St. Tammany Quality Network Growing
ST. TAMMANY QUALITY NETWORK GROWING RAPIDLY
COVINGTON – Since its launch in January, the St. Tammany Quality Network has added more than 160 member physicians to the organization focused on measuring and improving clinical quality and the patient experience throughout the North Shore.
“STQN was created as a proactive response to the lightning pace of change going on in the healthcare delivery system and payment reform environment,” said Dr. Patrick Torcson, vice president of clinical integration at St. Tammany Parish Hospital.
STQN is a physician-led network operating under the clinical integration model sanctioned by the Federal Trade Commission, which requires the network to demonstrate a commitment to quality and outcomes by creating a medical community aligned around initiatives and payer engagement; using a common information technology platform to capture disease specific data throughout the network to assist in proactive patient care; and developing best practices.
The network’s primary objective is to collaborate on patient-centric initiatives that enhance the quality and improve efficiency of health care delivery. That will be spearheaded by creating an information technology network that encourages sharing of patient clinical data and care coordination among participating providers. With regards to physician performance data, there is a focus on transparency so participating providers can learn best practices from one another and can also identify areas of opportunity.
Ultimately, there is an emphasis on actively managing a patient population to foster improvement in the overall health of the community.
STQN is led by Executive Director Jack Khashou and Medical Director Dr. Michael Hill, the Governing Board and three committees. The Governing Board consists of Drs. David Cressy, Mark Dominguez, Hill, James Lacour, David Powers, Sunhil Purohit and Torcson. STPH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bob Capitelli and STPH President and CEO Patti Ellish serve as ex officio, while Torcson serves as board chairman.
The committees include:
- Performance Management, comprised of Drs. Pat Braly, Michael Carpenter, David Cressy, Rob Faucheaux, Hill, Roch Hontas, Michael Iverson, Joseph Landers, Merrill Laurent, Ralph Millet, Joseph Perdigao, Sunil Purohit, Hamid Salam and Torcson. Hill serves as committee chairman.
- Network Operations, comprised of Drs. Pat McCaslin, Charles Baier, Chris Darcey, Dominguez, Celeste Lagarde and Jack Saux. Dominguez serves as committee chairman.
- Finance and Contracting, comprised of Drs. Lacour, Cathy Quarls, Reiss Plauche, Michael Isabelle, Chris Foret and Vicki Steen, is responsible for joint contracting negotiations with payers and coordinating physician incentive distributions. Lacour serves as committee chairman.
For more information about how to join the St. Tammany Quality Network, contact Khashou at 985-898-4518 or jkhashou@stph.org.
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A full-service acute care facility committed to providing world-class healthcare and the latest technology, St. Tammany Parish Hospital delivers today’s life-improving procedures with the utmost care to area residents with emphasis on wellness, preventive care and disease management close to home. STPH is a self-supporting not-for-profit community hospital; it receives no tax funding. STPH.org
PHOTO IDENTIFICATION
The St. Tammany Quality Network Governing Board includes seated, from left, Drs. Michael Hill, medical director, Patrick Torcson, chairman, and David Powers and, standing, James Lacour, Mark Dominguez and David Cressy. Board member Dr. Sunhil Purohit is not pictured.