Imagine the stress of returning to school, following a psychiatric hospitalization for the pediatric patient, their family and caregivers. Dr. Sarah Edwards, director for the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Courtney Vaughn, school transition Specialist at the University of Maryland join join host Laura Hoffman, Sr. Performance Improvement Program Director, to explain how their school transitions program helps these patients and families adjust to that transition.

Guests: Sarah Edwards, DO Director for the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University of Maryland

Courtney Vaughan, MSW, LCSW-C School Transition Specialist University of Maryland

Moderator: Laura Hoffman, DNP, MSN, RN, CPHQ PI Program Director Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:52 – 02:54] Overview of the school transitions program

[02:55 – 03:55] What is a family connector and how they provide emotional support

[03:56 – 05:30] Program elements that help youth to stay on track

[05:31 – 07:57] Impressive outcomes of this program

[07:58 – 09:16] What this program has meant to them from a personal or a professional standpoint

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Artificial Intelligence has been helping improve healthcare for years, but just recently, there has been a seismic shift in capability, buy-in and attention. Healthcare systems across the country are looking into safely and effectively using AI to improve observed mortality. On this episode, we examine how Intermountain Health is effectively using AI for their patients.

Guest speaker:

Sathya Vijayakumar, MS, MBA

Senior Manager, Clinical Operations

Intermountain Health

Moderator:

Shannon Sullivan, MHA

Fellow

Performance Improvement

Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:22] Opportunity to benchmark observed mortality

[02:11] Using AI to track observed mortality

[06:16] Details on the process used at Intermountain Health

[08:37] How Intermountain piloted and fostered adoption of the initiative – outcomes

[12:09] Barriers to implementation

[13:43] Will never replace clinical judgment

[14:43] Recommendations and takeaways

[07:02] Next steps

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Shannon’s email: shannon.sullivan@vizientinc.com

Sathya’s email: Sathya.Vijayakumar@imail.org

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Hospital-acquired infections affect every health organization. These infections may be caused by a variety of pathogens including bacterial, viruses, fungi and parasites. They can lead to increased morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Joining us to discuss their efforts to reduce hospital-acquired infections at SSM Health are Dr. Shephali Wulff, System Vice President of Quality and Safety and Chief Quality Officer and Chris Zirges, System Director of Infection Prevention.

Guest speakers: Shephali Wulff, DO System Vice President of Quality and Safety, Chief Quality Officer SSM Health

Chris Zirges, DNP, APRN-BC, CIC, FAPIC System Director of Infection Prevention SSM Health

Host: Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN Senior PI Program Director Vizient

Show Notes:

[:56] SSM Health infection prevention overview

[1:35] Current infection disease collaboration between four teams: infection disease physicians, infection prevention, microbiology and infection disease pharmacists

[2:43] Partnering with continuous improvement team to put hospital-acquired infection guidelines into a change package

[3:05] Over a span of two years, efforts led to 60% infection reduction for three targeted infections

[3:20] Challenges with standardizing the work

[4:15] Standardizing process structure and change framework

[7:00] Process checks to support freezing and/or unfreezing behavior for validity and sustainability

[10:00] Training modules and tools

[11:45] Focus strategy for monitoring and reducing other hospital-acquired infections

[14:40] Different processes are needed for patients that are entering care in different ways: i.e., elective vs emergent surgery vs. in-patient surgery

[15:20] Lessons learned

Links | Resources:

For more information: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Sepsis has long been a challenge for healthcare organizations. It is a leading cause of morbidity, readmissions and mortality. As a reaction to an infection, sepsis can spread quickly, progress to septic shock and eventually shut down organ systems. Catching it early is a priority and the basis for much of a hospital’s approach to the disease. This episode features a healthcare expert who shares her organization’s approach to sepsis, as part of a Vizient collaborative, that has resulted in significant reduction in the disease.

Guest speaker: Leanne Bonds, MSN, RN, CPHQ Director of Quality and Patient Safety UF Health Shands Hospital

Host: Shannon Hale, MHA, RN, CPHQ Performance Improvement Program Director Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:14] Rationale for participating in the collaborative

[01:53] Goal of participation

[02:23] Increasing compliance with the sepsis order set

[03:11] Use of sepsis sidebar

[04:06] Barriers to implementation

[04:46] Outcomes from collaborative

[05:45] A takeaway from the collaborative

[07:02] Next steps

Links| Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go: picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Shannon’s email: shannon.hale@vizientinc.com

Leanne’s email: lbon0001@shands.ufl.edu

CDC sepsis website: https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/what-is-sepsis.html

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Navigating patient-initiated portal communication to create better experiences for patients is a national priority for healthcare systems. The goal of the patient-initiated portal communication project collaboration between Vizient and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is to understand the different ways that health systems are responding to patient-initiated portal communication, and the usage of e-visits, and its impact on the Quintuple AIM, equity, quality, patient experience, care team experience and cost. By learning the pros and cons of communication through the electronic patient portals, health systems can create better messaging and clarity for patients.

Danielle Carder, Senior Program Specialist from AAMC, joins host Courtney Furrow-White to share their collaborations on patient-initiated portal communication. Each share statistics, challenges and results from their findings and how organizations and patients are impacted.

Guest speakers:

Danielle Carder MSc

Senior Program Specialist, Access & Clinical Innovations

Association of American Medical Colleges

Host:

Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN

Senior PI Program Director

Vizient

Show Notes:

[1:38] Partnership between Vizient and AAMC to understand how health systems respond to patient initiated portals

[2:34] Analyzing the billing data of 78 clinical practices

[3:25] Members survey compiling data from equity, ROI to provider and patient satisfaction

[5:45] The challenges health care organizations face with e-visits, and managing perceptions of care

[7:33] Measuring feedback and engagement around the value of patient portals

[10:58] Active education and communication with patients on best ways to access care

[12:51] The operational workflows implemented to ease conversations about visit type

[14:34] Concerns from patients about billing and processing

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We know that social determinants of health such as housing instability, food insecurity, transportation barriers and limited access to education significantly influence individuals’ health outcomes. By screening for these factors, healthcare providers can provide, or healthcare providers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of patients' lives beyond their medical conditions. This holistic approach allows for tailored interventions that address the root causes of health disparities.

Heather Blonsky, Lead Data Scientist at Vizient, joins host Margaret Rudisill to talk about this topic and how we have used our Vizient vulnerability index tool, lovingly called the VVI tool, to address some of the nonclinical issues of each organization's top 2% in patient utilizers in our current collaborative, creating capacity transitioning of high-risk patients.

Guests: Heather Blonsky Lead Data Scientist Vizient

Moderator: Margaret Rudisill PI Program Director Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:27 – 04:04] Why and how the Vizient Vulnerability Index tool was created

[04:05 – 06:09] Homelessness and how it impacts health?

[06:10 – 10:02] Other factors that are common in the top 2% utilizers and utilization of Z codes

[10:03 – 11:39] How hospitals use that and Heather’s advice

[11:40 – 14:05] What do hospitals do when you they identify these needs

[14:06 – 15:06] How Vizient attempts to tie those 2% needs with the VVI and how beneficial it might be

Links | Resources:

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Reducing preventable hospital readmissions is a national priority for payers, providers, and policy makers seeking to improve health care and lower costs. More important than costs, are the goals of providing quality care to patients who present with healthcare needs, helping them heal, and returning them safely to their home and loved ones.

Tod Baker, Principal, Dawn Sagliani, Consulting Director, and Christine Pilley, Consulting Director, all from Vizient join host Marilyn Sherrill, Sr. Performance Improvement Program Director, to discuss the emerging practices related to reducing readmissions.

Guests: Tod Baker Principal Vizient

Dawn Sagliani Consulting Director Vizient

Christine Pilley Consulting Director Vizient

Moderator: Marilyn Sherill Sr. PI Program Director Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:14 – 02:48] How hospitals are managing the financial challenges, and taking risks for readmissions

[02:49 – 03:11] What hospitals are doing to reduce readmissions through better processes

[03:12 – 05:41] Why are patients being readmitted to hospitals

[05:42 – 09:49] The key elements to consider during the critical time of transition that can reduce a patient's risk of readmission

[09:50 – 010:40] Role of Nurse Navigators

[10:41 – 11:41] Benefit of assessing the home environment

[11:42 – 15:34] Barriers to reducing readmissions

[15:35 – 16:13] One recommendation for hospitals to bring about a more robust readmission program

Links | Resources:

For more information, email picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

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Remote patient monitoring, commonly referred to as RPM, is a type of telehealth in which healthcare providers monitor patients outside the traditional care setting using digital medical devices. The data collected from these devices are then electronically transferred to providers for care management. Automated feedback and workflows can be built into data collection, and out-of-range values or concerning readings can be flagged and then addressed by patient’s care team. In this episode two leading experts discuss building relationships to help drive referrals for an RPM program.

Guest speakers: Stephen Kropp, MS Director of Telehealth The University of Kansas Health System

Jacob Finke, BSN, RN Remote Patient Monitoring Nurse Supervisor The University of Kansas Health System

Moderator: Courtney Furrow-White, MPM, RN Senior Performance Improvement Program Director Vizient

Show Notes:

[01:16] RPM program at The University of Kansas Health System

[02:20] Early focus areas and peripheral devices used

[03:22] Well-suited for patients with chronic conditions

[03:50] Barriers faced

[06:15] Increasing referrals

[07:53] Marketing strategy

[11:00] Drawing patients into the RPM program

[14:54] Finding staff with people skills

[15:29] Building patient trust

[18:04] Advice to those just starting out

Links | Resources:

Contacting Knowledge on the Go:

picollaboratives@vizientinc.com

Courtney’s email: Courtney.furrowwhite@vizientinc.com

Steve’s email: skropp@kumc.edu

Jacob’s email: jfinke@kumc.edu

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