Texas Health Harris Methodist–Cleburne
A System Approach to Surgical Improvement
This case study focuses on Texas Health Harris Methodist-Cleburne's achievement in providing recommended treatment related to surgical care. The hospital has relied on concurrent review, changes to care processes, and preprinted order sets to improve. It also has benefited from being a part of a larger health system. In 2004, when CMS introduced the surgical measures, the hospital formed an interdisciplinary workgroup to identify opportunities for improving its performance.
Performance Improvement Strategies
- Hospitals within a health system can turn to each other as partners in quality improvement efforts and resources to help solve shared problems.
- Preprinted order sets help standardize practices and improve core measure performance, even prior to implementation of an electronic health record system.
- Report cards can be used to provide individual feedback. Quality improvement staff should be willing to provide one-on-one coaching to physicians in need of improvement.
