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Time to Recertify Your CPHQ Credential

Nearly 40 members took the CPHQ exam at the NAHQ conference last month. Have you checked that certificate on your wall to see whether your CPHQ certification is up for renewal this year? Remember, certification renewals are due every 2 years, and you have until December 31, 2008, to record your hours and recertify! Don't be caught unaware! Half of those who lose their credential do so because they were not aware of when their recertification cycle ended. Although the Healthcare Quality Certification Board (HQCB) sends out periodic reminders, it is up to you to get your recertification into HQCB on time.

State News

The Arizona Association for Healthcare Quality (AzAHQ) will hold its annual conference, "Cost and Quality: Success with Medicare and Ways to Streamline Process," on November 14. (The location is yet to be determined.) The conference will focus on Medicare's influence on cost and quality, as well as on improving process changes for Medicare reimbursement. Anne-Claire France, PhD CPHQ, consultant of Healthcare Performance Improvement, Norfolk, VA, and Lean Six Sigma expert, will be the conference keynote speaker. As former director of the Center for Healthcare Improvement at Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, France brought applied health services research to the front lines of patient care, resulting in significant improvement in clinical and non-clinical operations and cost savings. For more information on the conference, visit www.azahq.org.



The California Association for Healthcare Quality (CAHQ) and Janet A. Brown, RN BSN BA CPHQ NFAHQ, healthcare quality consultant and educator, will present the final 2008 Healthcare Quality Overview and Certification Workshop on October 16–17 at the Ontario Airport Marriott Hotel in Ontario, CA, adjacent to the Ontario International Airport. The workshop provides 14 CPHQ CE hours. For more information, see the brochure posted on the www.cahq.org Web site or call Helen Gatti, association manager, at 800/230-3163.

    Meanwhile, the northern California conference, "Unlock the Skeletons in the Quality Closet—Keys to Transparency," will be held October 31 at the Embassy Suites in Sacramento, CA. Topics include sepsis protocols, stroke, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), pandemic preparedness, legislative updates, and a special "hall of horrors" simulation on medical errors. For more information, visit www.cahq.org.

The Florida Association for Healthcare Quality (FAHQ) is planning its 2009 Annual Education Conference, "Healthcare Quality: It's All About the Patient," to be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel, Orlando, FL, April 29–May 1, 2009. Meanwhile, the FAHQ marketing team has developed an ambitious marketing plan for the remainder of 2008 that addresses products, member benefits, and branding approaches that are aligned with FAHQ and NAHQ goals. Also, a complete redesign of the FAHQ Web site at www.fahq.org is underway.

The Illinois Association for Healthcare Quality (IAHQ) has a new Web site at www.iahq.net. You are invited to visit and share your feedback. The site is not yet complete, but it has come a long way, thanks to the hard work of IAHQ's board members, especially Carol Myer (treasurer) and Mary Lewis (membership). IAHQ continues to search for chairs for technology and publications. A CPHQ review course is being planned for early spring 2009.

The Indiana Association for Healthcare Quality (InAHQ) and Ohio Association for Healthcare Quality will offer their second joint leadership seminar, "The Value of Quality Leadership in Healthcare," on Friday, October 17, at St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN. A NAHQ education grant was used to develop this workshop, which was originally held on March 7, 2008, in Dayton, OH. This 1-day workshop has been approved by NAHQ for 6 CPHQ continuing education hours. For more information, contact Bonnie Tuttle, BSN RN CPHQ, past president of InAHQ, at 317/ 847-3669 or at btuttle@bloodmanagement.com. Registration is $25.



The Maryland Association for Healthcare Quality (MAHQ) is sponsoring a CPHQ review course at Johns Hopkins Home Care Group, Baltimore, MD, on November 21–22. The course facilitator will be Christy L. Beaudin, vice-president and chief quality officer at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, in Los Angeles, CA. Visit www.MdAHQ.org to obtain more information or to register online.




The Mississippi Association for Healthcare Quality (MsAHQ) recently announced that Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour proclaimed October 19–25 as Healthcare Quality Week. 2008–2009 MsAHQ officers with state proclamation. Front row, left to right: Lea Ann Mitchell, nominations and elections chair; Vickie Gerrard, nominations and elections committee; Susan Stevens, president; John W. Pace, president-elect; Pam Scoggins, treasurer. Back row, left to right: Lynn Langley, secretary; Cecile Scialdone, membership chair; Margaret Gray, nominations and elections committee; Karen Warner, past president.




The Texas Association for Healthcare Quality is holding its 2008 Annual Conference and Membership Meeting, "Quality at the Crossroads," October 23–24 at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio, TX. Keynote speaker Carl Couch, MD MMM, medical director at HealthTexas Provider Network, will present "Significant Steps to Cross the Healthcare Quality Chasm." For more information, contact Kim Sprattley, the association's executive administrator, at Kim.sprattley@txquality.org or call 877/756-4400.




The Washington State Association for Healthcare Quality (WSAHQ) will be offering a 2-day CPHQ certification preparation session in Issaquah, WA, just 15 minutes from downtown Seattle. The workshop will be led by Susan Mellott, who since 1999 has been a NAHQ Fellow. Registration is open to anyone interested in taking the CPHQ certification exam. For more information, contact Marie Harris at marie.harris@chpw.org or visit www.wsahq.org.