PCH leads efforts in quality improvement of regional long-term care facilities

In January 2015, ISDH launched the Regional Healthcare Quality Improvement Collaborative grant, a grant which has now funded nine Regional Collaboratives across the state with the goal of improving quality of care in Indiana long-term care (LTC) facilities.

Each collaborative will learn about and implement the Quality Assurance Process Improvement (QAPI) model – an initiative of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to improve overall quality of care.

Putnam County Hospital (PCH) is leading efforts for the West Central Indiana Regional Collaborative (WCIRC) which includes long-term care facilities in Putnam, Clay, Parke, Montgomery, Vigo, Owen and Sullivan counties. The collaborative members meet regularly and will work to complete two quality improvement projects according to the QAPI guidelines.

QAPI is a nationwide program that aims to improve the quality of life, care and services in long-term care facilities with a data-driven, proactive approach. The program addresses all systems of care and management while focusing on clinical care, quality of life, and resident choice in each facility.

The leadership of Putnam County Hospital seeks input from facility staff, residents and families/representatives in order to improve outcomes within the region by analyzing and improving processes in the facility.

“The Collaborative provides the groundwork for facilities to implement or improve the QAPI process into their daily practices at their facilities,” Lesli Fordice, PCH post-acute quality coordinator and director of WCIRC, states. “It allows for best-practice sharing and continuity of care as we all strive to provide the highest quality of care to residents and families within our communities. I feel honored to lead this group of individuals that are committed and compassionate about the services they provide within their facilities.”

Mill Pond Health Campus Executive Director Rachel Frye is equally enthusiatic about the project.

“Mill Pond is excited to embark on this partnership of quality improvement along with other local healthcare providers so we may all better serve our community,” Frye said. “The vision of Mill Pond for continuous improvement is congruent with the goal of the collaborative – to build upon and improve our quality of care.

“Learning about different providers’ successes and opportunities and venturing into new solutions together helps us to overcome obstacles in the ever-changing healthcare field so that we can ensure excellent clinical outcomes and exceptional customer service,” Frye added.

Putnam County Hospital, a 4-Star Overall Hospital Quality facility, has been serving its community with patient-focused healthcare since 1924, offering state-of-the-art services and specialists, which once could only be accessed through larger healthcare facilities.

For more information on PCH services, persons may call 655-5121 or go to www.pchosp.org.