The Wright Stuff: You've earned it!

A message to Morgantown-area WVU Medicine-WVU Hospitals’ employees, mid-level providers, and residents held accountable for the 2016 PI Plan

In the healthcare field, having employees who not only meet expectations but exceed them is crucial to transforming lives. And you exceed expectations – every day. Thank you for all you do!

As a result of your hard work and dedication to our patients and their family members, we had another banner year at WVU Medicine-WVU Hospitals in 2016. Most importantly, our patient outcomes and quality of care have never been better. And this didn’t go unnoticed.

We received the Vizient Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Award last year and were ranked among the top academic medical centers in the country – we were No. 6! That is a big accomplishment – one that is a direct reflection on you.

Our 2016 Performance Improvement (PI) Plan, which is specifically focused on Morgantown-area operations, drove many of the efforts that helped us achieve this national recognition. Here are some highlights from our PI Plan successes:

• We significantly reduced the number of inpatients readmitted within 30 days of discharge. A total of 639 fewer patients were readmitted within 30 days compared to 2015; that’s a 16.7 percent reduction. This was accomplished, in part, by establishing a transition of care team in Care Management; embedding disease management nurses in many of our primary care clinics to help keep patients at home rather than in the hospital; and working closely with providers in the Emergency Department, primary care clinics, and hospital to determine a common approach to care for those patients who utilize these services on a regular basis.
• We evaluated our MRSA isolation practice in an attempt to improve processes. The result of that assessment will likely lead to a decrease in the number of patients we place in isolation. We believe this will improve patient care and increase staff satisfaction.
• We increased the number of Medicare patients who received wellness visits from 9.2 percent in 2015 to 53.4 percent in 2016. That was a significant increase – one that impacted the lives of more than 1,700 patients and helped them improve their health. 
• We hired more than 100 physicians in an effort to address patient access issues, including the time it takes a new patient to see a provider. Half of our 18 outpatient clinics reduced their wait times, while increasing completed patient visits by almost 62,000.     

Each of you helped us achieve these and other goals that were part of the 2016 PI Plan.

Your efforts paid off in the amount of $664. That’s the PI Plan bonus that eligible Morgantown-area WVU Medicine-WVU Hospitals employees, mid-level providers, and residents will receive. Employees and mid-level providers will receive their bonus on Friday, Feb. 3. Residents will receive their bonus on a future date.

The bonus payments total more than $4.1 million – that’s the largest PI Plan bonus this organization has ever paid. We believe it’s important to invest in our most important resource – and that’s you!

Review a detailed update on the 2016 PI Plan, as well as the bonus amounts awarded for each pylon.

Review bonus eligibility requirements for the 2016 PI Plan bonus in more detail.

Whether we’re focused on PI Plan goals, departmental goals, or individual goals, we are all striving to strengthen the organization – and we’re doing just that. WVU Medicine is achieving its mission of improving the health of West Virginians and all we serve through excellence in patient care, research, and education.

Together, we are making a real difference!