campus to work through problems, and developed trust in each other

[02:34] Leadership tried to reassure staff they were being as transparent as possible

[03:05] Physicians wanted to hear from their local leader, but message had to be consistent with other messages

[03:38] Started virtual town halls

[04:00] Daily huddles with leadership

[04:25] Loyola’s three hospitals coordinated care with thee times a week leadership calls, forming a tight, regional bond

[05:16] Lessons learned as a leader who brought his staff through a crisis event

Links | Resources:

American Psychological Association: Building your resilience Click Here

CDC: Stress & Coping Click Here

AMA: Caring for Health Care workers during a crisis, Creating a resilient organization Click Here

Harvard Medical School: Strengthening Resiliency in Health Care Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic Click Here

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Managing high utilizers

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0600

Patients who are high utilizers, also known as multi-visit patients (MVPs) or frequent flyers, whether found in the ED, inpatient units or other departments, drive up readmission rates and tie up resources. Often, clinicians and administrators hold out little hope that they can end the multi-visit cycles of these patients. Yet, by looking at a patient’s multiple visits as a symptom of a deeper problem, and then identifying and rectifying that underlying problem, clinicians can end a patient’s cycle of care utilization.

On this podcast, a leading expert in high-utilizer care discusses her MVP Method, used successfully in a recent Vizient performance improvement collaborative. The general principles and actions of the MVP Method can revolutionize care, break the cycle of utilization and change the life of your patients.

Guest speaker:

Amy Boutwell, MD, MPP

President

Collaborative Healthcare Strategies

Moderator:

Heather Forst-Ramirez, MS

Performance Improvement Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:35] Looking at the high utilizers

[01:17] Conventional approach: nothing can be done

[01:34] High utilizers account for 50 percent of readmissions

[02:12] Defining patients who are high utilizers

[02:56] How the Vizient PI Collaborative tackled the challenge

[03:29] Details and strategies in the MVP Method

[06:12] Addressing the challenges and the drivers of utilization

[07:52] One patient’s story: a life transformed

Resources:

High Utilizer (MVP) Collaborative Guidebook (Vizient, Jan 2021) Click here

Lessons Learned from the High Utilizer Collaborative: Case Study (Vizient) Click here

When Being an MVP is Not a Good Thing (Health Care Quality Innovation Network, Sep 2020) Click here

Readmissions News: MVP Method Click here

Designing and Delivering Whole-Person Transitional Care Click here

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COPD Chronic Care

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 09:28:07 -0600

In this program, Curt Muhammad from University of Washington Harborview shares his insights on how Harborview Medical Center leadership established a respiratory protocol that included staff training for social determinants of health. The effort would generate better results for those patients and better effectiveness for the staff.

Guests:

Curt Muhammad, RRT, MSW

COPD Case Manager

Harborview Medical Center

Resources:

Watch the COPD Chronic Care webcast here for additional details.

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

[00:00 – 01:25] Establish respiratory protocol for COPD patient

[01:25 – 02:39] Need for staff training

[02:40 – 04:26] Alleviating staff concerns and training for social determinants of health

[04:27 – 04:39] Seeing the benefits of the training for staff and patients

[04:40 – 07:45] Other positive results from the protocol

[07:46 – 08:34] Harborview leadership gained valuable insight

[08:35 – 09:50] Patients taught everyone a bigger lesson

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Using Data to Reduce Opioids in Orthopedics

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 09:17:53 -0600

Lehigh Valley Health Network recently participated in a Vizient Performance Improvement Collaborative that reduced the use of opioids in orthopedic surgery. The key to success was convincing clinicians to join the initiative and fully participate. On this podcast, you’ll hear from two leaders at Lehigh Valley who share how they used data to accomplish this goal.

Guest speakers:

Matthew McCambridge, MD, MHQS

Senior Vice President

Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer

Lehigh Valley Health Network

Joshua Rosentel, BSN, RN

Senior Clinical Quality Information Specialist

Lehigh Valley Health Network

Moderator:

Marilyn Sherrill, RN, MBA, CNOR, CPHQ

Knowledge Transfer Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:26] The interview that started the initiative

[01:38] Joining the Vizient collaborative

[02:20] An opioid problem in Pennsylvania

[02:40] The challenge of provider variation

[02:52] Physicians and data

[03:21] One slide is all that’s needed

[04:17] Telling the story

[05:02] Data transparency and benchmarking

[06:12] Taking the approach to other clinical areas

[07:09] The role of Vizient’s CDB

Links | Resources:

Program handout from October 28, 2020 Vizient Medical Leadership Series webcast Click here

Link to October 28 webcast Click here

“The Opioid Epidemic: Impact on Orthopaedic Surgery” (Journal of the AAOS) Click here

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

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Improving Ortho Implants

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 08:00:00 -0600

Hospitals are constantly faced with the pressure to improve quality and outcomes while reducing costs. Keir Mitchell and Kendra Pitts from the University of Illinois highlight their achievements in establishing a utilization protocol – with appropriate resources, including implants, for the orthopedic product category. They also discuss how participation in a Vizient Performance Improvement Collaborative focused on establishing protocols for orthopedic implants shaped their efforts in the process.

Guests:

Keir Mitchell, PT, PhD, GCS

Director, Musculoskeletal Clinical Services

University of Illinois Health

Kendra Pitts, MS

Assistant Director, Value Analysis Program

University of Illinois Health

Carla Stephens, CMRP, LSSGB

Collaborative Advisor

Vizient

Host:

Kelly Randall

Knowledge Transfer Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:00 – 02:20] Beginning the University of Illinois orthopedic utilization protocol

[02:20 – 03:23] Working with Physicians on the orthopedic utilization protocol

[03:24 – 04:12] Selection of team members

[04:13 – 05:54] Building a case for change

[05:55 – 06:12] Importance of data in developing orthopedic utilization protocol

[06:14 – 06:45] Results from the protocol

[06:46 – 07:23] Working with new technology

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

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Identifying Ambulatory and Post-Acute Care Strategies to Reduce Readmissions

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 09:03:39 -0600

Transitions of care can be arduous for clinicians and confusing to patients. Often, clinicians and patients alike face unreal expectations as to the level of care that results. As an answer, NYU Langone Health fostered better communication between clinicians in the acute-care areas and clinicians in the post-acute facilities to improve on the inefficiencies and drawbacks involved in care transitions.

Ana Mola, PhD, ANP-BC

Director

Care Transitions and Population Health Management

NYU Langone Health.

Adrienne Goldberg, MPT

Director

Post-acute Innovation and Special Projects

NYU Langone Medical Center

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Behavioral Response Team

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Hospitals all over the country are overwhelmed by an increasing number of patients with behavioral health issues. Many use the emergency department to access care and end up staying in the hospital for a more extended time. These patients jeopardize health care workers safety and impede their own ability to receive necessary care. The University of Kansas Health System developed a Behavioral Response Team to intervene with these patients that has shown positive results for the organization and their patients.

Guests:

Teresa Long, MD

Associate Professor for Psychiatry and Internal Medicine

University of Kansas Health System

Heidi Boehm

Quality Outcome Coordinator

University of Kansas Health System

Show Notes:

[00:00 – 01:17] Beginnings of the Behavioral Response Team

[01:18 – 02:36] Recognizing the need for safety and improving the care of patients

[02:37 – 03:39] Specific skillsets of Response Team

[03:40 – 04:39] Training and partnering with police department

[04:40 – 05:57] Prevention intervention

[05:58 – 06:42] Importance of Documentation

[06:43 – 08:16] Challenges and changes

[08:17 – 09:42] Setting up for success

Links | Resources:

Watch the Vizient Behavioral Response Team webcast here for additional details.

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

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Improving Sepsis Early Recognition

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 16:53:43 -0500

Sepsis is a life-threatening infection that kills nearly 270,000 Americans annually. Another 1.7 million people develop sepsis but survive the experience. In this podcast, we dive into the work of patient and family advisory councils and why the collaboration between patients, families and their providers can mean the difference between life and death.

Guests:

Armando Nahum, Director, Center for Engaging Patients as Partners, MedStar Institute for Quality and Safety

Jeanne DeCosmo, BSN, MBA, CPHQ, Director, Clinical Quality, MedStar Health

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

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Emergency Medicine of the Future, Part 3

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency medicine departments faced a myriad of challenges. Dr Tomas Spiegel from the University of Chicago and Dr. Martin Lucenti from Vizient return for part 3 of this series summarizing factors that shape emergency medicine today and offer their thoughts on what will be different in the future. In this episode they examine how emergency departments can adjust scope of care and use social determinants of care to help shape their future.

Guests:

Thomas Spiegel, MD, MS, BA, ED

Medical Director

University of Chicago Medicine

Martin Lucenti, MD, PhD

SVP & CMO, Solution Architecture

Vizient

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

[00:00-08:13] Switching scope of care model in emergency department away from convenient care and making it easier for patients to access care.

[08:14-09:36] Training providers differently for the change in scope of care in emergency department.

[09:37-12:36] Role of specialists in emergency department when changing to a new care model.

[12:37-15:30] The transition of the emergency department to point of access for all service lines an organization.

[15:31-18:24] Role of community in helping emergency medicine in the future.

[18:25-26:56] Taking strain off emergency medicine by tapping into the resources of the community.

[26:57-29:43] What’s on the horizon for emergency medicine.

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Addressing Pharmaceuticals in High Cost Service Lines

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 09:21:36 -0500

Escalating drug costs along with decreasing reimbursement have increased pressure for the pharmacy departments to oversee cost effective medication management. Becky Sillaman, System Director, Clinical Pharmacy Services for Premier Health, discusses how her team collaborated with Premier’s Anesthesiologists on specific strategy that reduced inpatient spend on one drug while continuing to provide high-quality care for patients.

Guest:

Becky Sillaman, PharmD

System Director, Clinical Pharmacy Services

Premier Health

Show Notes:

[00:00 - 00:57] Comparing Cost of IV Acetaminophen vs Oral Acetaminophen

[00:58 - 02:32] Building the case for the initiative to use less IV Acetaminophen

[02:33 - 03:03] Getting Anesthesiologists to buy into the initiative

[03:04 - 05:15] Changing culture to make positive change in cost savings

[05:16 - 07:41] Getting key stakeholders on board and workflow adjustments

[07:42 - 09:33] Results and how to define success

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

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Emergency Medicine of the Future, Part 2

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 10:37:23 -0500

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency medicine departments faced a myriad of challenges. Dr. Tomas Spiegel from the University of Chicago and Dr. Martin Lucenti from Vizient return for part two of this three-part series. They explore factors shaping emergency medicine today and tomorrow. In this episode, they outline how operational strategies and payer models could evolve to better support emergency medicine in the future.

Guests:

Thomas Spiegel, MD, MS, BA, ED
Medical Director
University of Chicago Medicine

Martin Lucenti, MD, PhD
SVP & CMO, Solution Architecture
Vizient

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

Show notes:

00:00-3:58 The Emergency Room as an independent, immediate care service line.

03:58-07:57 Positioning the Emergency Department to serve as a support system to route patients towards other service lines.

07:58-14:30 Helping providers shift to take on different roles and address patient satisfaction.

14:31-18:19 Changes to payment reimbursement models and how they affect the emergency department.

Emergency Medicine of the Future, Bonus Edition

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 05:00:00 -0500

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency medicine departments faced a myriad of challenges. In this bonus edition to the Emergency Medicine of the Future three-part series, Dr. Thomas Spiegel from the University of Chicago summarizes factors shaping emergency medicine today and offers his thoughts on what will be different in the future. The broad-ranging discussion covers everything from emergency room current challenges, to implementing operational efficiency, operations management and functioning as a diagnostic center and COVID-19 patient hub for the organization.

Guest:
Thomas Spiegel, MD, MS, MBA
ED Medical Director
University of Chicago Medicine

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

[00:00 – 01:33] Adjusting to COVID-19 in the Emergency Department

[01:34 – 02:33] Caring for COVID patients in the Emergency Department

[02:34 – 03:46] Separating patients into care spaces

[03:37 – 05:44] Identifying and treating COVID-19 cases

[05:45 – 06:05] Guideline: The 5 liters of oxygen

[06:06 – 09:55] Ventilators vs. high-flow nasal cannula approach

[09:56 – 12:02] High-flow nasal cannula differs from oxygen delivered though the standard nasal cannula

[12:03 – 15:57] Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Helmets or CPAP

[15:58 – 16:54] Contraindications for co-morbidity patients

[16:55 – 17:42] Drawbacks for treatment options

[17:43 – 18:39] Lessons learned – Prevent the vent

[18:40 – 20:25] Future of Emergency Medicine

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Maternal Mortality

Mon, 04 May 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Dr. Carol Solie and Jennifer Gallagher from the Wyoming Medical Center knew they needed better staff training for maternal mortality by post-partum hemorrhage and hypertension. They decided on the obstetrical training simulation process and the results were astounding. They join us on this program to discuss their decision, including the challenges and benefits.

Guests:

Jennifer Gallagher

Clinical Educator for Obstetrics

Wyoming Medical Center

Dr. Carol Solie

Vice President of Quality and Medical Safety

Wyoming Medical Center

Resources:

Watch the Vizient Reducing Maternal Mortality collaborative webcast for additional details.

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

[00:00 – 02:40] Recognize the need for better training

[02:41 – 03:39] Bedside simulation program with hands on training

[03:40 – 04:15] Doctor education

[04:16 – 05:25] Simulation pre-briefing scenarios and objectives

[05:26 – 06:05] Identifying roles and scripting

[06:06 – 06:59] Team building and positive experiences

[07:00 – 09:50] Simulation challenges and benefits

[09:51 – 11:29] Setting up for success

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Emergency Medicine of the Future, Part 1

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 19:23:23 -0500

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency medicine departments faced a myriad of challenges. In the first of a three-part series, Dr. Thomas Spiegel from the University of Chicago and Dr Martin Lucenti from Vizient summarize factors shaping emergency medicine today and offer their thoughts on what will be different in the future. Their broad-ranging discussion covers everything from emergency room current challenges, to implementing operational efficiency, operations management and functioning as a diagnostic center and patient hub for an organization.

Guests:

Thomas Spiegel, MD, MS, BA, ED

Medical Director

University of Chicago Medicine

Martin Lucenti, MD, PhD

SVP & CMO, Solution Architecture

Vizient

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

[00:00 – 03:15] Current state of Emergency Medicine

[03:29 – 06:14] Emergency Room efficiency model and its effect on overcrowding and finances

[06:31 – 07:27] Challenges with behavioral health patient needs

[07:27 - 08:00] Challenges with geriatric population

[08:00 - 08:31] Challenges with workforce issues

[08:49 - 10:54] What lies ahead: flattening of low acuity patient and growth in higher acuity patients

[10:55 – 14:13] Operational efficiency, adopting operations management, system reliability

[14:21 - 16:41] Emergency department functioning as a diagnostic center and patient hub

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Implementation of an Opioid Stewardship Program

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 19:11:04 -0500

Health care organizations across the country are implementing opioid stewardship programs to address the opioid crisis. BJC HealthCare joined the Vizient performance improvement collaborative hoping to discover best practices to improve the mortality rates for their system. The collaborative suggests participants inventory your current efforts as a first step in the process. And right at square one, BJC uncovered one of its hospitals had a unique program that was saving—and transforming—patients’ lives.

Guests:

Amanda Hays, PharmD, MHA, BCPS, CPHQ, System Pharmacy and Outcomes Manager. Center for Clinical Excellence – BJC HealthCare

Jordan Shapiro, Business Process Consultant, Healthcare Informatics, Center for Clinical Excellence – BJC HealthCare

Resources:

Watch the Vizient Opioid Stewardship Program collaborative webcast for additional details.

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

[00:00 – 01:26] BJC singles out the opioid problem as a focus area and describes the impact on the community

[01:26 – 02:14] A potential solution is uncovered within their system: EPICC –engaging patients in care coordination

[02:14 – 03:10] The ED provides a key opportunity for connecting patients in need

[03:10 – 04:09] Finding the secret sauce to the opioid addiction recovery efforts

[04:09 – 05:14] Challenges to efforts

[05:14 – 06:25] Anticipating and overcoming addiction stigma

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Improving Care Access through Virtual Health Care Design

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 19:03:57 -0500

Lack of access to care is a critical issue facing too many patients and providers. More and more consumers, clinicians and health care organizations are investing in virtual health as a solution. Virtual health—or telehealth—may seem like it’s a result of technology advances over the last decade. But Dr. Elizabeth Krupinski of Emory University explains telemedicine history goes back 40+ years. In this episode, she tells us what’s behind virtual health’s slow build and why it is ready to boom.

Guest:

Elizabeth Krupinski, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair for Research, Emory University Departments of Radiology and Imaging Sciences and Co-Director of Director of the Southwest Telehealth Resource Center in Arizona

Resources:

Watch the Vizient Improving Care Access through Virtual Health Care Design collaborative webcast for additional details.

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

[00:00 - 01:33] Introduction and telemedicine background
[01:33 - 2:26] Benefits of virtual health to patients
[02:26 - 03:05] Benefits of virtual health to providers
[03:05 - 04:34] Which virtual health programs work--and why
[04:34 - 05:18] Getting C-suite buy-n
[05:18 - 06:12] Building the telehealth team
[06:12 - 06:48] Staying ahead of technology changes
[06:48 - 07:28] How technology helps improve outcomes
[07:28 - 08:06] The one thing you can count on with telehealth
[08:06 - 08:41] Practice makes perfect
[08:41 - 09:06] The rewards of virtual health

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Joy in the Workplace

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 18:55:53 -0500

At Temple University Health System, leaders Dwight McBee and Mark Meyers explore how to reverse burnout and foster joy on the job. They walk through practical strategies like engaging staff, empowering leaders, using feedback, and learning from unintended outcomes. The episode highlights a simple yet powerful focus—that involving your people might be one of the best paths toward making work more joyful.

Guests:

Dwight McBee, CPXP, MBA, BSN

Chief Experience Officer

Temple University Health System

Mark Meyers, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC

Director of Performance Improvement and Healthcare Informatics

Temple University Health System

Resources:

Watch the Vizient Joy in the Workplace collaborative webcast for additional details.

For more information, email knowledgetransfer@vizientinc.com

Show Notes:

00:45 What is GROSS?

01:21 Interacting with staff to determine change.

02:34 Empowering leaders with context.

04:30 How to learn from ‘unintended consequences’.

05:48 Physician feedback example.

06:45 How does an organization track and measure GROSS?

07:55 Involving your staff is key.

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Preview

Fri, 06 Mar 2020 16:59:47 -0600

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