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Spring 2025 Newsletter

    Spring 2025 Newsletter

     

    President’s Message

    Become a NEAHQ Director

    Program Committee

    NEAHQ Anniversary

    Treasurer’s Report

    Member Spotlight

    PI Corner

    Blog Post

    Harvard Medical School Certificate Program

    News from the Net

     

     President’s Message 

    Dear NEAHQ Members,

    I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the vibrant and refreshing spring season!

    As we continue to engage in meaningful work together, I want to invite you to participate in the upcoming programs and events we have planned. We will be offering several webinars, including special sessions and other exciting offerings to celebrate NEAHQ’s 50th anniversary. These events are designed to provide valuable insights into the world of healthcare quality, foster collaboration, and highlight our ongoing commitment to healthcare quality.

    We will be celebrating NEAHQ’s 50th anniversary on May 29th with a special presentation by Brant J. Oliver, PhD, MS, MPH, FNP-BC, PMHNP-B, Looking back and moving forward: The developmental trajectory of quality in healthcare over the past century and implications for the future. Brant is Associate Professor in the Departments of Community & Family Medicine, the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice, and Psychiatry at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and System Vice President for Care Experience for the Dartmouth Health system in New Hampshire.

    During that event we will also have some fun and you could win some prizes! So be sure to register!

    Be sure to also check out our website and LinkedIn pages for articles and blog posts that share valuable insights and the latest updates from our community. If you’re not yet a member, I encourage you to join NEAHQ today to take advantage of all the great resources and events we offer. If you’re interested in being a part of the Board and helping to shape the future of NEAHQ, please feel free to reach out to me for more information.

    Lastly, I want to share that this will be my final email as President. Moving forward, our President-Elect will be sending the next message. I’m grateful for your support this year and look forward to seeing all that we will achieve together.

    Thank you again for all that you do. Enjoy the rest of the spring season!

    Warm regards,
    Aliysa Rajwani
    NEAHQ President

     

    Interested in becoming a NEAHQ Director?

    The NEAHQ nominating team is seeking applications for the 2025 - 2026 Board of Directors ballot that will be presented to the membership for a vote in April 2025.

    Becoming a part of the NEAHQ leadership gives you the opportunity to help shape the future of the organization and healthcare quality. Board leaders are responsible for:

    • Guiding the association
    • Anticipating change in the quality environment
    • Addressing the interests and needs of members

    The candidate positions available include:

    President-elect is a three (3) year commitment, serving a year as President-Elect, a year as President and a year as Past- President.

    Directors serve for a one-year term, act as a representative of the healthcare quality professional community, serve as an ambassador for stakeholder and community relations and work with Board to carry out its responsibilities.  They actively participate in the work of the organization, such as programs.

    Please contact Lynn Myers at 781-308-0501 or myerslynn225@gmail.com to discuss the various positions or complete an application.

     

    Program Committee

     I hope you all had a chance to attend the NEAHQ-sponsored webinar, Uncovering the Cause – Using Performance Improvement Tools for Root Cause Analysis in Healthcare, presented by current NEAHQ president, Aliysa Rajwani!  It was an excellent session that covered a unique roadmap for investigating and analyzing a serious safety event.  Aliysa showed how performance improvement tools are applied to identify and address the root causes of safety events. 

    NEAHQ and our affiliated partner associations, as part of the multi-state Healthcare Quality Association Collective, have several great programs scheduled this spring. Some programs are free for NEAHQ members, while others are discounted. Visit our Events Calendar to connect to registration information for each of these programs or navigate through the links below. New events are added to the calendar regularly, so be sure to check in often!

    In addition to programs offered by other state quality associations, the Betsy Lehman Center and AHRQ are offering programs this month.

     

    NEAHQ is 50 Years Old! 

    Can you imagine that the New England Association for Healthcare Quality is 50 years old?!  It’s true. Our organization was originally incorporated on June 6, 1975 as the Massachusetts Utilization Review Association.  As the field of quality and process improvement has developed over the year, our association progressed as well.  In 1980, we changed our name to the Massachusetts Association of Quality Assurance Professionals.  We became the Massachusetts Association for Healthcare Quality in 1999.  And in 2019, when the Connecticut association joined us, we became the New England Association for Healthcare Quality.  So, you can see how our name changes reflect the changing understanding of healthcare quality.  Be sure to join us on May 29 for Dr. Brant’s talk on the developmental trajectory of quality in healthcare over the past century and implications for the future.  NEAHQ has been part of that trajectory for 50 years and will continue to empower professionals across New England to improve healthcare!

     

    Treasurer’s Report

    NEAHQ currently has $37,712.16 in total assets as of the end of February 2025.  Total revenue generated in 2025 YTD (Jan-Feb) is $746.88.  NEAHQ generated $647.01 in revenue from membership dues while $99.87 came from programs.  Total expenditures for 2025 YTD (Jan-Feb) are $3,126.06.  Total expenditures were made up of administrative and operating expenses.

    As always, please feel free to reach out to treasurer@neahq.org with any questions.

     

    Board Member Spotlight –  Rita Morin

    Would you please share a brief overview of your career?

    I have worked in health care since I was 15, starting as a licensed nursing assistant before becoming an RN. My experience spans acute and post-acute care in Critical Access Rural Hospitals, Community Hospitals, and Academic Medical Centers. I began in cardiac step-down and later worked in cardiac and neuro ICUs, surgical services, and primarily as an ER nurse, eventually serving as a nursing administrative supervisor. For the past 17 years, I have focused on Healthcare Quality, moving into leadership 10 years ago after earning my Master of Science Nursing Leadership and later my Doctorate in Nursing Practice.

     Which aspect of your current position is especially rewarding?

    I am currently beginning work with the research team at Beth Israel Lahey Health, as well as in Healthcare Ethics. These areas are highly synergistic and deeply relevant to my role in Healthcare Quality. Research drives evidence-based practice, which is fundamental to improving patient outcomes, safety, and system efficiency. Meanwhile, Healthcare Ethics ensures that quality initiatives are patient-centered, equitable, and aligned with ethical decision-making in complex clinical environments. I am excited about this work, as it enhances my ability to lead quality improvement efforts with a strong foundation in both data-driven research and ethical considerations.

    Has any one individual greatly influenced to your career?

    When I began my work in Healthcare Quality, I had the privilege of working with an LPN and former military member who instilled in me the importance of integrity in our work. She taught me the rigors of regulatory compliance, chart review, and providing real-time feedback to staff. Most importantly, she emphasized the need to stand firm against pressures to compromise on standards. Her lessons shaped my commitment to ethical practice, a principle that continues to guide my work today in ensuring quality care is upheld with integrity and accountability.

     What led to your involvement with NEAHQ?

    When I began my career in Healthcare Quality, the once-robust Quality organization in my home state had lost key members and was no longer fostering my passion for improving patient care and safety. Encouraged by my mentor, I reached out to the Massachusetts Association for Healthcare Quality (MAHQ) and became a member of their long-established group. I quickly became actively involved, serving on the program committee, joining the Board of Directors, and ultimately leading the organization as President 2018-2019. This experience deepened my commitment to advancing quality and patient safety on a broader scale.

    What are your goals as a NEAHQ Board Member?

    I have always believed that our organization must provide meaningful value to a diverse group of healthcare leaders across the continuum of care through high-quality programs and education. Historically, we have achieved this, and recent collaborations with other organizations have expanded our opportunities to serve our members even more effectively. Looking ahead, offering a mix of in-person networking opportunities alongside virtual options will be essential to meeting the evolving needs of our diverse membership and fostering deeper connections across the healthcare community.

    How do you balance your demanding professional life with your personal life?

    I make the most of my limited free time by combining activities whenever possible. On my early morning commute, I listen to lectures, audiobooks, and podcasts, while my evening drive is reserved for catching up with my parents, adult children, and friends. Once a week, I work as a nursing supervisor at a SNF run by Catholic Charities, allowing me to stay connected to the direct patient care that first drew me to nursing—an aspect missing from my current leadership role. Despite long hours away from home, my husband and I prioritize having dinner together every night—luckily, he loves to cook—and always make time to play with our two dogs, Junior and Ben, and our cats, Nibbles and Pebbles.

     

    PI Corner – Gantt Chart

    A Gantt chart is a project management tool that helps in planning, scheduling and monitoring a project. It is used to illustrate a project’s schedule and related tasks or events during the project lifecycle. This gives the team a visual overview of project information like project schedule, upcoming milestones, and overall project timeline.

    Each horizontal bar within the chart represents a task, and the length of each bar represents the amount of time that step or task will take.

    Most Gantt charts also offer additional context about how project tasks connect to each other, who they’re assigned to, and what important deadlines and milestones are coming up.

     

    High Reliability Principle: Reluctance to simplify

      Check out the blog here.

     

    Safety, Quality, Informatics, and Leadership Certificate Program

    Harvard Medical School’s Safety, Quality, Informatics, and Leadership program is a one-year certificate designed for medical professionals in—or aspiring to—leadership roles focused on improving clinical quality and patient safety through informatics. Designed for busy professionals, this program blends the convenience of virtual learning with the depth of live collaboration. Participate in three interactive workshops (two live virtual and one in Boston) that blend theory with practice, ensuring you gain the tools to drive impactful change in health care. The priority enrollment deposit deadline is April 9, 2025. Applicants who are accepted into the program and make the required tuition deposit by April 9, will receive a $1,000 discount off the standard tuition fee. 

     

    News from the Net

    Stand with AHRQ Toolkit, Academy Health

    Use this toolkit to advocate for transparency and stakeholder engagement involving any proposed changes or budget reductions to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).  

    The "Stand with AHRQ Toolkit" is designed to empower and equip the community with the necessary tools to advocate for collaborative reforms between the Administration, Congress and stakeholders involving the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). This comprehensive resource includes:

    • Instructions for Contacting Congress
    • Messaging Guidance
    • Sample Social Media Posts
    • Social Media Images
    • Other Resources
    • The most impactful action

    Stand with AHRQ Toolkit | AcademyHealth

     

    Guiding Principles for Improving Health Care Workforce Well-Being, new report from IHI, 2024

    The Workplace Change Collaborative, funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), aimed to support 44 grantee organizations in the United States to improve mental health, reduce burnout, and address moral injury for health and public safety workers and learners. For three years (2022–2024), leaders from health care organizations, universities, non-profits, and professional associations implemented evidence-based strategies to reduce burnout, suicide, and mental health conditions, as well as to promote resiliency and well-being among health and public safety workers and learners. From this work, five guiding principles emerged for organizations seeking to initiate or advance workforce well-being interventions. This document provides detail on the five guiding principles along with insights and experiences from grantee organizations that participated in the Workplace Change Collaborative.

    1. Bring Attention to Language

    2. Acknowledge and Address Burnout and Moral Injury at All Levels

    3. Rebuild Trust and Create Strong Communication Channels

    4. Commit to Organizational Change Alongside Individual Interventions

    5. Articulate the Need for Institutional Commitment and Investment in Well-Being

    To view the report, visit https://www.ihi.org/resources/publications/guiding-principles-improving-health-care-workforce-well-being

     
     March 31, 2025
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