Grantee Spotlight

Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program  

The Georgia Health Policy Center recently spoke to Laurie Collins, R.N., director of quality management, and Lisa Stepp, A.P.R.N., the patient safety manager at Holzer, about how implementing the TeamSTEPPS tools is improving communication and patient care throughout the health system. 

To date, what has been the biggest accomplishment or win in your quality improvement program?  

Laurie: We are very proud of the fact that we have been able to use TeamSTEPPS communication tools throughout the system and care settings. It is a best practice that is taught by the American Hospital Association. We have been able to put training in place and watch how the program provides improved communication between departments both internally and externally. People are now using it as a foundation for quality improvement projects in many different scenarios. 

Lisa: One of the things that I am most proud of is the fact that we have continued staff and leadership buy-in. Right from the very beginning, our frontline staff really agreed to participate, and they are the force that drives expanded use.  

What is a tip that you would share with an organization launching a similar program?  

Lisa: The best thing you can do is stick with it in the beginning. No matter how big or how small your project is, you may get overwhelmed. At times, it felt like we were in over our heads. But thanks to the way the grant was structured and the guidance we received from the grant team, we were able to navigate each step. It is incredibly rewarding to witness those breakthrough moments when everything starts to click. So, my biggest takeaway would be to just stick with it and to not be discouraged. It will all come together when you least expect it. 

Laurie: It is important to be able to step back and look at what is going on, and to not be afraid to rework processes and goals. Recognize that wins also come in your failures. If something is not working, don’t be afraid to try a different process. We realized the training was not being retained as well as we thought it would. So, we added new training refresher courses and reworked part of our timeline. With a four-year grant, we had some flexibility. Taking a moment to pause and reflect is always valuable. 

How do you see participation in FORHP’s Quality Program as impacting your broader health improvement efforts? 

Laurie: We are excited about taking some of the things we learned and moving forward with them even after the grant. We developed a new position — a quality disease management coordinator. This person is able to spend one-on-one time with patients delivering more in-depth education. It has alleviated pressure on the nursing staff, and the patients really develop a good bond with this person because she sees them more than once during their stay. She can discuss social needs that may not have been identified early in the visit. With that trusting relationship, patients are more forthcoming with some of their needs, and we can match them with our community resources when needed. 

We also discovered that there was a need for palliative care. As a direct result of this grant, we now have an inpatient palliative care program which is exciting, and we hope to see that grow. It meets our broader vision of decreasing readmissions and supporting our community in their current circumstances by connecting them with the resources they need to thrive. 

What’s next on the horizon for your grant-funded program? 

Laurie: We are going to reapply for the grant and continue some of the work that we are doing now. We would like to broaden this work and add more quality disease management coordinators. 

Lisa: To implement TeamSTEPPS in our facilities is a huge deal for us and we would like to continue to strengthen and grow the program.  Staff are witnessing tangible outcomes from TeamSTEPPS, particularly in enhanced communication, and it is inspiring new ideas as they recognize its potential to be applied across various areas. Quality improvement is an ongoing journey. While some initiatives take years to show progress, this grant project has delivered meaningful results quickly — a truly encouraging development in health care.