Strategies for 2008-2009
“Local Care, Best in the Nation” 

The Rural Healthcare Quality Network (RHQN) vision is to lead the nation in developing and sustaining the highest quality rural healthcare. Our mission is to assist our members in optimizing the quality and safety of healthcare in Washington for those we serve.

Specific services will support the following:

Excellence in Clinical Care
Rural hospitals in Washington demonstrating excellent care for their communities using rurally relevant measures.

• The RHQN will share best practices with the goal of improving and sustaining excellence on Hospital Compare measures including heart failure.
• RHQN will assist members with the development and implementation of rurally relevant quality measures.
• Lessons learned and implementation strategies from rural hospitals continually in the Hospital Compare top ten percent of hospitals in the nation will be promoted.
• Reports demonstrating quality of care in rural settings will be provided.
• Best practices in acute myocardial infarction care for rural hospitals including patient transition to tertiary care center will be implemented.
• Best practices in stroke care for rural hospitals will be implemented.
• Explore expansion of peer review and physician oversight function to outpatient clinics.
• Explore development of rurally relevant measures
• Best practices in rurally relevant medical care will be shared.

Regulatory Compliance
Rural hospitals achieving regulatory compliance.

• Best practices regarding opportunities for improvement identified during care reviews will be shared between members.
• Education for medical staff and quality leaders enhancing understanding and successful implementation of strategies to meet Medicare Conditions of Participation and Department of Health rules and regulations.
• Alerts on key medical staff and Department of Health findings will be provided with strategies for implementation of best practices.
• Alerts on statute and regulation revisions by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Department of Health will be provided.

Leadership and Education
Rural hospitals demonstrating strong leadership of governing board, administration and medical staff.

• Education will be provided on privileging and credentialing health care providers.
• Education will be provided on programs to successfully implement mandatory investigation and reporting obligations for adverse events.
• Risk Management strategies will be shared.
• Media training on providing quality and safety communications with the local community will be available.
• Explore development of a physician advisory committee to promote physician participation in RHQN peer review.

Culture of Transparency
Rural hospitals showing value to their communities.

• Data from effective practices will be published on RHQN website.
• RHQN will help improve on rurally relevant quality measures such as patient perception which will allow rural hospitals to publicize the quality of their care.
• Sample policies and procedures will be posted for easy implementation.
• Website communication of Department of Health Survey and Medicare Conditions of Participation developments.