Source: United States Navy (Medical)
Inventive ingenuity was on display for staff, patient and visitor at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Bremerton.
During the command-wide Continuous Process Improvement Fair held March 11-14, 2024, multiple departments came together to showcase their ideas to enhance the impact on quality of patient care and patient safety, as well as mission readiness.
“The CPI Fair gives departments an opportunity to show off the amazing work that they are all doing to improve patient quality and safety. It also allows for other departments to see what processes they could replicate in their own workspaces. It helps us continue to build a culture of process improvement as we strive to be a high reliability organization,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ashley Gripe, NMRTU Everett Physical Therapy department head, process improvement sciences lead and fair organizer.
The annual event was on a brief hiatus due to the pandemic and after restarting back up in 2022 with a half dozen presenters that number almost tripled this time around with 17 taking part.
“Sailors of all ranks throughout the command have an opportunity to present their work in front of leadership and receive some well-deserved recognition for their hard work,” Gripe said. “I think they also get valuable feedback on how some of these projects can be continued or branched into other projects.”
The unexpected large turnout of participants made it a somewhat laborious undertaking to organize.
The most challenging part about this event was also one of the best parts of the event this year; we had so many participants! We love to see so many different projects from across the command however that also makes it challenging to display and present all of these projects in one space. It is well worth the effort though,” stated Gripe, adding that the benefits far outweigh any challenge.
“Events like these gives us an opportunity to connect with other departments and see how we are part of something so much bigger than just our individual contributions,” Gripe continued. “We are all working toward the same goal of providing the best, safe, quality care to all our beneficiaries.”
“I appreciate all the work that went into this,” remarked Capt. Patrick Fitzpatrick, Naval Hospital Bremerton director and Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Bremerton commanding officer.
“All great projects and outpatient centric. Amazing amount of talent here with truly innovative ideas,” said Capt. Mark Lund, NHB/NMRTC Bremerton executive officer.
The ‘Continuous Process Improvement’ concept is based upon the DHA Ready Reliable Care principle, which is focused on reducing unwarranted variation across the system, eliminating waste, and lowering costs.
One such project displayed was ‘Chart Toppers,’ from Directorate of Surgical Services with Lt. j.g. Hannah Phillips, assigned to the ambulatory procedure unit as project lead and Cmdr. Marc Silfies as team member. Their presentation showed how they are identified several problem areas during their annual review of charting and how they were going to implement measures to improve the processes.
“In sharing the idea, we identified additional issues providers might be facing with charting and how to rectify. Director for Surgical Services providers benefit because they receive education as well as getting to point out tissues they are having,” said Phillips.
The presentations included ‘Implementation of Health Surveillance Medical Records Scanning’ by Family Medicine department, with Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Rose Ann B. Lumoljo as project lead and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Karen N. Ortega Egusquiza as [project] champion.
‘Anesthesia Exclusion Criteria’ was presented by Anesthesiology, with Lt. Cmdr. Marc Sebald and Lt. Cmdr. Joy Marie Bautista as project leads with Cmdr. James Birkla and Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Thomas as team members.
Radiology department displayed their ‘Radiology Refining Patient Billing Process,’ with HM1 (Fleet Marine Force and Surface Warfare qualified) Gregory DeShields as project lead and team members Lt. Cmdr. Sean Kim, HM1 (FMF/SW) Challis Miles, Christopher Rona and Elizabeth Tellez.
‘Proper Integration of Outside Records’ was displayed by Primary Care and OB/GYN, with Lt. Hana Reichert as project lead, along with team members Lt. Andrew Ritter, Lt. j.g. James Cramer, Lt. Barbara Kent, Linda McCaulla, Janine Wood, Kelly Gann, Christina Lenham, Genevieve Fale, and Michelle Vanoverbeke.
‘Peer Review Process Improvement’ by Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit Bangor, with Lt. Karli Woolens as project lead and Capt. Harlan Dorey and clinic providers as team members.
Endoscopy Clinic presented ‘Defining Role and Responsibilities’ with Lt. Cmdr. Brenda Capetillo as project leader and Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Mellor, Registered Nurse Haley Maiatico, RN Mary Elmore, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Chance Minor, HM3 Alexis Dygert and Tina Cabana, medical assistant.
‘DHA Surgical Onboarding Checklist and Roadmap’ from Perioperative Services was exhibited by Lt. Cmdr. Lauren Bond.
Accurate Medical Record Reporting, Requesting and Retiring’ was shown by Team Bremerton,’ with HM1 Melissa Kozloff, HM1 Thomas Cox, HM3 Timothy Hetrick and Timothy Severtson, with team members from Medical Records at NHB, NMRTU Everett and NMRTU Bangor.
Ophthalmology, under project leader HM2 Vittorio Garcia with support from team members Lt. Cmdr. Shamis Fallah, HM2 Quinniece Mosley, HM2 Yong Choe, HM3 Kathie Barrientes and Hospitalman Nathan Reimer showed four issues to fix with suggested solutions to implement.
The Director of Branch Clinics Pharmacy department (from NMRTU Everett) displayed ‘Pharmacy Supply Inventory,’ with HM2 (FMF) Kevin Juico as project lead, and Sharon Marker, HM2 (FMF) Brian Matthews, HM3 Odessa Armstead, HN Isabelle Doyle, Kathy Scott, Latoya Hall, Sonny Wilson and Audra McCoy as team members.
Pediatrics with Lt. Barbara Kent as project lead, aided by team members HM3 Tyler Black, HM3 Julie Cortese, RN Lalaine Mendoza and recently retired Lt. Samantha Dahl presented ‘Guide to a “HEEL-thy” Infant Capillary Draw: Just Ask H.E.L.P.’
The Urgent Care Clinic exhibited ‘BCMA’ [bar code medication administration] by project lead RN Carmen Arehart, Lt. Agustina Aure and team members HM2 Jessica Casillas and HN Demetria Wilder.
The Main Pharmacy under project lead Lt. Cmdr. Evan Romrell with team members HM2 Leeann Rodriguez, HM3 Qi Cai, HM3 Theodore Hospodar, HN Kaitlin Montalvo and HA Kyler Coburn shared on ‘Pharmacy Automation.’
Preventive Medicine and Public Health displayed ‘2023 Flu Vaccine’ with Cmdr. Carolyn Ellison and Lt. Sharma Anurag as project leads.
‘Improving HM Orientation Competency in Family Medicine’ was shown by Family Medicine with Lt. Cmdr. Heather Walmer, HM1 Rose Ann B. Lumoljo, and HM3 Karen N. Ortega Egusquiza as project leads and team members Lt. Brodrick Hirai, Lt. j.g. James Cramer, Lt. j.g. Taylor Fink, RN Ramir Salcedo, HM3 Genesis Ortega and HM3 Trevor Dempsey.
‘Colorectal Cancer Screening’ was presented by Internal Medicine with project lead RN Aaron Myers and team members Dr. Daniel Frederick, RN Amy Coger and HM3 Colin Fuller.
Although the CPI Fair is just once a year, NMRTC Bremerton and our outlying clinics are working on process improvements throughout the year. We are developing a culture where our staff lean into the areas where we could improve instead of settling for “good enough” or brushing problems under the rug. We take extreme ownership of our role in process improvement,” stressed Gripe.
Story originally posted on DVIDS: Innovation highlighted with CPI Fair at NMRTC Bremerton
