DCHA Announces Patient Safety & Quality Improvement Awards

 

 

The District of Columbia Hospital Association (DCHA) awarded its 2024 Patient Safety & Quality Improvement Awards at its Health Care & Innovation Summit on October 30 at the AAMC Learning Center in D.C. The award winners were chosen by a panel of independent judges from the health care industry.

“Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s competition and congratulations to all of the award winners. We are so proud of the work you do to support your hospital and to promote patient safety and quality across the District,” said DCHA President & CEO Jacqueline D. Bowens.

The Patient Safety & Quality Improvement Competition award winners are:

• Gold: Howard University Hospital, Lorena Velazquez and Gina Wilson 
  Measures to Improve SEP-1 Bundle Compliance in the Emergency Department at Howard
  The Howard University Hospital team used a structured quality improvement approach through daily audits of clinical documentation and protocol, and adherence to improve sepsis bundle compliance. Following the project launch, significant improvement was observed in sepsis bundle compliance, reaching 84% compliance in March 2024, marking the highest compliance achieved at Howard.
• Silver: The George Washington University Hospital, Alexandra Walker
  Reducing Postoperative Respiratory Failure in High-Risk Surgical Patients
  A respiratory therapy-driven clinical pathway was developed by the GWUH team for high-risk surgical patients, identified by surgery type and low incentive spirometry volumes. Daily evaluations were completed by respiratory therapists and collaborative support was provided by nurses, providers, and therapists to address barriers and promote mobility. In the first nine months of the pilot, only two of the 501 eligible surgical patients required higher care, none developed postoperative respiratory failure, incentive spirometry documentation improved and missed chest expansion treatments dropped to 0.2% from more than 50%.
• Bronze: Children’s National Hospital, Nichole McCollum
  Undertriage: A New Quality Metric to Improve Patient Care in the Pediatric ED
  The Children’s team defined undertriage patients as those whose acuity is underestimated at triage, leading to significant safety risks. To address this, they reviewed a random sample of monthly undertriage visits by multidisciplinary teams and determined key drivers and interventions. Results show the percentage of patients meeting EHR criteria for undertriage decreased from 3.6% to 3.1% resulting in a centerline shift.

DCHA also awarded its 2024 Health Care & Innovation Individual Awards to individuals who exhibit excellence in their field, strengthening their hospital’s mission and goals. Award winners also manage change in an environment of competing priorities, and support resiliency and engagement from patients, caregivers, and the care team.

• Dr. Mana Ali-Carter, Board-Certified Rehabilitation Psychologist, MedStar National Rehabilitation Center
  Dr. Ali-Carter was nominated for being an exemplary caregiver who demonstrates compassion in her work and has garnered her reputation as a sought-after professional, especially in times of crisis. She is a driving force behind providing knowledge and passion in fostering an environment that embraces diversity and ensures equity for all.
• Vineela Yannamreddy, Chief Information Officer, United Medical Center
  Ms. Yannamreddy was nominated for her exceptional leadership qualities, ability to foster a culture of innovation and her collaboration within the hospital. Her leadership, strategic vision, and technical expertise were instrumental in guiding the hospital through crisis, supporting frontline health care workers, and laying the foundation for a more resilient health care system.