Surgical Improvement: Case Study

Texas Health Harris Methodist-Cleburne: A System Approach to Surgical Improvement
Patrice Fleming
Ashford University
February 16, 2015

Texas Health Harris Methodist- Cleburne is one of the leading facilities of Harris Methodist Hospitals and a member of Texas Health Resources, one of the largest non-profit U.S. healthcare systems. Texas Health is in the top 15 % in four clinical areas of the core measures. Texas Health Resources is accountable for some of their success. Texas Health performance strategies were: hospitals within a health system can turn to each other as partners in quality improvement efforts and resources to help solve shared problems, preprinted order sets help standardize practices and improve core
This conference would recognize peers and their efforts in improving quality and safety of care. Texas Health Methodist also participated in projects where there would be demonstrations on how to improve the safety of hospitals and also the quality of the hospital. They also brought together workgroups to resolve problems and implement new processes within the hospital. The health system would also host a monthly Performance Improvement and Patient Safety Council. The council established system-wide educational and training materials to help hospital staff discontinue antibiotics within 24 hours. For the staff, to gain more knowledge, one-on-one coaching was offered and report cards were offered to let staff know what improvements and suggestions could be made. In every organization, there should be some type of structure. Organizational structure is something that is best decided upon internally, through a process of critical thinking and discussion by members of the group. Without organizational structure, there would not be any set rules, obligations, or stature. In this case study, organizational
In an organization, in order to have structure, there needs to be someone there to instruct. This is where the leaders come in the organization. Beverly Barton, R.N., the clinical outcome specialist, was responsible for focusing on daily management of core measurement performance. She committed 80% of her time to core measures and spends the rest helping with physician credentialing activities. She teaches new staff about the core measures and their relationship to improving patient care and speaks with other quality improvement staff at monthly staff meetings. Another leader in this case study is Cindy Stepp-Hann, M.S., C.C.C.; she is the director of quality. She believes that communication and feedback from staff are important. This is an important factor when trying to improve core measures. It is better to get feedback from the person who was working directly in the hospital. Hann also believes it is important to look at the facts, the facts are what sets the manner for what changes needs to be made and what improvements are being made. Texas Health Harris