Partner Feature: Patrice Greenawalt, Oklahoma Hospital Association
Telligen sat down with Patrice Greenawalt, Vice President of Quality and Clinical Initiatives with the Oklahoma Hospital Association to learn about her career in quality improvement and relationship with Telligen.
When Patrice Greenawalt was asked what inspires her to work in healthcare, her simple reply was, “I have never wanted to be anything other than a nurse.” Her father was a physician and her inspiration to enter the healthcare field. Greenawalt’s parents encouraged her and her sisters to pursue important careers that help others, and all three fulfilled that by becoming nurses. Over her 42 years in nursing, Patrice has enjoyed various roles including trauma and emergency nurse, hospital surveyor, nurse educator and epidemiologist. She worked in the regulatory space and positions within the Oklahoma State Health Department before her eventual role at the Oklahoma Hospital Association. Greenawalt shared that she is proud of the role that the Oklahoma Hospital Association plays to make sure every Oklahoman gets the best access to care.
As for her work in the quality improvement space, she explains that it fell into her lap. She realized a passion for system-level and state-level work and being able to impact a large population. Her connections, experience and familiarity with various types of personnel in healthcare led to her current position as Vice President of Quality and Clinical Initiatives. “It’s all connected. The steppingstones from one role to the next have fascinated me. Each position I’ve been fortunate to hold has built on the previous. I feel lucky.”
ON QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
In healthcare quality improvement, best practices are identified and processes are established to make it easier to provide the best possible care. “If everyone would adhere to every healthcare rule, we would all be fine. But every individual, facility, state and landscape is different. It is very difficult to have people follow the same process every time. We have to make it easier to do the right thing! We need reminders including tools and visuals to help healthcare providers. There’s just so much to know, and we can help.”
Greenawalt encourages every healthcare professional to think about what would create the best experience for the patient and their family. “Patients are sicker which means their needs are greater and their care is more complex. Engaging the family and considering what they need to know is just as important.”
Greenawalt quoted the Apple TV series Ted Lasso by saying, “Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing.”
“Don’t be afraid to be a leader. Don’t be afraid to question. And don’t be afraid to do the right thing.”
WORKING WITH TELLIGEN
Greenawalt has a positive and longstanding relationship with Telligen. Telligen is the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for the state of Oklahoma, in addition to being the Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (HQIC).
Greenawalt uses data from Telligen to guide improvement efforts and achieve results. Greenawalt feels that another valuable feature of Telligen’s HQIC network is the opportunity to connect with other state leaders and share ideas and best practices. “In quality improvement, the relationships and trust we build – that’s the name of the game. We have to establish those relationships. You need your network, your team, your support crew.”
During Greenawalt’s time with the Oklahoma Hospital Association, she has reflected on what it means to partner with Telligen. “What I’ve found is that the more you give to the HQIC network, the better off you are – the better off we all are. The networking opportunities have been so valuable. I cannot say enough about how great it’s been working with the entire Telligen team.” Greenawalt praised the HQIC team members for being responsive, helpful, sincere in their work and above all else, kind.
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