OAHHS Fall/Winter 2018

» A magazine for and about Oregon Community Hospitals. 4 Many times when we have our nose to the grindstone and are working hard to deliver health care for our communities, we forget to look up. But if we don’t look up, we can’t see how much progress we’ve made. Despite the continuing changes in our health care delivery and payment models, I am more confident than ever that Oregon’s community hospitals are poised to continue to lead the way. In this issue of Hospital Voice , you will get a glimpse of the hard work Oregon hospitals and their association have undertaken to change the way they deliver care. First, we are excited to announce that OAHHS and the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) have joined forces to launch a joint Quality and Patient Safety Program across both states. This fully integrated regional approach combines WSHA’s award-winning program with OAHHS’ quality efforts and is an amazing opportunity for collaboration in the interest of our patients. On page 5 you will learn about our new model, which is anchored by a shared governance model across both associa- tions. It is the first of its kind in the country. When fully operational, Oregon hospitals will have access to WSHA’s best-in-class, evidenced-based quality and patient safety program and initiatives. Also in this issue, we honor the exceptional work and the service of four of our outstanding hospi- tal leaders. We don’t give out our Lifetime Achievement Award annually, only when we have leaders whose careers and contributions merit it. This year we chose four leaders, all of whom were uniquely and truly qualified for the award. Our dual focus is the person’s outstanding and meritorious contri- bution to the hospital association and also their unique and impactful contribution to the hospital community throughout the state. Read about all of our award recipients on page 8. Finally, on page 16 you will learn about the workplace violence prevention toolkit that Oregon’s hospitals developed in partnership with organized labor groups and other stakeholders. When it is implemented across Oregon’s hospitals, it will increase worker safety. We were joined in announc- ing the creation of the toolkit with all the major provider professional groups and unions along with Governor Kate Brown. We are very proud of the work that was done on behalf of all of Oregon’s hospital employees. At the end of the day, we all care deeply about keeping people safe while they care for the sick and believe that we should take all steps possible to reduce violence in our hospitals and health care settings to zero. We’re doubly proud that The Joint Commission has linked to this work as a nation- ally available tool. As we prepare for the upcoming legislative session, hospitals will continue to work collaboratively with policymakers; urging them to take a thoughtful, responsible approach to legislation that affects coverage for many Oregonians. While we will continue to fight for what is right for our patients of our communities. I am proud to celebrate the continued progress we have made together. H Andy Davidson President & CEO Oregon Association of Hospitals & Health Systems To find out more about your community hospitals, please visit us online at www.oahhs.org.