Joint Commission Recognizes Henry Ford Allegiance Health as 2018 Pioneers in Quality™

Jackson, Michigan — Henry Ford Allegiance Health (HFAH) is honored to be recognized by The Joint Commission as a 2018 Pioneers in Quality™ Solution Contributor for its contributions to electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) data for quality improvement in health care.

“The Joint Commission recognition reflects our team’s commitment to continuous quality improvement, especially as it relates to the adoption of electronic clinical quality measures,” said Rebecca Rizkallah, Director, Performance Excellence & Quality, Henry Ford Allegiance Health. “Like The Joint Commission, we believe gathering and analyzing performance data is crucial to continuously improving quality of care and outcomes.”

Out of 3,200 Joint Commission-accredited hospitals that reported 2017 data, HFAH is among only 25 that The Joint Commission recognized this year for embracing new technology to submit data about the care it provides to patients. HFAH’s specific contribution focused on the development of a process to ensure consistent compliance of the newborn hearing screening.

Megan Piotrowski, Manager, JCMR Quality, said, “Our goal was to develop a process that would support the accurate reporting of hearing screens, as well as to communicate clear and consistent documentation requirements to staff, given HFAH’s immense commitment to provide quality care for newborn patients and families.”

HFAH’s compliance with newborn hearing screening is consistently above 95%. “We still wanted to have an electronic process to ensure any outstanding screens could be identified and addressed. These screenings focus on identifying an infant’s hearing loss early, which is so important,” said Perinatal Patient Safety Specialist Rebecca Ericson. “Catching hearing deficits early can make a significant impact on a child's development. We can begin hearing loss interventions that will help not only the child, but the child’s parents as well.”

Pioneers in Quality™ recognition is an indicator of an organization’s commitment to adopting eCQMs toward quality improvement. It recognizes eCQM data reporting and other contributions that advance eCQM adoption in health care.

“We commend Henry Ford Allegiance Health as a 2018 Pioneers in Quality™ organization for its contributions and commitment to electronic clinical quality measure data and practice toward quality improvement,” said David W. Baker, MD, MPH, FACP, executive vice president, Division of Health Care Quality Evaluation, The Joint Commission.

Learn more about The Joint Commission and the Pioneers in Quality™ program.

About Henry Ford Allegiance Health

Henry Ford Allegiance Health (HFAH) is a 475-bed health system in Jackson, Michigan. HFAH complements traditional acute care services with primary and community-based to support patients across the health continuum at every stage of life. With its Level II Trauma Center, Henry Ford Allegiance Health provides comprehensive care for severely injured patients. As a teaching hospital, Henry Ford Allegiance Health continually looks to the future with its Center for Health Innovation & Education and Graduate Medical Education program. Through its Health Improvement Organization (HIO), HFAH is also a national leader in forming community partnerships that innovatively address wellness and prevention needs across the region.

About Henry Ford Health System

Henry Ford Health System is a six-hospital system headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. It is one of the nation’s leading comprehensive, integrated health systems, recognized for clinical excellence and innovation. Henry Ford provides both health insurance and health care delivery, including acute, specialty, primary and preventive care services backed by excellence in research and education. Henry Ford Health System is led by President & CEO Wright Lassiter III.