The New England Association for Healthcare Quality, Inc (NEAHQ) empowers healthcare quality professionals from every specialty throughout New England by providing education, networking, certification preparation and professional practice resources.
NEAHQ provides a strong voice for healthcare quality by active involvement in appropriate healthcare quality initiatives.
NEAHQ Joins Healthcare Quality Collective
In an effort to foster continuous learning, development, and networking for our membership, the New England Association for Healthcare Quality (NEAHQ) is excited to announce our new participation in a Healthcare Quality Collective with six other state healthcare quality associations. As a part of this collective, participating associations offer FREE quarterly webinars for active members. This means that NEAHQ members now have access to 28 FREE webinars each year – and 28 FREE CPHQ continuing education credits annually. We are thrilled to offer this incredible new membership benefit at no additional cost – so if you are not yet a member, now is the time to join! Participating state associations include Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, and Oregon.
NEAHQ Position Statement on Racism and Equity
The New England Association for Healthcare Quality (NEAHQ) is united against racism and injustice. Issues of race and inequity are tightly intertwined and regularly manifest in individual and community health, access to healthcare, delivery of healthcare, social determinants of health, and in employment in the healthcare sector. As we confront the COVID-19 pandemic, disparities in these areas have become even more apparent and pronounced.
NEAHQ has an important role to play in improving equity and confronting racism in healthcare. NEAHQ is New England's organization for healthcare quality professionals. Our purpose is to promote the delivery of quality healthcare; provide leadership and expertise in the delivery of quality care; promote professional ethics; facilitate communication, cooperation and education among and for healthcare quality professionals; and support and actively advocate for patients to receive quality healthcare.
Consistent with our purpose and rising to the needs of this time, NEAHQ is committed to creating programming that will educate and address issues to make sure care is equitable and accessible, to educating about social determinants of health and reducing negative impacts, to ensuring our membership is diverse and inclusive, and that opportunities for development and advancement are available to members, inclusive of those of marginalized communities and communities of color.
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Earn CME Credit: Free PFAS Course for Healthcare Professionals
The Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) is sharing an important, no-cost Continuing Medical Education (CME) course on exposures and health effects of PFAS—also called “forever chemicals.” Developed with input from PFAS-affected communities and currently offered for credit by Michigan State University (MSU), this course provides valuable insights into the health impacts of PFAS, strategies for exposure prevention, and patient care. About the Course This PFAS-REACH CME course aims to enhance clinical understanding of PFAS exposure, covering individual risk factors, federal screening recommendations, and follow-up protocols. The perspectives of PFAS-affected community members provide a vital, real-world context to the material. Participants who complete the course through MSU are eligible for CME credit, and there is also a public viewing link available on YouTube. The course was developed by PFAS-REACH, a community-engaged research project that aims to reduce the health impacts of PFAS contamination. The project is led by Silent Spring Institute in collaboration with Northeastern University and Michigan State University, and MBCC proudly serves as a community partner on the study. The PFAS Exchange is an online resource center developed by the PFAS-REACH team with leadership from Dr. Laurel Schaider of Silent Spring Institute, Dr. Phil Brown of Northeastern University, and Dr. Courtney Carignan of Michigan State University. How to Access the Course ● MSU CME Platform (for CME credit): Access the CME Course Click “Sign in to register” and create a free account. After signing in, answer a few preliminary questions to start the video. Complete the video and follow-up questions to receive your CME credit. Note: Rewinding or fast-forwarding is disabled in the MSU CME version. For those who prefer the option to revisit sections, the YouTube link below offers full viewing control. ● Public Viewing (YouTube): Watch on YouTube In addition, participants have the option to be contacted for an interview afterward, which we encourage as a way to further engage on this critical topic. Additional Resources This CME course is one of many resources available on the PFAS Exchange website, where you can find further health information on PFAS for both clinicians and the public. -
Introduction to Healthcare Quality
What is healthcare quality? The Institute of Medicine defines it as "the degree to which health care services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge." Quality improvement, therefore, is the effort put forth by the healthcare system to measure using data and take action to improve care processes, efficiencies, outcomes, safety and experience for patients. What's unique about healthcare quality improvement is that it doesn't matter what position an individual holds in the organization, everyone is responsible for healthcare quality improvement, and the approach is collaborative and expansive. For a brief introduction to healthcare quality, click the below link to watch NEAHQ President-elect Lauren Hartwell share her knowledge on the subject. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6917464877796126720 -
NEAHQ Position Statement on Racism and Equity
The New England Association for Healthcare Quality (NEAHQ) is united against racism and injustice. Issues of race and inequity are tightly intertwined and regularly manifest in individual and community health, access to healthcare, delivery of healthcare, social determinants of health, and in employment in the healthcare sector. As we confront the COVID-19 pandemic, disparities in these areas have become even more apparent and pronounced. NEAHQ has an important role to play in improving equity and confronting racism in healthcare. NEAHQ is New England's organization for healthcare quality professionals. Our purpose is to promote the delivery of quality healthcare; provide leadership and expertise in the delivery of quality care; promote professional ethics; facilitate communication, cooperation and education among and for healthcare quality professionals; and support and actively advocate for patients to receive quality healthcare. Consistent with our purpose and rising to the needs of this time, NEAHQ is committed to creating programming that will educate and address issues to make sure care is equitable and accessible, to educating about social determinants of health and reducing negative impacts, to ensuring our membership is diverse and inclusive, and that opportunities for development and advancement are available to members, inclusive of those of marginalized communities and communities of color. -
Winter 2025 Newsletter
President’s Message Become a NEAHQ Director Program Committee Strategies to Improve Safety and Quality Treasurer’s Report Member Spotlight PI Corner Blog Post Harvard Medical School Certificate Program News from the Net President’s Message Happy New Year to all NEAHQ members and contacts! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season with a chance to rest and rejuvenate. 2025 promises to be as challenging as 2024 for healthcare providers. NEAHQ is your source for education, networking, and resources to help you improve quality and safety in your organization. Check out the learning opportunities offered by NEAHQ and other associations in the Program Committee update below. I encourage all members to update their member profile by logging in to www.neahq.org and clicking Edit My Profile on the dropdown menu next to your name in the upper right corner. Using the membership directory to network with colleagues is one of the benefits of membership. If you are not a member, please join today! The NEAHQ nominating team is now seeking applications for the 2025 – 2026 Board of Directors. Active members are eligible to apply. Becoming a part of NEAHQ leadership gives you the opportunity to help shape the future of the organization and healthcare quality. Please consider applying! Aliysa Rajwani 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 March 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. Treasurer serves for a two-year term, pays the bills and maintains the financial records of the association. Please contact Lynn Myers at 781-308-0501 or myerslynn225@gmail.com to discuss the various positions or complete an application. Program Committee NEAHQ and our affiliated partner associations, as part of the multi-state Healthcare Quality Association Collective, have several great programs scheduled this winter. 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. Thank you for your continued support and participation! MAHQ presents Eradicating Inequity: Understanding Microaggressions and How to Deal with Them 07 Jan 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST OrAHQ presents CPHQ Review Course 09 – 11 Jan 2025 12:00pm - 4:30pm EST OrAHQ presents Educating our Future Workforce: Transforming Healthcare Delivery 10 Jan 2025 4:30pm - 6:00pm EST NEAHQ presents High Tech For High Touch: Patient-Centered Virtual Care 15 Jan 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST FAHQ presents Infection Control and the Survey Process 17 Jan 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST OAHQ presents: Creation of the Stroke STANSE Team to Improve Stroke Outcome 04 Feb 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST FAHQ presents How to Bring Multi-Site Ambulatory Centers to Pathway to Excellence® 18 Feb 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST AzAHQ Presents Mastering QAPI: Building a High- Performing Plan That Guarantees Compliance and Excellence 21 Mar 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT Four Strategies Health Care Leaders Can Use to Improve Safety and Quality in Their Organizations Health care leaders today face more challenges on the job than ever before—from staffing and supply shortages to tighter budgets and tougher regulations, along with increased demand on an already overburdened medical system. This makes it essential that doctors, nurses, administrative leaders, policy makers, researchers, and other industry professionals have strong and effective skill sets to draw on to navigate the roadblocks they face every day, according to Katherine Santos, MBA, chief strategy officer of Legacy Lifecare. Santos also serves as the lead program director for Harvard Medical School’s Safety, Quality, Informatics, and Leadership Program, a one-year Postgraduate Medical Education certificate program designed to equip leaders with the tools and knowledge they need to implement meaningful change in their organizations. Taking a Comprehensive Approach to Creating Change Santos points out that the most successful health care professionals share some common strategies they practice regularly as part of their commitment to integrate safety and quality into their organizations’ efforts. Here are four approaches that can lead to improved performance and outcomes on many levels: Engage patients and families in your quality improvement work to achieve better outcomes. Build a continuous learning system and test ideas in the smallest possible way to refine them before you scale them. Use data and evidence-based learnings to guide all of your efforts. Find the intersection of your personal strengths, passions, and your professional role to maximize your impact. Read the full article by Lisa D. Ellis at Harvard Medical School Trends in Medicine. Treasurer’s Report NEAHQ currently has $40,176.58 in total assets as of the end of November 2024. Total revenue generated in 2024 YTD (Jan-November) is $3,970.41. NEAHQ generated $2765.19 in revenue from membership dues while $755.22 came from programs. Total expenditures for 2024 YTD (Jan-November) are $7,477.14. 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 – Juanita Prescod Would you please share a brief overview of your career? I have over 15 years of healthcare experience spanning from being a medical lab technologist, discovering the world of Performance Improvement and Patient Safety and for the last 5 years working as an infection preventionist. My career started off as a medical lab technologist working in microbiology, chemistry and hematology. In this role, I got involved in quality improvement initiatives such as improving processes. The enjoyment of making improvements led to an opportunity to work at Mass General Brigham as a Quality Specialist. There I had the opportunity to be trained in Lean Six Sigma as well as how to be an improvement coach and became an instructor in Operations improvement – teaching staff hospital-wide improvement methodologies. A key accomplishment was a project about centralization of the phlebotomy that improved the turn-around time of lab tests completed by 8:30AM from 43% to 80%. As the lead Quality Analyst at Beth Israel Lahey Health, I identified early discharges as an opportunity for having a Charge Nurse without an assignment – this initiative improved discharges before noon from 5% to 21%. As an Infection Preventionist at Beth Israel Lahey Health and at the VA, I developed a robust infection prevention and control program that resulted in zero hospital acquired infections for the first quarter of FY2024. Which aspect of your current position is especially rewarding? Being able to develop strong working relationships and trust with colleagues across the healthcare spectrum. This is very important since infection prevention impacts all aspects of healthcare. Has any one individual greatly influenced to your career? Barbara Corning-Davis has been instrumental in my career relating to process/operational improvement. What led to your involvement with NEAHQ? Networking and professional development opportunities as well to contribute/share with peers. What are your goals as a NEAHQ Board Member? To make sure that this organization continues to grow; to work with peers to provide educational opportunities and resources to members. How do you balance your demanding professional life with your personal life? Prioritizing the importance of health, well-being and family because before you know it your children will be all grown up. PI Corner – Process Improvement Project Charter The Project Charter is a living document that outlines a process improvement project for both the team as well as leadership. Teams use the charter to clarify the process issue being addressed, the reason for addressing it and what “success” looks like for those working on it. It’s also used to clarify what’s not being addressed. The charter provides a rationale and roadmap for the team’s work that can be used to clarify thinking about what needs to be done and why. It also provides a key communication tool to help inform your team, colleagues, constituents, sponsors, and stakeholders about what the team is doing. The charter helps keep the focus on a specific opportunity or problem. High Reliability Principle: Preoccupation with Failure 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 Patient Safety: Emerging Applications of Safety Science, Somerset, UK: Class Publishing; 2024. Patient safety improvement builds on a wide array of theories to achieve success. This book highlights activities that support the implementation of foundational concepts such as safety science, human factors, and Safety II to a range of care environments through incident review case-based strategy. Written by people who work in patient safety, and with chapters on subjects such as System Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS), AcciMaps and Human Factors, this book is for everyone with an interest in how the landscape of patient safety is changing and how to apply good practice for the reduction of avoidable harm. (Cox C, Hughes H, Nicholls J, eds.) https://psnet.ahrq.gov/issue/patient-safety-emerging-applications-safety-science For more information, visit https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/PublicFullRecord.aspx?p=31580006 Engaging patients and families in safety improvement work: Use this ‘how to’ to engage patients and families in safety improvement work Patient and family engagement can improve the safety and quality of care, lead to better health outcomes and increase patient satisfaction. Yet many organizations committed to including patients in their work — health care providers, government agencies, and others — find it challenging to do so consistently and successfully. The Betsy Lehman Center offers a guide you can use when asking patients or consumers to serve as contributors to expert panels, safety and quality improvement committees, task forces, and advisory councils. Developed with the help of a Boston-based patient navigator, “Including the patient voice: A guide to engaging the public in programs and policy development” describes six essential elements to the effective involvement of patients or their families. It includes checklists, toolkits and other resources to help set patients up for success and maximize their value to your organization. You can access the guide on the Betsy Lehman Center website.