ABSTRACT
The fifth of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Seven Leadership Leverage Points recommends making the chief financial officer (CFO) a quality champion.2 Connecting quality improvement and business performance is increasingly important for health care organizations. Pay-for-performance programs, changes to the Medicare payment system, and the elimination of payment for “never events” (i.e., “particularly shocking medical errors … that should never occur”)1 are examples of the increased visibility of quality and payment for many health care CFOs. Similarly, organizations are beginning to evaluate and understand the financial impact of harm events, such as falls, medication errors, and delayed care.2 Health care improvement initiatives, therefore, require a collaborative effort between quality and financial executives. BHCS quality and financial leaders have long understood the need to work together to promote STEEEP care.
