GREAT NECK, N.Y., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- A new web seminar for healthcare leaders will be presented by the North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System and the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) on December 8, 2004 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (EST). It will outline proven tactics for improving the quality of patient care while maintaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
The program, “Clinical Standardization and Best Practices,” will be given by Michael J. Dowling, president and CEO of North Shore-LIJ, who was recently appointed as an instructor at HSPH, and Jon R. Cohen, MD, the health system’s chief medical officer. The seminar will be introduced by David A. Shore, PhD, associate dean, executive director and founding director, Trust Initiative, HSPH’s Center for Continuing Professional Education.
Based on recent experience, Mr. Dowling and Dr. Cohen will discuss successful strategies used to streamline processes, reduce variation, decrease costs and promote best practices in a number of clinical areas at the 16-hospital North Shore-LIJ Health System. Topics will include standardized quality indicators for heart failure, community acquired pneumonia, heart attack and stroke. They will also discuss the health system’s guidelines for intensive care units, bariatric surgery, standardized pharmaceutical formulary, clinical trials and emergency medical transport for cardiac patients.
“There is tremendous value in standardizing care across hospitals within our health system and nationally,” said Mr. Dowling. “We want to assure the public that we are always examining our data, evaluating measures and looking for ways to improve the delivery of care to patients. This process requires constant diligence.”
“With quality structures in place, the health system is able to measure processes specifically, look at what’s working and share that information with our clinical teams and change practices among hospitals, when appropriate,” said Dr. Cohen. “If used correctly, the data is very powerful.”
Dr. Cohen said that creating disease-specific task forces led by physicians brings together caregivers on every level to provide input on patient care. This has been instrumental in promoting evidence-based practice guidelines. “There is a high level of accountability among staff members when communication is good and ideas and problem solving are shared. Ultimately, patient care is optimized,” he said.
The on-line program, “Clinical Standardization and Best Practices,” is the first in a series of three Harvard web seminars leading up to the April 6-8, 2005 executive education program on “Forces Of Change: Strategies to Flourish in the New Healthcare Marketplace,” to be held at HSPH in Boston, Mass. Dr. Shore directs the overall Forces of Change project and is the program’s director. Mr. Dowling will be co-directing the April executive education program.
For more information, visit: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ccpe/programs/Forceswebinars.html.
NOTE TO EDITORS/REPORTERS: To register for the Dec. 8 web seminar,contact Diana Ronne, marketing specialist at the Harvard School of PublicHealth, 384-8680; dronne@hsph.harvard.edu
North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System
CONTACT: Betty Olt, bolt@nshs.edu, or Terry Lynam, tlynam@nshs.edu,+1-516-465-2600, both of North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System