Quality, Planning & Performance

Improvement Program

Department Vision Statement

QPPIP is a key partner in the provision & delivery of quality patient care throughout
SJHH. We will not only provide timely data related to planning, patient safety and
performance, but will act as an agent of change, enablers who educate, train and assist
in the facilitation of quality improvement for physicians, staff and patient care.

Department Foundation
The QPPIP model is informed by the knowledge that:

Performance excellence/quality is an organizational priority.

Timely and accurate data are required for sound decision making.
A balanced scorecard approach is the performance excellence/quality
measurement framework
At SJHH quality is measured against known benchmarks and best practices and
expectations are that these be met or exceeded.
Corporate and clinical program strategic and operational planning drives strategic
action plans and annual operating plans that are continuously monitored and
supported by a commitment to an iterative improvement cycle.

Key Staff
QPPIP has a current complement of 13 staff. Staff are Masters trained. Positions within
the department include:
Director (1)
Performance Improvement Consultant (5)
Data Analyst (1)
Quality Associate (MBA Student) (1)

Quality & Patient Safety Consultant (1)

Patient Safety Facilitator (2)
Administrative Support (1)

Key Projects
Accreditation: QPPIP is leading the organizations Accreditation project, the goal of
which was not only to receive full accreditation in 2008, which was successful, but to
embed accreditation principles and processes into our daily work.
Balanced Scorecard: QPPIP facilitates the development and adoption of the balanced
scorecard for the Board, Medical Advisory Council, Executive Team and Clinical
Programs. Key to QPPIPs success in this domain is its linkages with medical staff,
clinical quality councils and other services including Finance, Health Records, Risk
Management, Infection Control and Human Resources.
Patient Safety: QPPIP resources the organizations Patient Safety & Quality Committee.
By facilitating the organizations participation in Safer Healthcare Now!, providing key
performance data and educating front line staff on the usefulness of safety tools, SJHH
is becoming a leader in patient safety.
Strategic Planning: QPPIP coordinates the identification, implementation and
measurement of SJHHs strategic plan. QPPIP staff assist programs in clinical planning
and goal setting and are drafting an ambulatory care planning strategy for the
organization.
Quality Improvement: QPPIP collaborates with programs to implement strategies to
improve clinical process and outcomes. Adoption of quality tools such as the PDSA
model, Root-Cause Analysis and Lean principles is leading to benchmark length of stay,
reduced readmission rates, increase in patient flow and a better understanding of
patient satisfaction and wait time management.

QPPIP Staff Portfolios

Name / Role / Contact
John Woods, Director
jwoods@stjoes.ca - Ext. 32218

Responsibilities
Quality
Planning
Performance Improvement

Tina Dhanoa
Performance Improvement Consultant
tdhanoa@stjoes.ca - Ext. 34945

External Reports
Emergency Services
General Internal Medicine
Cardiology

Valerie Fitzell
Data Analyst
vfitzell@stjoes.ca - Ext. 33420

Data Analysis

Jessica Fry
Performance Improvement Consultant
jfry@stjoes.ca - Ext. 32197

Chest
Maternal-Child
Rehabilitation
Complex Continuing Care

Bryan Herechuk
Performance Improvement Consultant
bherechu@stjoes.ca - Ext. 32760

Medical Stepdown/CCU
Intensive Care Unit
Kidney & Urinary
Ambulatory Care
Patient Satisfaction
Home Care

Ann Higgins
Quality & Patient Safety Consultant
ahiggins@stjoes.ca - Ext. 34937

Patient Safety
Accreditation
Quality Frameworks

Kiran Kumar
Performance Improvement Consultant
kkumar@stjoes.ca - Ext. 34946

Strategic Planning
Ophthalmology
Muskoskeletal
Peri-Operative Services
General Surgery

Jerri ONeill
Administrative Support
joneill@stjoes.ca - Ext. 33148

Administrative Support

Yelena Potts
Patient Safety Facilitator
ypotts@stjoes.ca Ext. 32893

Patient Safety

Kim Robertson
Patient Safety Facilitator
robertsk@stjoes.ca Ext. 32892

Patient Safety