Implementing Quality First Successfully

Name:		Patricia E. Sprigg
Title:		President & CEO
Organization:		Carol Woods (Nursing Home, Assisted Living, & Independent Living)
Location:		Chapel Hill, NC
Phone:		968-4511
E-mail:		psprigg@carolwoods.org

Describe the process of getting your Board's support for QF.
Since we had just gone through our third re-accreditation, it was a simple matter of bringing it as an agenda item. Their reaction was, why wouldn't we?

Have you reviewed the information on the QF Web site? YES
If YES, what was helpful? Found it to be clear in terms of definition and description

Does your organization have a Quality First leader … an individual or committee?
Yes, we have continuous quality improvement indicators as part of all departments. We have a separate corporate compliance committee that already existed, but the departments each have the task of seeing that they address QF starting in 2005 as part of their regular daily operations.

What has been the role of the following with Quality First in your organization? Who has...

• been informed about QF? CEO, Mgmt, Staff, Board, & Residents/Clients
• completed the Self-Study? CEO & Management
• reviewed Self-Study results? CEO & Management & Board
• had a role in implementing QF? CEO & Management & Board

How have you responded to those who said QF was "something else to do?
Quality is what we ought to be producing, this just gives structure and a vehicle to state it.

Looking ahead a year, what do you see as the biggest opportunity for your organization with respect to QF?
To articulate our story and have staff understand that what they have been doing is congruent with their daily efforts

What type of care and/or services does your organization provide (select all that apply):
NURSING HOME, ASSISTED LIVING, INDEPENDENT LIVING

Members have voiced several reasons for not signing the QF Covenant, including: We already run a quality organization; we don't want to expose ourselves to greater liability; we can't afford it; we're too busy. What would you say to encourage these members to sign the QF Covenant?
If they are already doing it, it should not be more expensive to tell the story. Quality is not a liability it's an asset and should differentiate them from those who do not embrace quality in their work. It may help to limit exposure by publicly stating what they are doing, provided they are doing what they say. Every Not For Profit should be willing to stand behind the indicators of quality and know how to measure, improve and tell their story.


November 17, 2004