What's New
2012 State Leader's Summit
Posted February 1, 2012 - NAHQ will host the 4th Annual State Leaders' Summit on March 9 & 10 at the Hilton Rosemont in Rosemont, IL. All NAHQ State Leaders are encouraged to attend the Summit to discover invaluable information related to effectively running a state association and to network with their peers. This year, the topics will center on: Board Development & Succession Planning, Budget Planning & Financial Management, Planning an Educational Activity, Membership Recruitment & Retention, and Communication Tools.
If you are a State Leader and interesting in attending for your State Association, details are posted on the State Affiliate Leadership page of the NAHQ website.
AHRQ Seeks Volunteers for Website Feedback
Posted January 27, 2012 - The AHRQ Health Care Innovations Exchange is designing a new mobile version of their website and would like your input. They will be conducting online sessions in the coming months and prefer input from professionals familiar with the current site. Volunteers must have access to a computer and internet connection, as well as a smartphone.
Sessions will last 60-75 minutes and participants will be compensated. If you are interested in participating, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
CMS Innovation Center Releases Report on First Year
Posted January 26, 2011- The CMS Innovation Center released a new report on the center's activities in its first year titled "One Year of Innovation: Taking Action to Improve Care and Reduce Costs." The report was released in conjunction with the Innovation Summit, held in Washington D.C.
Healthcare Quality Competency Model Article
Posted January 12, 2012 - The Journal of Healthcare Management has provided NAHQ members free access to the article "Leading for Quality in Healthcare: Development and Validation of a Competency Model." The article, written by Andrew Garman, PsyD MS CEO, and Linda Scribner, BA CPHQ, was based on NAHQ's Leadership Development Model. Visit the Member Savings & Offers page for details and to access the article.
Meet the 2012 NAHQ Board of Directors
Posted January 9, 2012 - 2012 board members have stepped into their new roles and are excited to advance the association in the coming year.
Read the press release to learn more about NAHQ's leaders and their plans for the year ahead.
New IHI Open School Courses Through Dr. Heller Memorial
Posted December 29, 2011- NAHQ members have access to a select number of quality, patient safety and leadership programs through the IHI Open School course catalog. Join the more than 300 NAHQ members who have already taken advantage of this special opportunity available through a generous donation by Midas+ in the name of Dr. Christopher Jonas Heller. Two new courses have recently been added: Dignity and Respect and Achieving Breakthrough Quality, Access, and Affordability. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to enhance your quality and patient safety skills and earn free CPHQ CE. Learn more on the Member Savings page.
AHRQ Releases Toolkit to Help Reduce Adverse Drug Events
Posted
December 15, 2011 - The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released a new tookit to help hospitals improve their medication reconciliation processes to reduce adverse drug events. Read full details from Drug Topics.
Meaningful Use Deadline Pushed Back to 2014
Posted December 6, 2011- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released a report showing that doctors' adoption of health information technology (IT) doubled in two years. HHS also announced new actions to speed the use of health IT in doctors' offices and hospitals nationwide, primarily by extending the meaningful use Stage 2 qualification deadline to 2014. Read full details from Healthcare Informatics.
Apply for the National Quality Healthcare Award through NQF
Posted November 17, 2011 - The National Quality Healthcare Award is presented by NQF annually to an outstanding, quality-driven healthcare organization. The application period for 2012 is now open. Applications due January 3, 2012. Read full details from the National Quality Forum.
Mark Smith's Seven Steps for Health Care Leaders
Posted November 10, 2011- View this excellent summary of the challenges of healthcare reform.
NAHQ Honors 2011 Fellows
Posted November 7, 2011 - The National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ), a professional association of healthcare quality and patient safety individuals, inducted two new NAHQ fellows at the 36th Annual Educational Conference in Sacramento, CA, September 15-18. Read the full NAHQ press release.
CDC Launches Infection Prevention Program for Cancer Patients
Posted October 28, 2011 - The CDC has introduced an infection prevention program for cancer patients, including an interactive website and a prevention plan for outpatient oncology centers. "These new resources help patients take an active role in protecting themselves against infections and give doctors, nurses, and other clinicians, necessary tools to better prevent infection," says CDC Director Thomas Frieden. Read the full article from Modern Healthcare.
Failing to See Healthcare Quality as a Science is a 'Huge Mistake'
Posted October 28, 2011 - Carolyn M. Clancy, MD, director of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), used a quotation from Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD, an intensive care physician from John Hopkins in Baltimore, to lay out her keynote presentation at the AMerican Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) conference: "The fundamental problem with the quality of American medicine is that we've failed to view the delivery of healthcare as a science..that's a mistake, a huge mistake." Read the full article from CMIO.
ISDA: Copper Covering May Cut Hospital Infection Rates
Posted October 28, 2011 - Equipping hospital rooms with copper surfaces decreased the risk of acquiring an infection by 45%, researchers reported. The finding comes after a previous study that showed that copper surfaces harbor significantly lower numbers of microbes than standard materials. Read the full article from Medical News.
Second Edition of Crisis Management IHI White Paper
Posted October 19, 2011 - The second edition of IHI's white paper: Respectful Management of Serious Clinical Adverse Events, initially presented by Jim Conway at NAHQ's Annual Conference in 2010, has been released. There was a tremendous response when the paper became available one year ago - over 33,000 website views, more than 10,000 downloads and over 6,000 linkes to the paper in other sources. The second edition reflects a number of suggested improvements and clarifications, including new content on reimbursement and compensation as part of any discussion of disclosure and resolution, and how to best respond to and disclose errors that have occured at another institution. Download the second edition.
View the Conference Opening Keynote Featuring Dr. Brent James
Posted October 18, 2011 - NAHQ members can now download and view the 36th Annual Educational Conference opening keynote "Quality: A Survival Imperitive Under Healthcare Reform," presented Friday, September 15, by Dr. Brent James. Members - log in and visit the Members Savings & Offers page to access the download. Please note, no CE is offered for viewing the download.
Forging the Way
"Accountable care organizations, a fashionable name for a loosely defined fix for U.S. healthcare, is the center of debate, gossip and conjecture among policy makers and the healthcare leaders." Modern Healthcare recently completed an ACO survey and white paper on successful ACOs.
Download the charts, data and white paper at modernhealthcare.com/aco-whitepaper.
Secrets of Competency Testing: CPHQ Question Writing Webcast
NAHQ members and CPHQs: take advantage of this free webcast that covers the primary steps used to develop a certification examination. All CPHQs wishing to become a CPHQ Review Course Instructor or CPHQs wishing to contribute items for inclusion in the CPHQ examination must complete this CE learning module. 2 CPHQ CE credits are available.
Visit the NAHQ Online Store to learn more.
NAHQ Honors 2011 Professional Recognition Award Winners
Posted October 4, 2011 - The National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ), a professional association of healthcare quality and patient safety individuals, recognized members and state affiliates for their contributions to the profession at the 36th Annual Educational Conference in Sacramento, CA, September 15-18.