Submissions have been received for the 2024 KHC Leadership in Quality Awards. Winners will be announced during the Leadership in Quality Awards Luncheon at the KHC Summit on Quality, August 8th in Wichita, KS.
Below you will find a summary of the submissions received in each category. Click on "Learn More" to see the Storyboard submission for each organization that submitted a Storyboard.
Leadership in Quality Award Submissions
Sepsis Bundle Completion & Reduction in Sepsis Mortality – AdventHealth Ottawa AdventHealth Ottawa worked on improving the completion rate for the CMS Sepsis bundle. The hospital committed to a hospital-wide Code Sepsis activation. The team achieved a 90% completion rate for the 3-hour sepsis bundle and a 0% sepsis mortality rate.
Improving Patient Outcomes and Employee Well-Being with Team-Based Care - KU Internal Medicine Wichita
In a previous external meta-analysis, KU found that QI can worsen workforce well-being – likely due to the top-down governance of typical QI. Their aim was to explore whether a team-based strategy can improve patient outcomes and employee well-being simultaneously. Twelve HEDIS measures were selected to focus on and measure.
Reducing Severity and Promoting Early Identification of Peripheral Intravenous Infiltration and Extravasations – The University of Kansas Health System
Over 90% of hospital inpatients require intravenous access. Most infiltrations and extravasations can be prevented, and early identification of an infiltration or extravasation reduces severity of tissue injury. In this project, RN Preceptor confidence in treating PIVIE increased by 57% from pre to post education and saw a 30% increase in scores from pre to post-test for RN application-based skills of the pilot group.
Multi-Disciplinary Rounds - Salina Regional Health
Salina Regional Health implemented Multi-Disciplinary Rounds to streamline the discharge process for all inpatient and observation status patients and for all acute patients. The length of stay on each of the participating units decreased and the ALOS improved.
Interdisciplinary Approach to Reducing HAI CDI - NMC Health
A multi-year process improvement project to reduce Clostridioides difficile Infections (CDI) was conducted at NMC Health. Statistical analysis demonstrated that a decrease in HAI CDI was achieved after initiation of the stool tool. A significant reduction was identified after the addition of two-step testing, daily surveillance and re-education of clinical teams. The current outcome is zero HAI CDI for nine months consistently.
Oral Care for Pneumonia Prevention in Ventilated Patients – KU Medical Center
Critically ill mechanically ventilated patients are at increased risk of hospital-acquired pneumonia. The KUMC team worked on reduction of contamination of respiratory care equipment and decontamination of the oral cavity as well as a reduction of total ventilator days.
Long-term Patient Management of Post Endovascular Aneurysm Repair - The University of Kansas Health System
The Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) registry recommends best practices for post-procedure follow-up for patients who underwent Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR). Following implementation of a new workflow based on review and evaluation, the VQI registry reflected positive outcomes for the identified patient population. Prior to the new workflow, follow-up for management of this patient population was 62% in 2019 and at project end was 88%, which is higher than regional and national rates.
The Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) registry recommends best practices for post-procedure follow-up for patients who underwent Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR). Following implementation of a new workflow based on review and evaluation, the VQI registry reflected positive outcomes for the identified patient population. Prior to the new workflow, follow-up for management of this patient population was 62% in 2019 and at project end was 88%, which is higher than regional and national rates.
Small or Rural Leadership in Quality Award Submissions
Rural Health Clinic – PHQ9 Depression Screening – CCMCKS
Medicare mandates annual depression screenings for all patients, however, the CCMCKS proposal advocates for screening patients at every visit, starting from age 10, in alignment with recent findings suggesting early intervention is crucial. Over a three-week period, staff identified instances of self-harm among children aged 10 and 11 and 84 patients scoring a 10 or higher on depression screenings, leading to referrals to behavioral health services.
Developing a Quality Culture - Kingman Health Center
Knowledge of quality and compliance with the QAPI program was lacking at Kingman Healthcare Center (KHC). The team’s project focused on Performance Improvement Project completion rate. The largest change in completion rate was recognized after 1:1 education was provided to department leaders on QAPI, the expectations, and due dates.
Decreasing Medication Errors to Improve Patient Safety - Ottawa County Health Center
Starting in early 2023, Nursing Administration noticed a high occurrence of medication related incidents. With increased education on Culture of Safety practices and providing nurses with individual scorecards, there was an upward trend in medication scanning rates, as high as 90.29% in May 2024, as well as a decrease in medication related incidents.
Implementation of TIPS resulting in a Reduction of Falls - Wamego Health Center
The goal of the quality project was to eliminate falls with injury during a 12-month period through the implementation of a patient-centered approach at fall reduction called Fall Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety (TIPS) toolkit, resulting in ZERO patient falls with harm and a reduction of all falls (with or without injury) producing two quarters with no falls.
CHW Team DPP - Wichita Family Medicine Specialists (WFMS)
The WFMS CHW Team aimed to help prediabetic patients adopt a healthy lifestyle to prevent Type 2 Diabetes through the National DPP program by setting the goals of losing 10% of patient’s starting body weight and weekly activity of 150 minutes or more. The CHW team noticed weekly weight loss and eagerness to attend the sessions in participants over the 16-week program.
Preventing Antibiotic Resistance by Improving UA Collection - Russell Regional Hospital
The hospital discovered, during infection prevention audits, an increase in urinalyses (UAs) that were coming back with contaminated results. Through education, training, and supply placement, the hospital saw significant decreases in contaminated UAs and unwarranted urinary tract infection diagnoses.
Reducing and Preventing Infections through Antimicrobial Stewardship - Logan County Health Services
The Antimicrobial Stewardship (AS) team at Logan County Health Services initiated and expanded a comprehensive AS program to both reduce and prevent infections throughout the facility. At the initiation of the project, only 45% of expected cultures were obtained prior to initiation of antimicrobial therapy. Following nursing and provider education and buy-in, expected cultures have exceeded the goal of 90%.
Quality Programs and Initiatives - Decatur Health
Decatur Health identified and implemented Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock, Falls Complete Reduction, Community Collaboration and Integration, Patient and Family Engagement, and the Antibiotic Stewardship program. All projects saw improvements and growth.