An inside look at how hospitals within the region are working to improve member care was the focus of the second Inland Empire Hospital Best Practices Collaborative at Inland Empire Health Plan’s (IEHP) headquarters in Rancho Cucamonga.
Organizers of the event – held Oct. 18 – extended the invite to individuals looking to better understand Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Quality Star ratings and performance improvement tools that aid in driving quality outcomes.
“The event was an example of IEHP’s unwavering commitment to our hospital providers who ultimately serve our members. It was exciting to look around the room and see individuals that embrace the belief that whatever we do together is tied to a purpose greater than ourselves,” said Sylvia Lozano, IEHP’s vice president of hospital relations. “I am so grateful to IEHP for investing in the education needed to continue advancing our focus on optimal care for all. The commitment, dedication and passion in this room is palpable, and I have no doubt we will not rest until our region’s hospital care is nationally recognized as excellent.”
With a goal to bring key stakeholders from all 34 of IEHP’s in-network hospitals together and collaborate with the health plan to challenge the status quo and deepen a mutual commitment to providing world-class hospital care in the IE, attendees received encouragement about the future.
“IEHP believes so strongly in collaboration and so strongly in the work that you’re doing that as we looked ahead and built our strategic plan, we developed an entire pillar of our hospital care strategy aimed at enhancing the quality of care that is delivered within our hospitals,” said Nikole DeVries, senior director of hospital and ancillary relations with IEHP. “Our goal is that by 2026, at least 75 percent of our in-network hospitals will have a CMS hospital quality star rating of greater than or equal to three.”
The collaborative was broken down into two sessions: Three hours of educational content during the morning session with National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) and an afternoon session focusing on the sharing of regional best practices. Attendees heard from Dr. Karan Singh, chief medical officer at San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital; John Chapman, president and chief executive officer at San Antonio Regional Hospital; and Dr. Eric Leroux, chief quality officer at Eisenhower Medical Center.
The next collaborative is slated for early 2024 and topics of interest are still in the development stages.
