Send news items to e-news@nahq.org.

Printer-Friendly Version

Time to Recertify Your CPHQ Credential?

You may want to check 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.


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 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 CE hours. Register by October 10 by contacting Bonnie Tuttle, BSN RN CPHQ, immediate 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 on Friday, September 26, at Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, in Cumberland, MD. Registration is $175 and 7.5 hours of CPHQ continuing education units (CEUs) are pending. Meanwhile, MAHQ will sponsor its annual fall conference, “Safety: Walking the Tightrope to Quality" on Monday, November 10, at the Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, MD. Registration is $90 and 5 hours of CPHQ CEUs are pending. Keynote speaker Gary Sculli will present "From the Cockpit to the Nursing Unit."

    On November 21–22, MAHQ will sponsor a CPHQ review course at John Hopkins Home Care Group, Baltimore, MD. The course facilitator will be Christy L. Beaudin, vice-president and chief quality officer at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, CA. Visit www.MdAHQ.org to obtain more information or to register online.



The Tennessee Association for Healthcare Quality (TAHQ) will host its annual educational conference October 1–3 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville. Conference topics will include ongoing professional practice evaluations, rapid response teams, infection control, and crew resource management.

    The conference also features a 3-hour management and motivational workshop. For more information, visit www.tahq.org.



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 Utah Association for Healthcare Quality (UAHQ) will hold its annual conference, “Cast Your Vote for Quality,” on October 3 at Shriners’ Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT. Topics include healthcare reform, an update on the work of the National Quality Forum, and the National Patient Safety Goals. “Many states are wrestling with healthcare reform issues, and there will be applicability to all,” says Fritz Kron, president of UAHQ. For more information, visit www.uahq.org or contact education committee cochairs Ellen Richards, MS CPHQ, at ellen.richards@imail.org or Michele Fisher, MT (ASCP), at fisherm@aruplab.com.



The Virginia Association for Healthcare Quality (VAHQ) is sponsoring a CPHQ review course September 30–October 1 at Wintergreen Resort and Conference Center, Wintergreen, VA. Susan Mellott, PhD RN CPHQ FNAHQ, of Mellott and Associates, will teach the course. Non-VAHQ members are welcome to attend.

    On October 2–3, VAHQ will present its 31st Annual Education Conference, “Beyond the Horizon—The Future of Healthcare Quality,” at the same Wintergreen location. Keynote speaker Gary Sculli will present “From the Cockpit to the Nursing Unit.” Other session topics include patient safety, recovery audit contractors, regulatory guidelines, common-cause analysis, infection control, and behavioral health. For more information and to register online, go to www.vahq.org or contact Mary Turner, education chair, at 804/379-4364.



The Washington State Association for Healthcare Quality (WSAHQ) will hold its annual conference, “Safe Transitions in Care: A Patient-Centered Approach,” on October 2 at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, WA. The conference includes a CPHQ preparation workshop with Susan Mellott of Mellott and Associates on October 30–31 at the Holiday Inn, in Issaquah, WA. For more information, visit www.wsahq.org or e-mail Marie Harris, education chair, at marie.harris@chpw.org.