CURRENT RESEARCH AND NEWS

Corrigan Named 2007 TRUST Award Recipient

Janet Corrigan, president and CEO of the National Quality Forum, will receive HRET's 2007 TRUST Award. Established in 2003, the TRUST Award recognizes individuals who exhibit visionary leadership and symbolize HRET's commitment and desire to rebuild trust within health care organizations and with community partners. "Janet's commitment to and impact on quality exemplify the values of the TRUST Award," said Mary Pittman, HRET president. Corrigan will be honored at a reception on July 22, 2007, during the Health Forum/AHA Leadership Summit in San Diego. Read more about Janet Corrigan and the TRUST Award.

HRET International Conference a Great Success

Improving Care and Quality of Life at the End of Life

The HBPCC is looking for hospitals interested in learning how to create or improve their own palliative care centers. The program enables hospitals to visit exemplary palliative care learning centers in different regions of the United States. Managed by HRET, the program is funded by a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

The program is free to participating hospitals (with the exception of travel and lodging) and administered through three phases. In Phase One a hospital receives materials to evaluate its goals, strengths, and weaknesses and to construct a customized site visit at a learning lab. Phase Two is the site visit, when the participating hospital learns firsthand about a successful palliative care program and how to transfer that information and approaches to its own situation. During Phase Three participating hospitals receive a CD-ROM toolkit, as well as feedback and support as they implement their program. A HBPCC Web site provides additional information, announcements, and resources.

If you are interested in participating in the Hospital-Based Palliative Care Consortium, please contact Deb Bohr at dbohr@aha.org or (646) 678-4280, or click here for more details.

ACHI Conference Highlights New Orleans' Recovery

Louisiana State Rep. Cheryl Gray addresses the ACHI conference on health and human services recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

HRET's Association for Community Health Improvement (ACHI) held its annual conference with more than 400 participants from March 7-9 in New Orleans. In addition to an agenda focused on effective practices for community benefit, access to care, and chronic disease prevention, several sessions addressed the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The meeting featured a keynote session with John "Jack" Finn, PhD, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Hospital Council of New Orleans; Cheryl Gray, Louisiana State Representative; and Eric Baumgartner, MD, of the Louisiana Public Health Institute. The speakers shared the continuing challenges of rebuilding health systems and public health capacity. Lack of housing, schools, and community services confound attempts to revitalize the health care workforce, and intergovernmental coordination remains a challenge. Participants also screened a Louisiana Public Broadcasting documentary on health care services during the storm, and 35 attendees volunteered their time in a post-conference community service day. To learn more, visit www.communityhlth.org.

ACHI Volunteers Help Revitalize Hope Haven in New Orleans

ACHI conference attendees volunteer at Hope Haven.

A group of 35 volunteers from the ACHI annual conference stayed an extra day after the conference to help renovate and revitalize a school in New Orleans. Working with Catholic Charities, ACHI members helped to paint and refurbish Hope Haven, a residential facility whose mission is to provide quality residential treatment services, advocate for youth in their family and social contexts, and be a force for positive change in the lives of distressed youth. Everyone was enthusiastic about helping the school. After working at the school, the group took a bus tour through devastated parts of New Orleans. For more information about ACHI, click here.

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Big Vision for the Big Sky: Keys to Transformation for Improved Patient Care

On June 28-29 in Billings, MT, HRET, the AHA Quality Center, and Billings Clinic will host a 1½-day Action Learning Lab for leadership teams in quality and patient safety. Billings Clinic is emerging as a national leader known for transforming multiple parts of its organization to provide better care. Billings also has leveraged information technology and innovative clinical effectiveness strategies to build a regional network that serves both urban and rural needs in four states. Continuing education credit is available for this program. The 2007 Action Learning Lab series is a collaboration between HRET and the AHA Quality Center, with support from AHA Solutions and Stockamp & Associates. For more information click here.

Mary Pittman Appointed to Global Policy Advisory Group

Mary Pittman, HRET president, has been chosen to participate on the Health Worker Global Policy Advisory Group established under the auspices of the Global Health Workforce Alliance at the World Health Organization. Part of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative, the panel aims to create solutions that respect the rights of migrant workers to seek a better life while acknowledging the responsibilities of sending and receiving nations to minimize the negative impact of health worker migration. The panel will also help develop a Global Code of Practice for health worker migration and present it to the World Health Assembly in 2008.

Romana Hasnain-Wynia Appointed to Expert Advisory Panel

Romana Hasnain-Wynia, HRET vice president, research, will participate on an expert panel for the National Center for Quality Assurance. The panel will be convened to help finalize award criteria and review applicants for the NCQA Recognizing Innovations in Multicultural Health Care awards program.

HRET FELLOWSHIPS

Cross-Fellowship Scholarship Opportunities Offered by HRET

A new scholarship opportunity is now available from HRET, with support from Hospira, for health care teams seeking to improve quality of patient care through the use of culturally competent and safe care practices. This first-ever joint fellowship will allow team members to use what they have learned through the program at their own hospitals and health care organizations.

Each team member will advance the work of their joint project by participating as a fellow in one of the 2007-2008 classes of Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship and Cultural Competence Leadership Fellowship.

Eligibility requirements:

• A cross-disciplinary team, clinical or non-clinical from the same organization
• Demonstrated experience or interest in development and implementation of patient safety and cultural competence initiatives
• Letter of support from a member of the senior leadership or board of the team applicants' organization

For more information on application process and scholarship requirements, contact Shawn Foster at 312-422-2610. Enrollment is now open. Team applications will be considered through April 15, 2007. For more information on HRET fellowships click here.