- THCA

Volume XXXI, Number 5
May 2016

AHCA’s Clinical Practice Committee made up of clinical experts that are providers have put together the following, designed to assist facility leaders to pick one element and work through it with the facility team.

Building Prevention into Every Day Practice: Framework for Successful Clinical Outcomes Series – Part 1 of a 13 part series

Success in achieving positive resident/patient outcomes is even more critical now than ever before. The link between quality and payment in long term and post-acute care is growing stronger, as evidenced by the SNF Value Based Purchasing Program (VBP), Improving Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act, SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) and more.

In addition, regulatory activity is intensifying through focused surveys on adverse events, dementia care and MDS. The Five-Star Rating system and Nursing Home Compare have been revised and will add items in the future as it broadens public reporting and transparency. Most importantly, consumers expect and deserve high quality care.

The entire framework outlines key elements from both an organizational and clinical nature that are critical to successful clinical and organizational outcomes. Positively, these elements reflect common denominators that cross multiple care situations. Therefore, instead of being yet another initiative or single focused project to achieve just one outcome, it is a way of acting, thinking and being that will benefit multiple areas across an organization. Each element is addressed in detail throughout the framework.

May: Element of Organizational Foundation – Culture of Safety:

Key Takeaways: Culture of Safety

Safety is not compromised by other demands.

Leadership engages and empowers patients, residents, families, staff, visitors and others to keep the culture of safety alive and well.

Staff at all levels are encouraged to question and challenge work process and organizational decisions to support continuous learning and improvement.

Probing Questions for Team Reflection and Discussion:

Are patients, residents, family, staff, visitors and others engaged and empowered to keep the culture of safety alive and well? If so, how? If not, why not?
Do we live too much in “survey mode”?
How do we keep our “finger on the pulse” of the culture of safety and be vigilant to needs for improvement?

Visit the AHCA Clinical Practice website to learn more about the element of “Organizational Foundation: Culture of Safety” and answers to these key questions:

What does this mean? Why is this important? What are some examples? What is my part (as an individual employee, manager or practitioner)? What can my organization do?

Enjoy the journey through the framework!

Building Prevention into Every Day Practice: Framework for Successful Clinical Outcomes Series – Part 1 of a 13 part series

The Geriatric Symposium is here again! Save the Date

Don’t forget to register for the 2016 Nursing Facility DON Training Academy

Leveraging Leadership to Drive Sustainable Change

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If you have any questions about the THCA Commitment to Care Initiative or would like to share your facilities successes please contact Gloria Bean-Williams by email or call (512) 458-1257.