Practice Makes Progress

I grew up with the idea that practice makes perfect. So insidious, this idea that anything can be perfect. How would anyone know when they have arrived at perfect?  

My daughter’s elementary school works with the idea that practice makes progress. I am grateful that she is enmeshed in this framework. Progress is both possible and able to be defined. We can measure progress.  

AS CEO of the Foundation for Health Care Quality, I try to remind myself of this every day. I find this idea similar to “don’t let perfection be the enemy of good.” We have many opportunities for improvement, in many areas, much work to do as a health care community not to be perfect, but to make progress.  

As we look at the closing of 2024, the Foundation has made great progress through the work of our fantastic staff. We have: 

• Twenty hospitals participating in full Smooth Transitions quality improvement cycle, five in transfer guideline development  
• Held four fantastic conferences for our: 
  • Cardiac Care Outcomes Assessment Program Regional Meeting 2025: Partnering with a Community of Peers 
  • Obstetrical Care Outcomes Assessment Program 
  • Spine and Surgical Care Outcomes Assessment Program Annual Meeting  
  • The 21st Northwest Patient Safety Conference Safe Patient Care: It Takes All of Us: Focusing on what we can do together for safety
    (You can still register and receive CEUs) 
• Developed three evidence-informed guidelines for: 
  • Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (final) 
  • Health Impacts from Heat and Wildfire Smoke (out for public comment)
    ASK – submit public comments 
  • Youth Behavioral Health (out for public comment)
    ASK – submit public comments 
• Added two fantastic, experienced co-Directors for our Community Birth Data Registry
  Drs. Missy Cheyney and Marit Bovbjerg 
• One 2024 Social Need and Health Equity Summit (watch through the link!) 

We look forward to what we will do in partnership with our community in 2025!