Highland Redesign Efforts Address COVID Challenges
Highland’s Operational Redesign Team of experts from across our organization work with leaders to create and nurture an environment that is discernably safe for colleagues, patients, and the community. As COVID-19 hospitalizations remain prevalent in the community, and the first vaccinations became available for health care workers at high risk, team efforts prioritized putting a plan in place to administer the vaccinations safely and efficiently with an ultimate goal of providing vaccinations to all employees and providers in the Highland family.
According to Allison Norenberg, MSc, Performance Improvement Manager, cross-functional teams are also working throughout the organization with leadership to address multiple complex issues arising during this time.
One example of this was the necessity to establish an electronic visitor tracking system in order to safely allow visitors back into Highland this summer. The patient and families redesign team engaged key stakeholders across Highland to brainstorm the development and processes around visitor tracking. As a short-term solution, the team is leveraging REDCap, a software shared with UR Medicine and primarily used for research projects, to manage the process and meet state requirements. “Leveraging a software like REDCap was a creative, short-term solution while we work with the enterprise on a more robust and long-term solution” said Norenberg, “However the idea and quick implementation is a testament to the innovative nature of dynamic teams.” When visitors are allowed again a similar system may be put in place.
Although Highland Redesign was spurred by the need to navigate rapid change in the complex pandemic environment, it is an effort the organization will continue emphasizing and supporting. “Managing complexity and change in healthcare is inevitable on a good day,” said Norenberg. “We will continue empowering and supporting teams to design highly reliable systems for safe and quality care delivery.”
Innovation Challenge Winners Announced
Innovation Challenge Winners Announced This fall Highland's Redesign Steering team launched the Redesign Innovation Challenge - a call to HH employees to share their ideas for improving health care delivery as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Challenge brought in 19 outstanding and innovative improvement ideas across all areas and levels of Highland. Entries focused on a variety of topics, including improving inter-professional practice and developing more centralized resources and working structures. At their core, all submissions had crucial healthcare delivery goals, such as consistency in implementing best practices, improving delivery of patient and family centered care, and improving the overall experience of our staff and those we serve.
We are pleased to announce the following Innovation Challenge winners:
Interprofessional Team Triage Approach in the ED:
Timothy E. Lum, M.D., MPP, Chief of Emergency Medicine
Shawntia Washington, MS-NLA, RN, Nursing Director, ED/FMC/OU/Ambulatory
Ashley Ferrando, MSNE, RN, Nurse Manager, ED/ED OBS
Kristin Kindel, RN, BSN, Assistant Nurse Manager, MCIC Patient Safety Nurse, ED
Libby Jewsbury, Sr. Program Administrator, Emergency & Observation Services, Director of Census Management, Patient Flow, and Reporting,
Optimizing Phlebotomy & Labs Operations through Waste Reduction and Process Enhancement:
Kathy Shanahan, BSN, CCRN-K, Nurse Manager, East 7
Tsega Belete, MT (ASCP), Laboratory Manager
Change Agent Award: Infection Prevention Team
Linda Greene, RN, MPS, CIC, FAPIC, Director of Hospital Infection Prevention
Ann Marie Pettis, RN, BSN, FAPIC, CIC, Director of Ambulatory Infection Prevention
Michelle Vignari, RN, BSN, CIC, Infection Prevention Nurse
Sherry Romig, RN, CIC, Infection Prevention Nurse Innovator Award:
Leanni Tate, Community Health Worker, Social Work Department
For more details, visit the Highland intranet.
2/1/2021
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