Messages from the Executive Vice President

March 24, 2011

UConn Health Center's Commitment to Quality

It's been said that “quality” is never an accident. Rather, it is the result of a thoughtful commitment to excellence, 24/7.

Every day, that commitment can be seen throughout the UConn Health Center, particularly in our clinical enterprise. In the months ahead, you will continue to hear much more about quality and patient-centered care as the strategic plan is implemented for the hospital and outpatient practice. The plan was recently approved by the Board of Directors and sets forth a clear vision and tangible goals for the future.

In the meantime, I'd like to share a few updates about efforts being led to continually strengthen quality and patient safety initiatives:

• The clinical enterprise is following Studer Group guidelines to enhance patient satisfaction. Quint Studer's experiences in healthcare since 1984 in various institutions built a platform for creating tools, techniques, and systems to improve performance and, most importantly, patient care. His initiatives and ideas are considered best practice in the world of the patient experience.
• We are instituting patient safety volunteers who are making rounds on patients to enhance safe patient care. A pilot program is underway on Oncology 6.
• We introduced Shared Governance last fall and are progressing toward having the program fully in place by the summer. Shared Governance uses a formal multidisciplinary structure that promotes communication, collaboration, and accountability within the Health Center community, empowering everyone in shared decision making.
• A “Patient Experience Liaison” group has been working to create strategies and initiatives to enhance our patients’ experience.

As you know, we have come very far in recent years and with ongoing, focused efforts, we will continue to make great strides. Please share any ideas you have to improve patient experience with the Department of Quality Programs or with Department of Patient Relations Director Carlene Bartolotta, bartolotta@nso1.uchc.edu.

Thank you for your continued dedication to quality and excellence!

Sincerely,

Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.
Vice President for Health Affairs
Dean, UConn School of Medicine