HCHS Works Towards New Goals for the Future

Starting mid-August, Harlan County Health System will begin implementing new changes to the organization through a new partnership with Studer Group. Studer Group is a global advisory firm that partners with healthcare organizations to develop the strategies and solutions they need to own their future. Their experts aid clients in fulfilling their mission while creating sustainable growth, for today and tomorrow. They will work closely with our organization to implement effective strategies and practical solutions to align leadership teams, attract, retain, and promote talent and improve organizational culture. Studer Group is portrayed as the "gold standard" in terms of cultural enrichment and leadership development. This enrichment program will involve everyone from the Board of Trustees to all the employees.

Not only is this program intended to help improve the relationships between our employees, it's also intended to improve our patient's overall experience. A customized treatment plan will be created based on our organization's goals. Through interviews, focus groups, brief surveys and analysis of relevant organizational data, Studer Group will collaborate with leaders to develop new behaviors and practices that will transform the patient experience, focusing on key areas of impact such as convenience, accessibility and choice. 

Approval for this three-year extensive program was granted back in June by the HCHS Board of Trustees. The organization will undergo many changes in the next few months and even years to come. This is a journey that our entire staff is please to begin, in hopes to improve our culture as a whole and to provide a healthcare experience to our patients unlike any other. We encourage you to follow along on this journey with us, as it'll be an amazing transformation on our health system and our community!

In conjunction with our partnership with Studer Group, Harlan County Health System is working to become JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) Accredited, which is the "gold standard" in terms of quality. We believe it makes a great deal of sense to bring these programs up simultaneously, as they will both help improve the quality of our organization. JCAHO is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that accredits over 20,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the country. They are a global driver of quality improvement and patient safety in healthcare. Through leading practices, unmatched knowledge and expertise, and rigorous standards, they help organizations across the continuum of care lead the way to zero harm. 

Achieving Joint Commission Accreditation demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement in patient care. The Joint Commission enterprise helps healthcare organizations around the world build a foundation for quality and safety. They will collaborate with us to create a highly reliable organization that our patients can depend on for consistent, high quality care. Additionally, HCHS would be only the 3rd Critical Access Hospital in Nebraska out of 64 in the state to have JCAHO Accreditation. This is a huge goal for our organization and we hope that our community and patients are just as excited as we are. Stay tuned for more updates on both of these programs in the months to come!