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Current Quality Initiatives and Hospitalist Educational Opportunities

Mentored Implementation Programs

One of SHM’s many successful quality initiatives is a program called Mentored Implementation.  Mentored implementation (MI) is a yearlong program, in which institutions are coached by national experts (Mentors) in implementing a specific quality intervention at their hospital. SHM’s Quality Improvement (QI) Resource Rooms and implementation workbooks document the information and tools needed to lead the mentoring project. This stepwise guide begins with setting goals and continues through post-implementation tasks including analyzing outcomes and sustaining improvements.  During this process, mentors will meet with their mentee sites via a series of conference calls, webinars, email, and on-site visit (note: on-site visits are project specific) to provide continuous support and guidance from the planning through implementation phase of the intervention. This unique approach allows sites to utilize their mentor’s expertise in a one on one intimate relationship.

Additionally, participating sites and mentors have the opportunity to share in the Mentored Implementation Collaborative. This collaborative consists of a listserv and unique project community website, where resources, tools, information, and questions are shared among all participants.  The collaborative is only available to participating sites and all information is shared among the mentoring community.

The goal of SHM’s Mentored Implementation programs is to successfully operationalize the quality interventions at institutions with added support from content experts in the field.

Currently, SHM offers the following Mentored Implementation programs:

BOOSTing Care Transitions

SHM, with the support of the John A. Hartford Foundation and in collaboration with a coalition of national experts developed a toolkit to improve care transitions for older adults at the time of hospital discharge. The BOOSTing Care Transition’s resource room is a free online resource available to guide you through implementing the BOOST tools. Initially, thirty sites were accepted for the Project BOOST (Better Outcomes for Older adults through Safe Transitioning) Mentoring Program-a year of mentoring and coaching from national experts to redesign their discharge process and improve patient safety and outcomes. Hundreds of sites are now implementing the BOOST toolkit in part across the US and Canada. Presently, there are 47 BOOST mentor sites in 24 states and one in Canada. An additional 35 sites will begin in the fall 2010 with additional regional cohorts in the planning stages.
Via the Project BOOST Mentoring Program, selected sites will receive:

• The BOOST Toolkit provides clinical interventions, practical step-wise project management tools, and resources to train multidisciplinary teams about quality improvement and best practices in discharge planning and effective communication strategies.
• 1 year of mentoring by national physician experts in care transitions with demonstrated accomplishment in care transitions at their own institutions.  Mentors meet with site leaders via teleconference to help teams tailor the Project BOOST toolkit to the needs of their institutions, implement it, and evaluate its impact.
• Two day training session for QI teams to learn about the intervention, exchange ideas with other BOOST sites and work with their mentor to establish an action plan
• Participation in the web-based BOOST National collaborative where participants share ideas, documents and other resources via an active listserv, document sharing and other web-based tools
• Teach-Back training, video and curriculum for local use to train clinicians to improve communication with patients
• Data collection and analysis tools to improve and benchmark performance against comparison groups at your institution and other BOOST facilities. Using the BOOST Data center sites can easily print and share improvement reports.

Read more about Project BOOST Mentoring Program.

Glycemic Control Mentored Implementation (GCMI) Program

The Glycemic Control Mentored Implementation (GCMI) program is sponsored by sanofi-aventis US, LLC and focuses on optimizing the care of inpatients with hyperglycemia and diabetes and in preventing hypoglycemia. Mentors with QI and glycemic control expertise are working with each participating team to tackle site-specific issues using proven QI techniques. The range of issues include: subcutaneous insulin protocols, transition from subcutaneous to infusion, infusion insulin, care coordination, improving follow up care, and having a good hypoglycemia management and prevention protocol.
Learn more about GCMI

Hospitalist Orthopedic Patient Service (HOPS) Co-Management Program

Hospitalist mentors with experience in Co-Management programs and QI expertise will work with participating teams to tackle site-specific issues in developing a Hospitalist/Orthopedic surgery Co-Management program. Key issues and guidance provided by the site mentor will include: Developing a service agreement, Determining roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, Addressing financial and payment issues, Developing key metrics to measure program effectiveness, and Obtaining buy-in from physicians and hospital administration.
Learn more about the HOPS Co-Management Program

VTE Prevention Collaborative (VTE PC)

SHM has accepted 24 sites to participate in cohort 1 of VTE PC Mentored Implementation Program sponsored by sanofi-aventis US, LLC. SHM is currently accepting applications for the fall cohort of VTE PC. SHM mentors with VTE and QI expertise will provide participants with practical assistance on topics central to designing, evaluating, implementing and sustaining a VTE prevention program. Mentoring includes scheduled telephone calls over a 15 month period, e-mail support, and instruction organized around the VTE Implementation Guide, SHM's step-by-step guide for developing a VTE prevention program. (The Implementation Guide can also serve as a self-study guide and is available online from the VTE Resource Room.)
Learn More About the VTE Prevention Collaborative.

Educational Offerings

QI Resource Rooms

SHM's Resources Rooms provide guidance on implementing specific interventions to prevent or improve key patient safety areas. This stepwise guide begins with setting goals and continues through post-implementation tasks including analyzing outcomes and sustaining improvements. Each resource room contains a Quality Improvement Implementation Guide, educational slides sets, Teaching Pearls, Ask the Expert discussion boards, key literature and other helpful resources. Access the landing page for the Quality Initiatives Resource Rooms to see the full scope of offerings. Current Resource Room topics include: Acute Coronary Syndrome, BOOSTing Care Transitions, Complicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections, Glycemic Control, Heart Failure, Venous Thromboembolism, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Stroke.

Quality Pre-Course

The quality pre-course enables hospitalists and their local QI teams to become leaders of breakthrough levels of quality and safety, through the effective implementation of evidence-based, high reliability interventions. Participants will learn techniques for designing, implementing, and evaluating quality improvement projects. Curriculum for the Quality Pre-Course is currently being developed. Check back for updated details.

Quality Track

Given the importance of quality and patient safety in the delivery of healthcare, the Quality Track is offered to address the imperatives around development and implementation of improvement efforts in the hospital. Practical sessions will cover such areas as the current state of healthcare quality, teaching quality improvement principles, advanced patient safety concepts, patient-centered care, and turning QI initiatives into research.
Learn More About Hospital Medicine 2011.

Expert Training Sessions

SHM will be having their annual meeting in Dallas, TX 2011. Pre-course information is currently being developed and will help participants dissect Glycemic Control, VTE & Active Bed Management storyboards.
Learn More About Hospital Medicine 2011.

SHM's Leadership Academy will take place September 13-16, 2010 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This is for Level I and II members only. SHM's Leadership Academies are designed to provide hospitalist leaders with the skills and resources required to successfully lead and manage a hospital medicine program now and in the future. Our expert faculty have created a program that benefits both physician and non-physician providers by covering vital topics such as overcoming leadership challenges, effectively advocating a hospitalist program, improving patient outcomes and so much more.
Learn More About SHM’s Leadership Academy.