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Patients benefit when health systems make it easier to access the right care at the right time. Andrea Boohaker, Associate Vice President of Ambulatory Services at UAB Medicine, joins host Shannon Hale to discuss UAB’s work to optimize advanced practice provider templates and improve access. Their conversation explores new care pathways for patients with urgent, lower acuity needs, including UAB’s Rapid Access Clinic.   Guest Speaker:  Andrea Boohaker, DNP, ACNP-BC, RNFA  Associate Vice President of Ambulatory Services UAB Medicine   Host: Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs Vizient Show Notes:  [00:52] UAB Medicine’s access challenges and the opportunity to optimize advanced practice provider templates. [03:48] Research from other organizations helped shape the improvement process, along with early engagement from leaders, frontline staff, and access center colleagues. [06:03] Peer organizations demonstrated how template optimization could reduce third available appointments and help patients receive care within the week. [06:52] UAB’s Rapid Access Clinic connects patients with lower acuity orthopedic injuries to timely specialty care. [08:35] Collaboration between orthopedic teams and emergency department colleagues helped expand the Rapid Access Clinic to walk in patients and weekend injury care. [09:57] Understanding barriers, keeping patients at the center, and learning from setbacks can help teams navigate resistance to change. [11:36] Each clinic may require a different solution based on its care model, staffing needs, and workflow challenges. [12:36] Trusting your team, trusting your gut, and trusting your data can help guide improvement work. [13:51] The new process could benefit patients, advanced practice providers, departments, and the broader organization. [15:24] UAB plans to scale the work while recognizing that each team may need a different solution.   Links | Resources: Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

Sepsis care requires collaboration across the entire healthcare system, from community education and emergency care to inpatient treatment and post discharge support. Jessica Pearson, Quality Operations Program Director with WellStar Health System, joins host Shannon Hale to discuss how WellStar built a mature sepsis program, expanded education for residents and providers, and is using data, technology and artificial intelligence to improve recognition, treatment and outcomes.   Guest Speaker:  Jessica Pearson, DNP, AGACNP-BC, CNL Quality Operations Program Director Wellstar Health System   Host: Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs Vizient Show Notes:  [00:49] How WellStar built a mature sepsis program through reliable processes, data review, electronic medical record tools, education and collaboration across specialties. [02:19] The challenges of educating new emergency department residents each year and the role of MythBuster sessions in addressing misconceptions about sepsis requirements and treatment. [04:54] The open communication between quality and clinical teams helps providers understand documentation requirements while keeping patient care at the center. [06:49] Sepsis intervention tracker that monitors the timing of lactic acid tests, blood cultures, antibiotics and fluids across hospitals, units and shifts. [08:56] WellStar facilities share successful strategies through system sepsis committee meetings while adapting those practices to their own patients, staffing and workflows. [10:46] The next phase of sepsis improvement, including readmission trends, timely follow up care, discharge education and patient comprehension. [12:53] Potential for artificial intelligence to support earlier recognition, consistent surveillance, high risk patient prioritization and clinical decision making. [14:59] Why sepsis education needs to extend beyond the hospital to patients, families, urgent cares, emergency medical services, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. [17:11]The importance of bringing the entire community together to recognize sepsis symptoms and support timely treatment.   Links | Resources: Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

Patient experience is more than a measure of satisfaction. It is shaped by every interaction a patient and family have throughout their care. Suzanne Smith, System Director of Patient Experience at Main Line Health, joins host Shannon Hale to discuss how intentional communication, empathy and presence can improve patient experience. They explore Main Line Health’s ED Ambassador Program, its organization wide approach to patient experience and the small behaviors that can make a meaningful difference for patients, families and care teams.     Guest Speaker:   Suzanne Smith, M.Ed., CPXP  System Director of Patient Experience   Main Line Health    Host:  Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ  Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs  Vizient    Show Notes:   [00:48] How Main Line Health approaches patient experience as a partnership across quality, safety and care.   [04:16] Supporting care teams by removing barriers, elevating the patient voice and using feedback to improve the patient journey.   [07:48] Building an organization wide culture of patient experience through intentional communication, empathy and presence.   [09:59] How ED ambassadors help patients and families navigate busy emergency departments while supporting clinical teams. [12:47] The real-world impact of an ED ambassador who helped a family navigate a traumatic emergency with clarity and compassion.   [15:25] Starting discharge planning early so patients understand their care, know what comes next and feel confident asking questions.   [17:04] Why clarity, empathy and small human behaviors can have a lasting impact on how patients experience their care.     Links | Resources: Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

Interhospital transfers are a critical part of ensuring patients receive the right care at the right time. Standardized processes can help improve patient flow, strengthen communication, and create more consistent experience for patients and care teams. Our host Shannon Hale sits down with Dr. Benjamin Buettner, Assistant Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine and Medical Director of the Transfer Center at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, to discuss how their system is improving transfers through standardization, collaboration and innovation.    Guest Speaker:  Benjamin P. Buettner, MD, FACP Assistant Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine Medical Director, Transfer Center The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Host: Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs Vizient   Show Notes: [00:42] Inside Ohio State's Transfer Center and managing monthly bed requests [02:41] Why standardizing transfer processes improves consistency, patient safety and operational efficiency [05:22] Simplifying transfer reasons and redesigning workflows to support better decision making [06:21] Optimizing the electronic health record and building stakeholder buy-in  [07:57] Balancing patient needs with capacity management and making thoughtful transfer decisions [09:11] Investing in frontline nurses and using technology to improve transfer outcomes [11:48] Lessons learned from improving inter hospital transfer workflows and sustaining long term change [15:11] What's next for Ohio State including AI, predictive analytics and the future of transfer centers   Links | Resources: Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

Reducing hospital length of stay remains a priority for healthcare organizations, but determining which strategies have the greatest impact is not always straightforward. Laura Hoffman, Senior PI Program Director, and Eric Lam, Principal Intelligence, join host Shannon Hale to discuss findings from Vizient's recent length of stay breakthrough survey. They explore how survey responses were combined with clinical data to identify meaningful trends, highlight strategies and explain how organizations can use these insights to prioritize initiatives that fit their unique needs.    Guest Speakers: Laura Hoffman DNP, MSN, RN, CPHQ Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs Vizient   Eric Lam, BS Principal, Intelligence Vizient   Host:  Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ  Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs  Vizient  Show Notes: [00:07] Vizient launched the length of stay breakthrough survey and how 168 hospitals helped identify current improvement strategies.[03:36] Qualitative survey responses were transformed into measurable data to uncover meaningful trends while reducing bias. [06:00] Key findings from the survey and which strategies had the greatest impact. [07:46] Why patient centered approaches, including addressing social determinants of health, showed stronger results [10:04] How organizations can use the survey findings to compare performance, identify gaps and prioritize improvement efforts. [11:14] Using data to focus on the strategies with the greatest potential impact.  [13:04] The strategies most closely associated with lower length of stay, including escalation processes, leadership engagement, and case manager led rounds. [14:24] How case managers help identify discharge barriers, coordinate post-acute care, and improve patient transitions.   Links | Resources: Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

Artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare operations by helping organizations improve efficiency and reduce administrative burden. Dr. Dustin McLemore, Senior Program Manager at Providence, joins host Shannon Hale to discuss how Providence has partnered with frontline caregivers to develop an AI powered supply chain solution that gives valuable time back to patient care while keeping clinicians at the center of the process.   Guest Speaker:  Dustin D. McLemore, EdD, PMP® Senior Program Manager, Logistics Operations Providence Supply Chain Organization (SCO)   Host:  Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ  Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs  Vizient    Show Notes: [00:07] Artificial intelligence in healthcare supply chain operations [00:38] Opportunities to reduce administrative burden for caregivers [02:43] Why Providence built its own AI solution [04:52] Built by caregivers, for caregivers [07:53] Keeping frontline caregivers involved after implementation of AI [08:46] Financial impact and returning time to patient care [11:26] Finding the right balance between AI and human oversight [13:27] Earning caregiver trust through data and feedback [15:59] Lessons for healthcare leaders adopting AI   Links | Resources:  Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

What separates top performing health systems from their peers? For the past two decades, Vizient has explored that question through research focused on leadership, culture, and practices that drive organizational performance. Julie Cerese, Group Senior Vice President of Performance Management and National Networks at Vizient, joins host Shannon Hale to discuss how this work has evolved and why it continues to shape healthcare organizations today.    Guest Speaker:   Julie Cerese RN, MSN, PhD  Senior Vice President Member Networks and Performance Management Programs  Vizient     Host:  Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ  Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs  Vizient    Show Notes:    [00:07] Introduction and the origins of the Roadmap to Top Performance research  [01:03] Healthcare leaders asked what separates top performing organizations from their peers  [03:01] Building the Quality and Accountability ranking using STEAP principles  [04:41] The blinded research process that uncovered clear differences between top and middle performers  [05:27] One specific healthcare system applied the research findings to achieve sustained excellence  [07:25] Researchers observations during site visits to top performing organizations  [09:01] Leadership, culture, and why visible executives create accountability throughout an organization  [11:49] Vizient's Roadmap to Top Performance benchmarking survey  [15:16] Participating organizations are learning from the survey  [17:01] Reflecting on twenty years of research and its continued impact on healthcare performance    Links | Resources: Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

Process improvement plays a critical role in healthcare by helping organizations deliver safer, efficient and more reliable care. Our host Shannon Hale welcomes Dr. Josee Gill, Director of Quality for the Bellin Region at Emplify Health, to discuss what it takes to build a culture of continuous improvement. Drawing on years of leadership experience, Gill shares insights on engaging frontline staff, sustaining progress, and maintaining a commitment to delivering the highest quality care possible. Guest: Josee Gill, DNP, RN, CPHQ, LSSGB Director of Quality Bellin Region Emplify Health   Host:  Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs Vizient    Show Notes:  [00:45]  Josie's healthcare journey from emergency nursing to quality leadership [02:42]  Overview of Emplify Health and the Bellin Region [03:21]  How Vizient collaboratives support performance improvement efforts [05:10]  Why continuous improvement never stops, even with strong performance [06:43]  Advice for professionals beginning a career in quality and performance improvement [08:27]  Building relationships with frontline teams and using data effectively [09:04]  Gaining leadership support through organizational benchmarking [10:09]  Practical approaches to sustaining performance improvement initiatives [12:13]  Advice for organizations participating in Vizient performance improvement programs [14:07]  The future of performance improvement at Emplify Health [15:02]  Incorporating patient advisors into improvement work [15:58]  Maintaining and improving quality through healthcare mergers   Links | Resources: Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

Supply variation reduction plays a critical role in helping healthcare organizations improve efficiency, lower costs, and support high quality patient care. Our host Shannon Hale speaks with Marcy Maddox, Executive Director of Supply Chain at University of Missouri Healthcare, about building clinician buy in, sustaining long term improvement, and creating a culture that embraces collaboration and continuous learning.   Guest Speaker:  Marcy Maddox, MHA Executive Director of Supply Chain University of Missouri Healthcare   Host:  Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs Vizient    Show Notes: [1:55] Key lessons learned about clinician engagement and organizational alignment [3:22] How leadership support and physician champions helped drive progress [4:31] Why early wins encouraged more clinician participation [5:27] Strategies for organizing work and using data to support decisions [6:26] The importance of monitoring progress and maintaining accountability [8:07] How teams evaluate variation while prioritizing patient care [8:44] Marcy shares how past challenges helped shape future success [10:05] Ways leaders can create safe environments for collaboration and growth [11:21] The role leadership plays in shaping organizational culture [12:11] How supply chain work ultimately supports patient outcomes [13:00] Practical guidance for teams starting their variation reduction journey [14:53] What sustainable success looks like for variation reduction efforts   Links | Resources: Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

Medication reconciliation plays a critical role in patient safety by ensuring medications are accurate, appropriate, and understood during transitions of care. Vizient host Shannon Hale speaks with Ekaterina Kossykh-Burrows, Clinical Pharmacist at Highland Hospital, about practical strategies to prioritize high risk patients, build trust with providers, and drive measurable impact through pharmacy led interventions.   Guest Speaker:  Ekaterina Kossykh-Burrows Pharm.D., BCPS Clinical Pharmacist Highland Hospital Host: Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ Senior Program Director, Performance Improvement Programs Vizient  Show Notes:  [00:46] Overview of Highland Hospital and its patient population [01:20] The value of collaborative learning and participating in the performance improvement collaborative [03:09] Medication reconciliation workflows and how patients are prioritized [04:57] How a patient scoring system is developed, including risk factors and data validation [07:02] How medication related risk factors contribute to readmissions [07:32] Gaps in electronic records and the need for human involvement [08:46] The role of clinical judgment alongside technology [09:10] The impact of dedicated pharmacy roles on improving medication accuracy [10:29] Best practices for building programs, including starting small and maintaining consistency   Links | Resources: Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

Patient safety indicators are more than numbers on a report. They expose where harm may be happening and where systems are breaking down. Katelyn Dietz, Director of Patient Safety and Quality at Lake Charles Memorial, shares how her team tackles rising PSI rates by strengthening documentation, aligning cross functional teams, and creating a more proactive review process. Joined by Vizient host Michelle Lewis, they unpack the real challenges behind PSI performance and what it takes to turn insight into action.    Guest Speaker:  Katelyn Dietz, MBA, RN, CPHQ Director of Patient Safety and Quality Lake Charles Memorial   Host:  Michelle Lewis  Senior Director Programs, Performance Improvement Programs Vizient    Show Notes:  [00:53] Focus on PSI at Lake Charles Memorial and why it was necessary  [01:31] Establishing standardized criteria for selecting cases for review [02:40] Bringing  multiple departments together to change PSI approach  [04:10] Engaging physicians in documentation improvement [05:45] PSI thirteen insights that would help other organizations  [07:17] Substantial improvement in the patient safety composite score PSI ninety [08:37] How to sustain improvements to PSI scores    Links | Resources: Contacting Knowledge on the Go: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

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: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

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: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

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: [email protected]    Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed

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: [email protected]   Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Android RSS Feed