Some Shore staff members spend long hours helping directly with patient care. Others work long hours behind the scenes helping to create the orderly and efficient framework that helps SMC be such an effective hospital and an important part of the community.
The members of the Quality Team have a big role in the success here at Shore. That success is apparent with the hospital receiving an “A” Hospital Safety Grade in April from The Leapfrog Group, a non-profit watchdog organization that serves as a voice for healthcare consumers.
“Our team helps to establish a culture of safety here at Shore,” said Val DeJoseph, Administrative Director of Quality and Performance Improvement, Infection Control and Med Staff Services. “We don’t look at anyone’s titles, as we should all be a part of that culture of safety.”
Quality team analyst Kris Liwoch explained how she examines quality comparative national data from other hospitals to help set the goals for Shore. They also factor in the regulatory requirements from the agencies that set standards, including the Joint Commission, Agency for Healthcare, Department of Health, and the Leapfrog Group. “As a hospital we are required to meet all regulatory standards as well as incorporate value-based programs and payments,” said Liwoch.
The process, according to Liwoch, is collecting data and then analyzing that data. “We look for opportunities for improvement in the hospital by following evidence-based standards. We follow the national guidelines and we track every entity in the organization to improve efficiency, patient safety, clinical outcomes and patient experience. There are three E’s that we follow: effectiveness, efficiency and experience, and there really cannot be good outcomes without them.”
Clinical Quality Outcomes Supervisor Peggy O’Brien and Robert Schrevelius are charged with identifying the biggest opportunities for improvement across the organization. “We look at key performance indicators. We don’t look at people, rather we look at the process; is there a breakdown in the process? Most often it is not a reflection of care but of documentation,” said O’Brien. She added that the hospital is required to meet core measures and The Joint Commission standards and noted that it is not finger pointing but simply doing the job required by looking for ways to improve the organization.
“Quality and safety are everyone’s responsibility,” said Regulatory and Medical Staff Coordinator, Nicole Corchiani. She added what drives her as part of the Quality team to maintain the excellence here at Shore and do better is pretty basic. “Shore is an important part of this community. This is where our family comes for care and that is important.”
