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HQI Cares program builds culture of safety for Inland Empire Medi-Cal hospitals

In the spirit of its Mission, Vision and Values –along with gratitude for the high-quality care provided by its hospital partners – IEHP, BETA Healthcare Group and Hospital Quality Institute (HQI) have partnered to offer IEHP Medi-Cal contracted hospitals a unique incentive program opportunity.

BETA HEART – which stands for “Healing, Empathy, Accountability, Resolution, Trust” – is a multi-year, HQI Cares program that guides hospitals through the development of a reliable, sustainable and transparent culture of safety with a goal to introduce a holistic approach for reducing harm in health care.

It is part of IEHP’s Hospital Pay For Performance (Hospital P4P) efforts to provide financial rewards for facilities that engage in the program and meet quality performance targets that demonstrate high-quality care to IEHP Members.

IEHP is committed to covering the cost of the program, providing the financial incentive opportunities for the participating Inland Empire hospitals. After all, when it comes to IEHP partnering with hospitals for the mutual goal of increased patient safety, it is just the right thing to do.

The HQI Cares program goals include helping hospitals:

• Develop and implement accountable and reliable evidence-based systems to support the provision of safe care.

• Support and value all members of the health care delivery system.

• Develop empathetic and clinically appropriate rocesses and communication skills to support the healing of both the patient and clinician after an adverse event.

• Develop mechanisms for early, ethical resolution of harm caused by medical error or inappropriate care.

• Foster trust between clinicians and patients/families.

IEHP takes seriously its support of hospitals’ efforts to provide safe care for patients and their families

– in the prevention of, early recognition of and compassionate, skillful response to harm events.

For hospitals who choose to participate in BETA HEART – there are 32, thus far – IEHP will provide incentive dollars as they reach key milestones throughout the 2022 program year.

The program helps accelerate the culture of safety journey for hospitals, according to Yvonne Lyn-Siagian, RN, MSN, CNML, NE-BC, the assistant chief nursing officer at Corona Regional Medical Center.

“The program has also been invaluable to me, personally,” she said. “I recently had a chance to apply my new skills in a real-life situation that required not only full transparency with the patient, but also effective peer support for the involved Provider. HQI Cares training has opened my eyes to how we can create an environment of empathy and a space of healing for the patient, family and staff.”

As always, this commitment is just part of IEHP’s Mission to “heal and inspire the human spirit.”