the University of Kansas Health System.

Amanda Gartner serves as the Director of Quality, Safety, and Infection Prevention and Control at The University of Kansas Health System. She holds a master’s degree in nursing administration and plays a crucial role in overseeing the health system’s quality and safety protocols, particularly focusing on infection prevention and control. Her leadership ensures that the healthcare services provided meet high standards of quality and safety, contributing to the overall well-being of patients and the efficiency of the health system

What are some of the key roles and responsibility that you have as the Director of Quality, Safety, and Infection Prevention and Control?

My roles as the Director of Quality, Safety, and Infection Prevention and Control are primarily centered around maintaining and improving quality in the acute care hospital environment, with a particular focus on inpatient care. While I do not directly deal with fee-for-service or ambulatory care, I am involved in certain ambulatory patient outcomes, such as preventing patient falls and managing infections.

A significant portion of my time is dedicated to leadership activities, including coaching and mentoring team members. I also participate in patient safety response team activation in regards to supply recalls that have implications for the health system at large. Additionally, I am involved in efforts to enhance patient identification processes.

My daily routine is characterized by variability, with different focuses depending on the day’s agenda. However, the constant elements include attending meetings to discuss and strategize on infection prevention and exploring ways to improve the care environment for patients while ensuring the safety of healthcare workers. My role is dynamic and encompasses a broad spectrum of activities aimed at upholding high standards of patient care and safety within the hospital.

What are the challenges and pain points that impact the health care space?

As a healthcare professional, I’m acutely aware of the challenges we’ve faced since the onset of the pandemic. Supply chain vulnerabilities have become a daily concern, as regular occurrences of shortages and product recalls impact the reliability of our medical equipment and supplies. This has made it crucial for us to manage our supply chain with great care to ensure patient safety.

Medication safety has also become a pressing issue. The visual similarities among various medications, such as Neurostaline and neuromuscular blockers have heightened the potential for medication errors. We’re working hard to implement a human factors-focused approach to prevent these mistakes.

In our facilities, Workspace design issues like inadequate lighting and cramped spaces are more than just inconveniences as they pose safety hazards that must be addressed to prevent accidents and protect our staff and patients.

"Technological advancements in healthcare serve our needs effectively. It is however, not enough to simply collect data as we must validate its origins, confirm its accuracy, and use it to improve our clinical care outcomes. Ensuring data integrity and embracing innovation while preserving the human element is crucial for enhancing healthcare.”

Workplace violence has sadly become more common, with our healthcare workers facing aggression from patients and their families. It’s a significant and distressing trend that affects every one of us, and we’re actively seeking ways to prevent it.

The growing Data complexity, driven by the need for comprehensive quality data from agencies like Centers for Medicare & Medical Services (CMS), has added layers of operational complexity. This task, often not handled by frontline clinicians, requires strategic resource allocation to keep enough staff for patient care. Although not directly related to patient care, data management significantly affects financial outcomes, such as reimbursement and eligibility for incentive programs, emphasizing the need for a balance between data management and patient care staffing.

Lastly, Workforce challenges have emerged as the pandemic has changed the dynamics of our workforce. There’s a pressing need for highly competent, well-trained leaders and clinicians to ensure effective healthcare delivery. We’re focused on strategic planning, resource allocation, and maintaining a commitment to safety as we navigate these challenges together.

How do you perceive the technological evolution of the healthcare sector?

The healthcare sector is at a crossroads where technology is rapidly advancing, yet the human touch remains indispensable, especially in critical areas like infection control.  The strides made with technology are admirable but it came along with the growing burden of documentation. Tasks that once took mere minutes now involve a series of clicks and checks to ensure everything is recorded correctly. The increasing emphasis on documentation within healthcare settings has reduced the quality of personal interactions between healthcare providers and their patients. This suggests that the time and attention given to maintaining detailed records are impacting the ability of healthcare workers to connect with patients on a human level. It’s a reminder that while documentation is critical, it should not come at the expense of the compassionate care that is at the heart of the patient-provider relationship.

Here at our facility, we’ve initiated a program called Mission Possible, which takes a comprehensive look at our documentation requirements, particularly for nursing. Our goal is to eliminate unnecessary paperwork, allowing our registered nurses to dedicate more time to the hands-on care they are uniquely qualified to provide. While we’ve made some progress, there’s still a long way to go in streamlining documentation to make it more efficient without losing the essence of what needs to be captured. It’s a delicate balance, but one that is crucial for the future of healthcare, where technology enhances rather than replaces the irreplaceable human element of care.

What would be your piece of advice to your fellow peers and colleagues to create a similar process like Mission Possible?

In my experience, the key to creating a process like Mission Possible lies in leveraging the expertise within the team. The real champions of this work are our clinical nurse specialists. They’ve taken the lead, balancing the documentation needs of bedside nurses with regulatory requirements, publicly reported outcomes, and risk management considerations.

My advice to peers and colleagues would be to trust in the internal leadership and allow those with specialized knowledge to guide the project. It’s about recognizing the right people for the task and empowering them to steer the work effectively. This approach not only fosters a high-reliability environment but also ensures that the process is shaped by those who understand its intricacies the best.