Hospital Benefits of Participation as a Heart Failure InstituteSM

Hospitals participating as a Heart Failure Institute receive the following benefits:

Recognition as member of the Colloquium as a participating Heart Failure Institute.

• Upon acceptance of the hospital’s application, the Colloquium provides a certificate of participation for the hospital along with a press release.
• Upon achievement of various milestones within the four Domains, the Colloquium provides a certificate of achievement for each milestone along with a press release upon the hospital’s request.
• Upon completion of the required milestones, the hospital becomes an Accredited Heart Failure Institute. The Colloquium provides a certificate and press release.

Achievement of milestones on the pathway to accreditation as a Heart Failure Institute. The Domains provide the framework. The milestones provide the requisite features that need to be in place at a well functioning Heart Failure Institute. The Colloquium brings together facilities working collaboratively to identify best practice and improvement methods. Within each domain, milestones with tasks and methods of achieving the milestones become available to the participating hospital.

Process Improvement Competencies are required for success. Hospitals today lack those competencies. The Colloquium provides process improvement expertise in several ways:

• Direct on site work: Within the first year of participation, the hospital schedules onsite work with the process improvement experts from the Colloquium. Specific milestones are targeted by the hospital using gap analysis. Hospital personnel works with Colloquium personnel to develop a plan that includes pre-site visit work as well as onsite work. There is ample opportunity for follow-up post site visit as well.
• Education in process improvement: Web-based education covering basic as well as advanced improvement methods. This includes charter development, clinical process mapping, use of the PDSA cycle, Pareto analysis, among other improvement tools.
• Ongoing improvement work is the best way for hospital personnel to gain competencies. As part of the day-to-day work, hospital personnel will have the opportunity to put their web-based education to the test during the onsite work as well as throughout the year in collaboration with Colloquium personnel and with other participating hospitals.

Measurement of improvement includes 24/7 access to the Quality Improvement Interactive DashboardSM. This improvement tool measures the processes that are being improved. Variance, progression, and control chart analysis are included. Rapid sequence improvement is now possible with the interactive dashboard.

Annual Symposia are planned. Annual symposia focusing upon the four domains and improvement will be held. Member hospitals receive four free admissions each year.

Speakers for your hospital are available (speakers’ honoraria/travel is not included in the membership fee).

Board membership for participating hospitals will be extended. The Colloquium’s Board is a voluntary board made up of experts. As more and more facilities begin to participate, it is anticipated that participating hospitals will share in board decision-making.

Committee membership for participating hospitals will be extended. Each Domain will have a committee that provides input into the process of creating, maintaining, and improving the various milestones within their domain.

Research opportunities are available. Research funding will be sought beginning in Q3 2008. In addition to the usual sources of for research funding, the Colloquium will also have corporate members who may provide research opportunities as well.

The above benefits are all included in all three of the payment options. Travel related expenses and additional onsite work beyond the usual first year work are not covered by the annual fee.

Questions or comments should be directed to Dr. Tony Joseph