Modeling collaborative innovations for quality care: A university-hospital partnership

The presenter will describe an ongoing partnership between a community hospital and a comprehensive four-year university, the JMU-RMH Collaborative, as a model approach to address quality care goals in the hospital and the community, and provide an important opportunity for student learning and faculty practice. The Collaborative is designed to foster and support innovative and collaborative initiatives that produce beneficial outcomes for both partners, as well as contribute to a healthy community. Leadership, which is intentionally team-based, is provided by eight individuals from the two organizations. Participation in collaborative projects is open to any employee of both organizations and is encouraged through regular themed events. Since its start in 2007, over 100 collaborative initiatives have been launched and over 20 successful projects have been celebrated. These initiatives address acute care and community priorities, and enhance quality care goals in acute care and the community. Examples include a regional Voice and Swallowing Clinic, an “Emergency Department Scribe Program” in which select pre-professional health students work as scribes for Emergency Department physicians, a Dedicated Education Unit in the hospital, a program in which clinical questions generated at the “bedside” become evidence based practice projects through collaboration between hospital clinicians and faculty, and a large collaborative community grant to support vulnerable families of young children through home visiting. Since 2007, both the hospital and the university have had significant structural and organizational changes. Resilience and flexibility in collaborative functioning will be discussed. Results of an evaluation of collaborative functioning will be discussed. The presenter will describe how initiatives are conceived and implemented in the absence of designated funding.