The head of Quality Services at Tomah Health says quality initiatives and data are key to enhancing patient care. “Initiatives drive the change and highlight the opportunities that we have for improvement. They help ensure we are delivering safe, high-quality care,” said Tomah Health Quality Services director Kayla Mobley.
Her comments come on the heels of the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s (WHA) release of its 2024 Health Care Quality Report, titled, “Data-Driven Excellence: Enhancing Health Outcomes through Quality Measures.”
“Healthcare quality is very complex, so the report does a wonderful job of providing a glimpse into the work organizations are doing on an everyday basis to improve quality of care in Wisconsin,” added Mobley.
“Our hospitals and health systems are dedicated to leveraging data and innovative quality initiatives to drive significant improvements in patient care and community health,” WHA president & CEO Eric Borgerding said of the report that emphasizes the crucial role of data and quality metrics in revolutionizing health care delivery and outcomes.
The report highlighted hospital initiatives including the MOVIN® program at Tomah Health which was recognized by the WHA this past year for Excellence in Health Care Quality and Patient Safety. “An initiative like MOVIN® is instrumental because it provides an evidence-based pathway to improve patient outcomes. One of the things that we do every year is we come up with a list of priorities to make sure that we are focusing our efforts in the right direction,” added Mobley.
WHA officials said the report also shows that Wisconsin hospitals consistently outperform the national average in patient experience scores, with the top 10% of hospitals showing results up to 15% higher than hospitals across the country. “This report showcases the commitment to excellence that defines Wisconsin’s health care landscape and our ongoing efforts to create a healthier future for all,” added Borgerding.
Mobley said Tomah Health relies on a special committee made up of hospital board members, administration and medical representatives to validate data and initiatives. “Our Quality Council serves as the oversight responsibility for the quality care and services delivered here at Tomah Health. They receive reports regularly from departments regarding their specific department initiatives, as well as comparative data for publicly reported measures and data from hospital wide improvement initiatives. They are fundamental in our culture of quality.”
WHA said recent performance has results in frequent recognition from agencies like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ), and U.S. News & World Report. Additionally, Wisconsin ranks 11th in the Commonwealth Fund Scorecard for Women’s Health Care.
Statistics also showed that 69% of Wisconsin hospitals rated received a 5 or 4-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for patient experiences. Mobley said after receiving a 5-Star rating earlier this year, Tomah Health has continued to receive the highest CMS rating. “Receiving feedback from our patients is vital. The rating reflects the work by hospital staff for their continued dedication of truly caring for patients and focusing on what matters to patients. We maintained it in July and preliminary data also suggests that we are going to continue it in October as well.”
While data and initiatives can by justified internally, WHA has its CheckPoint website, which for 20 years, has allowed Wisconsin’s acute-care and critical access hospitals to voluntarily report more than 40 measures of quality and patient safety. “Checkpoint promotes transparency and transparency, allows patients to make informed decisions about their health and choose organizations based on quality and performance,” said Mobley. “Every healthcare organization wants to provide great quality care, but CheckPoint’s transparency allows us to collaborate with those that are doing well because we can learn from others that are doing well.” Access to CheckPoint is available online, CLICK HERE
Access to the full 2024 WHA Quality report is available online, CLICK HERE