September 2017

TIPQC Recruiting Medical Directors Elect

Do you have the desire to work at a high level in TIPQC? Do you have the next great idea for a TIPQC project?  Based on TIPQC's succession plan, the TIPQC Infant and Maternal Medical Directors will rotate every 2-3 years.  In order to accomplish this, a Medical Director Elect is selected to serve for roughly 2 years, prior to assuming the role of the TIPQC Medical Director.  

The Medical Director Elect is an unpaid position (voluntary for 2 years), followed by a paid Medical Director Position for 2 years (approximately 0.2 FTE from TIPQC state grant).  Medical Director Elect(s) participate in TIPQC Meetings and calls as able, including  core committee meetings and Annual Meetings, along with developing future QI project(s), with mentoring and support from the Medical Director, immediate past Medical Director, and core team.

Interested applicants should submit the following materials by December 30, 2017:  current CV/Resume, letter of intent outlining relevant credentials, a letter of support from a TIPQC member, and letter of support from institution (stating that the applicant has support of the Department Chair to spend .2 FTE for both of the two years spent as Medical Director), and ideas/drafts of project proposals, if applicable.  

August 21st was an exciting day in Franklin, Tennessee for two reasons – the solar eclipse and our Nutrition meeting!  Our attendees enjoyed this once in a lifetime experience (complete with eye protection) but they also left with new energy surrounding our Nutrition project.  Our first ever project specific Fall Meeting included seven NICU Nutrition Hospital teams, representatives from the Tennessee Department of Health, and the TIPQC operations team.  The Nutrition teams were celebrated for their hard work over the last year.  Terri Scott led a session on Learning from Variation in Data and Dr. Reddy Dhanireddy discussed the Nutrition Tool Kit.  Teams shared successes and challenges, with Kathy Fulton, NNP discussing Nutrition Rounds at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. Our teams left energized and ready to continue improving nutrition for our tiny babies!

Notes from the Medical Director...

Officially on July 1, the new TIPQC team hit the ground running...defining the possible QI goals for the projects voted on at the annual meeting (reducing repeat morbidity – LARC & 17 OHP, decreasing primary cesareans).  We have many exciting ideas and support from our partners at TDH, TennCare, THA, and ACOG. Later this month, the project subcommittee will move a step closer to rolling out our newest project.  One of my goals is to increase provider engagement on the maternal side so that we can all work to improve the health of women and infants in Tennesse.  Please let me know if you have any thoughts or want to help.  Thanks for your support, Nikki Zite, MD TIPQC Maternal Medical DIrector