KHC Newsletter

May 2023

Join KHC in Celebrating National Hospital Week!

"Hospitals are vital to the sustainability of our Kansas communities. They provide quality health care as well as employment opportunities and often serve as meeting hubs and spaces for local community connection. At KHC, we feel blessed to work with these organizations across the state and every day witness their dedication to the quality of patient care and safety."

Malea Hartvickson, Executive Director, KHC

During National Hospital Week, May 7-13, we celebrate the clinicians and staff that tirelessly work to deliver safe, high-quality health care in our Kansas hospitals. Thank you for all that you do to improve health outcomes in Kansas!

#hospitalweek #wearehealthcare

KHC to Expand KHC CAP Program with Staff CRHCP Certifications

Jenni Peters, Jill Daughhetee and Patty Thomsen recently achieved Certified Rural Health Clinic Professional certification through the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC). "The National Association of Rural Health Clinics knows that in order for RHCs to thrive and grow, their employees, especially those in a leadership role, need the most up to date information on the federal and state guidelines pertaining to the Rural Health Clinic program. RHCs have distinctly different rules when it comes to operations and management," says the NARHC.

Learn More

May Office Hours for HQIC Hospitals

It's All About the Data Part 2: Applying the HEOA Concepts

May 24th at 10:00 am.

Click Here to Register for the KHC Office Hours for HQIC Hospitals Series

Register for the 2023 Antimicrobial Stewardship Series

Syndromic Antimicrobial Stewardship:

Focused Initiatives Targeting Common Infections & Disease Scenarios

12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Session #3 Upper and Lower Respiratory Infections 6/7/23

Session #4 Sepsis 7/12/23

Session #5 Shorter Courses and Profylactic Use 8/2/23

If you missed the first two sessions in the series, you can find the recordings and handouts in our Education Archive.

Click Here to Register for the Series

May Compass HQIC Update

HQIC is My Compass Campaign

There is still time to submit your "HQIC is My Compass" flyer. KHC and the Compass HQIC team invite you to share what fuels your passion for health care. As part of the Hospital Quality Improvement initiative, we are asking you to share your “why” in 1-2 sentences on one of the flyers

Compass and KHC will be sharing your "HQIC is My Compass" at our events this summer. Email your completed document to your KHC QIA.

Download Forms

Data Reminder

Please remember to ensure your data is entered and remains up to date. If you are experiencing issues with data completeness or timeliness, please reach out to your Quality Improvment Advisor.

Upcoming Compass HQIC Hospital Events:

IHC Topic Focused Office Hours: 5/16 C Diff

IHC Topic Focused Office Hours: 5/23 Readmissions

IHC Topic Focused Office Hours: 6/6 CRE/MRSA

USDA Mental Health Awareness Webinar Series

Tuesdays 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

The USDA Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships is excited to co-host the USDA Mental Health Awareness Month Workshop series scheduled weekly beginning Tuesdays, May 9 – Tuesday, June 6 from 1-2:30 p.m. CST. The workshop series convenes farmers and ranchers, technical assistance providers, local leaders, and Federal, state, and university partners to dialogue and discuss mental health challenges, and stressors, and the resources and services to address them.

5/16 Veteran’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Workshop

5/23 Rural Mental Health Matters: Challenges, Opportunities & Resources for Communities

5/30 Farm Stress and Suicide: Faith, Place, and Community Health

6/6 LGBTQ+ Mental Health in Rural Communities

Learn More

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS)

Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) assist with taking into account the cultural health beliefs, preferred languages, health literacy levels and communication needs of a population and community being served. Efforts towards improved communication with patients and families/caretakers are increasingly recognized as effective in improving quality and patient outcomes.

The Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services developed a checklist of implementation practices to assist with CLAS-related organizational activities and the development of an organizational-specific action plan to prioritize activities. Download the implementation checklist and/or a HQI CLAS Action Plan Template using the links below.

Has your organization completed the CLAS Implementation Checklist?

If NO, click HERE to download the CLAS Checklist and also click HERE to access the Health Quality Innovators (HQI) CLAS Action Plan Template.

If YES, click HERE to access the HQI CLAS Action Plan Template

Kansas Tobacco Quitline Resources

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability and death in Kansas. Below are some tobacco cessation resources to share with colleagues and patients to assist with quitting.

Kansas Quitline Enhancements Flyer (PDF)

2020 Kansas Quitline Outcomes Report Summary (PDF)

KaTCH Rack Card Flyer (PDF)

More Info

In Case You Missed It

12:30 - 2:00 p.m. CST

5/24/23

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is hosting a series of Quality Payment Program (QPP) webinars to highlight the requirements for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for the 2023 performance year.

Click Below to Register

5/24 Quality and Cost

CMS Now Accepting 2023 PY MIPS Hardship Exception Applications

The MIPS Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) Exception and MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception applications are now available for the 2023 performance year. Applications can be submitted until 8 p.m. ET on January 2, 2024.

More Info

Apply to be a National Health Corps Site

Deadline 6/22/23

If you are located in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), you may apply to be a National Health Service Corps Site to receive clinician recruitment and retention assistance, networking opportunities, and other benefits such as helping clinicians quality for loan repayment opportunities.

Learn More

Upcoming Events and Important Dates

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