The Studer Group is a Health Care consulting firm that has a large base in the United States and is also in Canada, Australia, and South East Asia. “Studer Group partners with healthcare organizations to build a sustainable culture that promotes accountability, fosters innovation, and consistently delivers a great patient experience and the best quality outcomes over time.” says BG Porter, the CEO of the Studer Group.
Front Range Hospice has been recognized by the Studer Group as their HealthCare Organization of the Month for May, 2015. This award is given to a Health Care Organization that achieves excellence in employee retention and patient and family experience of the care provided. This is the first time this prestigious award of excellence has been earned by a small hospice. “When the heart and the intention are given proven tools, amazing things can happen” says Pam Ware, MSW, LCSW, Founder and CEO of Front Range Hospice.
Ms. Ware practiced oncology social work for twenty five years, providing support and education to cancer patients, especially those that were considered terminal and had chosen very aggressive treatment. After twenty five years she wanted to do more to improve end of life care and create a workplace that supported professionals in the healthcare field to do the work that makes their heart sing. She worked as the Administrator for a hospice in Metro Denver for about three years before investing her life savings into Front Range Hospice, a small hospice that serves North East Colorado.
In 2006, during the startup phase of Front Range Hospice, Ms. Ware made the decision that the agency needed to be aligned with the Joint Commission (JC). JC is considered the gold standard for health care organizations. Front Range Hospice was the first privately owned hospice in Colorado to achieve JC accreditation.
In December of 2011, Ms. Ware, read Hardwiring Excellence by Quint Studer. She immediately called the Studer Group office and began to explore how she could align Front Range Hospice with the Studer Group. Front Range Hospice began its formal consulting relationship with Studer Group in Feb of 2012.
At the end of 2014, after partnering with The Studer Group for three years, Front Range Hospice’s employee retention rate went from 33% to 96% and the Family Experience of the Care went from below the National average in all six domains to above the National Average in all six domains measured. These results are achievable once the leadership of an organization sets realistic goals, is transparent in its operations, and hardwires its processes.
“The leadership team and staff at Front Range Hospice have made a tremendous commitment of quality and service to the community. With this commitment came a promise to be relentless in doing whatever it takes to ensure that they not only meet the expectations of those that come to them for service, but exceed those expectations. I have found that these leaders are never ok with average: they are committed to their belief that their community deserves only the best,” says Donny Cook, Studer Group Rural Regional Account Leader.
The mission statement of Front Range Hospice is to provide Legendary End of Life Care. The mission of the Studer Group is to make healthcare a better place for employees to work, physicians to practice medicine and patients to receive care. The Studer Group has trained the leadership team on how to create a culture of excellence even in an environment of constant change. “Although the HealthCare Organization of the Month award was given to Front Range Hospice to acknowledge their commitment to excellence it would not be possible if we did not have the trust of the patients and families who chose us to provide their end of life care” says Ms. Ware.
“Health care is constantly changing which means processes need to be constantly analyzed for their appropriateness in our changing environment. The tools we have in place today may not work in the future but with our clearly defined goals, we are capable of changing our processes rapidly” say Lisa Foster, RN, Director of Nursing for Front Range Hospice.
The team at Front Range Hospice and most hospice professionals feel called to do this work. The care providers at Front Range Hospice understand that there are no do overs in end of life care. With the help of the Studer Group, Front Range Hospice has developed into an organization where that passion is ignited and shared with our patients, families and community partners.