The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) Rural Health Initiatives Department hosted the 3rd Annual MBQIP Workshop, titled “Moving Forward Together.” This one-day event, held on April 30 in Sioux Falls, was made possible in part through grant funding from the South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Rural Health, and the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (FLEX) Grant Program.
The workshop brought together quality professionals from critical access hospitals across the state, offering a valuable opportunity for networking, collaboration, and professional development. Attendees were able to engage directly with SDAHO’s Clinical Improvement Consultant, Michelle Jury, BSN, RN, CPHQ, Becky Heisinger, MBA, PMP, CGMS, CPHQ, Director of Rural Health Initiatives and Michelle Hoffman, Rural Hospital Program Coordinator with the South Dakota Department of Health.
Abstraction and Submission Guidance for OP-18 was presented by Ann Loges, RN, BSN, a Senior Quality Improvement Facilitator at Telligen. Loges provides technical assistance with the Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance (RQITA) as part of the Medicare Quality Improvement Project (MBQIP). With over 30 years of nursing experience,19 of those have involved community and rural hospital quality improvement. Ann has been involved in the full spectrum of health care quality data; from patient level chart abstraction, data reporting, and use of data measures to drive improvement at the hospital and community level. This includes practicing as a Quality Director in a critical assess hospital to leading collaboratives alongside multiple state and federal partners.
Molly Mackey, Chief Learning Officer of the LEAdeRNship Institute, presented “Thriving Through the Chaos of Change.” A familiar face to SDAHO, Molly has previously shared her expertise through ongoing webinars and at last year’s MBQIP workshop. At this year’s in-person MBQIP conference, she delivered an engaging session focused on strategy, leadership, and learning.
Molly is an experienced author, speaker, and leadership trainer with over 19 years of experience in business and public speaking. As the founder of the LEAdeRNship Institute, she works with teams nationwide to strengthen leadership capabilities and enhance team performance. Most recently, she earned certifications in Artificial Intelligence (AI) from both LinkedIn Learning and IBM in late 2023 and early 2024, further expanding her skillset and value to the organizations she supports.
Empathy in Action: Enhancing Patient Experience, was presented by Audra Janke, with Well365. Audra is a licensed mental health provider and group therapist. Audra specializes in relationship building, creative educational opportunities, and being with people through whatever they are feeling. Audra has served as a Behavioral Health Counselor at Sanford Health, where she provided compassionate care to individuals facing mental health challenges. For over 10 years Audra played a key role as a Wellness Programs Specialist, where she developed and delivered wellness content to public and private sector organizations.
Closing out this year’s conference was Preparing for a Successful Survey, presented by Heidi Durband, MSN, RN, HACP-CMS, CPAN, the Acute Care Advisor with the South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Licensure and Accreditation. Heidi served as a nurse for 23 years, with experience in various roles including Medical/Surgical, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), Preoperative Pre/Post Clinical Education, and accreditation at a large medical center. Currently Heidi serves as an adjunct clinical nursing instructor for Southeast Technical college and the University of South Dakota.
“This year’s workshop was a success. Becky Heisinger shared, ‘We are grateful for all who could join us for this year’s workshop. We work with our member Quality Professionals daily and having the opportunity to bring them together for additional learning, resources, and support—made possible through FLEX Grant dollars—is something we deeply appreciate.”
To learn more about SDAHO’s Rural Health Initiatives department, visit their webpage, sdaho.org/rural-health-initiatives
