It is universally accepted that every job function in healthcare should support quality, but The National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) knows that Healthcare Quality Professionals in particular are an indispensable and powerful force in achieving this goal. Healthcare Quality Professionals are uniquely qualified to serve as organizational leaders as they possess the skills necessary to improve efficiencies, facilitate throughput, increase capacity, and improve outcomes.
NAHQ is committed to advancing the profession of healthcare quality and is the leader in defining competencies for the Healthcare Quality Profession. To ensure Healthcare Quality Professionals are well prepared to serve and lead in the quality roles of today and tomorrow, NAHQ has defined industry-elevating Healthcare Quality Competencies for advanced and master practitioners in healthcare quality: the HQ Essentials. The HQ Essentials define six areas of competence: health data analytics; population health and care transitions; performance improvement and process improvement; quality review and accountability; regulatory and accreditation; and patient safety. These six areas are depicted in Figure 1 as overlapping and interconnected because they share certain knowledge and skill requirements. The HQ Essentials apply to all healthcare settings across the continuum regardless of organizational size or clinical specialty.
NAHQ engaged subject matter experts from across the continuum of care to define the HQ Essential competencies using a combination of research, examination of current skill sets, and a rapid cycle Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) practice-based methodology.
The HQ Essentials build upon the foundational knowledge defined by the Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ). CPHQs are universally recognized as qualified in their work and advance the profession of healthcare quality. The CPHQ content covers four domains of practice: Organizational Leadership, Health Data Analytics, Performance Measurement and Process Improvement, and Patient Safety. The CPHQ designation is held by more than 10,000 individuals and provides healthcare employers and the public with the assurance that certified individuals possess the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience in healthcare quality to perform competently.
Combined, the CPHQ and HQ Essentials provide a framework for the ongoing professional and organizational assessment required to meet the changing needs of the healthcare environment.
Other healthcare professions are also seeking to develop and grow quality competencies. NAHQ celebrates an interdisciplinary approach to quality and respects that collective effort among stakeholders to develop quality competencies in those areas as well.1
In early 2017, NAHQ will release the complete set of HQ Essential Competencies to NAHQ members. When used as a professional development tool, the HQ Essentials will help Healthcare Quality Professionals assess their current competencies and determine those competency areas needing development. Also, Healthcare Quality leaders can use the HQ Essentials to assess performance and gaps of individuals and teams within their areas of responsibility. This marque product shows the path forward for the Healthcare Quality Profession and will leverage Healthcare Quality professionals to be an indispensable part of the healthcare team.
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