ALABAMA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION

Quality: alaha continues to support hospitals statewide on various quality improvement and infection prevention initiatives to ensure the best patient care possible. There are monthly meetings of quality directors and infection preventionists where information is provided and best practices are shared. Twice a year, almost 200 hospital quality leaders gather for a day-long quality and patient safety conference. In addition, alaha contracts with the state's qio to provide focused work for 18 hospitals on specified quality improvement topics (such as preventing infections, adverse drug events and readmissions). The association also supports 9 different community coalitions across the state that include not only hospitals, but also other post-acute healthcare providers, consumer advocacy organizations, and other community stakeholder organizations. In these communities the resources and coaching focus on topics such as care transitions, behavioral health and chronic conditions. Last year alaha hosted a quality residency program for new hospital quality professionals. Around forty participants attended the 8-session program which highlighted the essential roles and responsibilities of the quality director. In addition, seven regional training sessions on wound & ostomy care and management were conducted, with over 150 participants from across the state. In the coming year alaha will host a wound certification program offered by the wound care education institute for those interested. We again hosted an infection prevention bootcamp with 33 new infection preventionists in attendance. A certification prep course for individuals preparing to sit for the cic exam with 37 in fy24 and 40 already registered for the fy25 course. Our infection prevention efforts also include site visits and virtual meetings with hospitals to assist with ongoing prevention practices or to help troubleshoot problem areas. We also held excel training classes in a computer lab for 34 hospital employees from various disciplines ranging from the beginner, intermediate to advanced clinician.