by sfredenburg | Oct 31, 2019 | Diabetes Care, Featured, Great Plains QIN, Public Observances
Chronic health conditions are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. They are also the leading drivers of the nation’s $3.3 trillion in annual healthcare costs. In the United States, one in two adults has a chronic condition and one in...
by sfredenburg | Sep 24, 2019 | Featured, Great Plains QIN, Immunizations, Public Observances
The swimming pool has been traded for the football field and the cooler temperatures signal the start of the next season: cold and flu season. When stocking up on cough drops and decongestant at the local food or drug store, individuals also have the opportunity to...
by sfredenburg | Sep 16, 2019 | Care Coordination, Featured, Great Plains QIN, Immunizations
Convenience and incentives from pharmacy locations in drug and grocery store chains have been helping increase immunization rates. The state immunization registry is a valuable tool for ensuring medical health records are properly updated for primary care providers...
by sfredenburg | Sep 11, 2019 | Featured, Great Plains QIN, Healthcare-Associated Infections, Hospitals, Immunizations
A simple touch or a laugh can be enough to spread an infectious disease and trigger a major health crisis. Exposure to common viruses is unavoidable and vaccination is the strongest form of protection for every age. While previously common childhood diseases have...
by sfredenburg | Aug 27, 2019 | Care Coordination, Featured, Great Plains QIN, Public Observances, Sepsis
A neighborhood tends to be on high alert when the sirens and lights of an ambulance cross into their boundaries. A medical emergency becomes personal and first responders are recognized for their ability to quickly assess and react to any number of scenarios from car...
by sfredenburg | Aug 20, 2019 | Care Coordination, Featured, Great Plains QIN
Organizational leaders must set the standard and, more importantly, demonstrate the behaviors and expectations essential to a safe and transparent culture. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) defines a culture of safety as one “in which healthcare...
by sfredenburg | Aug 6, 2019 | Antibiotic Stewardship, Cardiac Care, Care Coordination, Diabetes Care, Featured, Great Plains QIN, Immunizations, Public Observances
Originally published in the South Dakota Medicine Journal August 2019 issue. Stephan Schroeder, MD, CMD, CMQ Medical Director, South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care Health care is a complex, adaptive system where people, processes and technology intersect in a work...
by sfredenburg | Jul 19, 2019 | Care Coordination, Diabetes Care, Featured, Great Plains QIN, Medication Safety
Good habits are hard to form and bad habits are hard to break. Even with a strong motive, basic lifestyle changes are a challenge for most people. Individuals newly diagnosed with diabetes face the added layer of monitoring blood sugar levels and/or managing...
by sfredenburg | Jul 9, 2019 | Care Coordination, Featured, Great Plains QIN, Hospitals
In collaboration with the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Partnership to Advance Tribal Health (PATH) project work is supporting improvement efforts with care transitions for certified hospitals providing...
by sfredenburg | Jun 18, 2019 | Diabetes Care, Featured, Great Plains QIN, Success Story
Forgetting to take out the trash and dealing with the odor for an extra week, especially during the hot summer months, is never pleasant. Still, it is temporary, and the minor oversight increases our appreciation for waste management. In the body, the waste...
by sfredenburg | Jun 11, 2019 | Care Coordination, Featured, Great Plains QIN, Success Story
The passion of one person can truly have an impact. A director of nursing in a small town in South Dakota saw a need to improve dementia care and her efforts led to a statewide training spanning three communities and reaching almost 300 healthcare professionals....
by sfredenburg | May 30, 2019 | Antibiotic Stewardship, Care Coordination, Featured, Great Plains QIN, Healthcare-Associated Infections, Home Health
Relating to different points of view is a valuable personal and professional skill, especially in the healthcare industry. In her 30 years of nursing, Cheri Fast, RN, BSN, WOCN, has certainly developed a strong understanding of the challenges and rewards of positive...
