HealthForce Minnesota Project Partners
Strengthening Partnerships While Meeting Continuous Improvement Needs Coalition for Continuous Improvement in Healthcare
The Coalition for Continuous Improvement in Healthcare (CCIH) has a vision to be nationally recognized as a preferred educational provider for continuous improvement in healthcare. Now, the members of CCIH celebrate the relationship theyve developed with HealthForce Minnesota in expanding that vision. Not only will CCIH be recognized for education, but also for forming an alliance of MnSCU educational facilities working together to service all healthcare customers.
CCIH was founded by four MnSCU institutions (Alexandria Technical College, Itasca Community College, Northland Community & Technical College and Winona State University) to pilot a model, using the joint capacity, standardized curriculum and knowledge of several MnSCU organizations to meet continuous improvement needs for healthcare across Minnesota.
Minnesota is a large state, so why can’t we utilize what we have, based on expertise, not geography?” stated Connie Troska, CCIH coordinator. “We’re looking for a model in which several educational facilities can all play together in the sandbox.’ We want to utilize the strengths that we have throughout the state. If a healthcare facility in central Minnesota needs our continuous improvement services, we want to work together, not create boundaries.”
HealthForce Minnesota has the same vision in mind. Through a HealthForce Minnesota Grant, CCIH will build the model of working together, celebrating the successes, facing the challenges, and building on the opportunities. “I’m really excited about this partnership,” states Troska. “I like the idea of educational institutions from all areas of the state building this model. I think it will be an excellent foundation for other areas to work together.”
CCIH has base training modules for Continuous Improvement in Healthcare. Each module was co-created by Coalition instructors. Much discussion was held around the successes and challenges faced by each instructor. “They have built relationships that go beyond the Coalition,” said Troska. “They support each other with new ideas, and innovative instructor skills. They’ve built friendships.”
The Coalition created a repository for the training modules, case studies, training exercises, and customized applications for different populations. An instructor in northern Minnesota can log in and utilize the same material that an instructor in southern Minnesota uses. It creates a standardized training, that Coalition members use successfully.
As the repository enters it’s final stages of development, more focus is being placed on the business model for expansion to other MnSCU partners and healthcare providers to become members of the Coalition. “We have taken the guess work out of how to implement Continuous Improvement Training,” Troska stated. “Those that become partners will have access to the same training modules that the core trainers have. We continue to find ways to improve our pilot model, and look forward to working with others in our own journey of continuous improvement.’ We really want to work from a framework of collaboration, not competition, and we see so much potential in what we have already envisioned.”
The Coalition will introduce the CCIH Repository and the modules to Coalition supporters at a “Go Live” event on January 15, 2009. The event will take place on the Alexandria Technical College campus in Alexandria, MN. For more information, contact Connie Troska, CCIH coordinator at connie.troska@northlandcollege.edu or by phone at 218-686-8738.
“Our vision, along with the partnership with HealthForce Minnesota, has really created excitement among the Coalition, other educational organizations, and healthcare facilities,” Troska stated. “We look forward to the whole experience.”