Quality Insights | January 2021
This newsletter must be fully opened in your email browser for you to receive credit for reading it. For Outlook desktop users, this means double clicking the email to open it in a second window.
Joan's Monthly Message
Joan M. Coffman, FACHE
President and CEO
As we embark on a new year, we are excited about new beginnings. We celebrate new birth, new growth and new successes. We see light up ahead, as the world makes progress fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the promise of widespread vaccine success.
November’s STQN bulletin
MIPS reporting update and COVID-19 facts: Read about those topics and more in this month’s newsletter bulletin.
Local OB-GYN earns STQN Medical Director’s Award for Q4 2020
St. Tammany Quality Network presented its 2020 fourth-quarter Medical Director’s Award to Dr. Jill Gibson for achieving the lowest C-section rate and the highest deliveries in November.
Governor extends Phase 2 coronavirus restrictions
With coronavirus infections still raging statewide, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Tuesday (Dec. 22) that Louisiana will remain under Phase 2 of its COVID-19 restrictions for at least another three weeks, until Jan. 13.

The decision will maintain 50% occupancy limits for most businesses. Additionally, bars can open to indoor service at 25% capacity but only if their parish has seen two straight weeks of 5% or less positivity.
STHS again earns 'A' for patient safety from Leapfrog Group
For the 10th grading period in a row, St. Tammany Health System has received an A for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group, an independent healthcare watchdog organization.

The health system is one of only 29 hospitals nationally to have achieved an A in every grading period – which occur every fall and spring – since the inception of the program in 2012.
Women’s Choice Award again recognizes STHS as among America’s Best for patient safety, cancer care and more
Women’s Choice Award has once again named St. Tammany Health System among America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety, as well as in a variety of other areas for 2021 including cancer care, heart care, obstetrics, orthopedics and minimally invasive surgery.

In addition, the health system received recognition as one of America’s Best Breast Centers, Best Mammogram Imaging Centers and Best Stroke Centers.
St. Tammany Health System named a Top Teaching Hospital nationally
Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, St. Tammany Health System’s Covington hospital was named a Top Teaching Hospital nationally by The Leapfrog Group in an announcement released Tuesday (Dec. 8).

Leapfrog’s Top Hospital Awards, which recognize hospitals in a number of categories, is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive.
Important Dates
Jan 8 | 8 am – 6 pm
Jan 9 | 7:30 am – 1:30 pm
Pediatric Forensic Training Day #2 (CME)
April 29 | 11:30 am – 4:30 pm
STQN Board of Directors
Please login to get the highlights of committee meetings. links to important sites, presentations from internal meetings, videos from recently presented educational events and even a glossary of terms.