Manage, Minimize, and Mitigate Risks in Quality Management for Aging Services

As the aging population continues to grow and rely on more aging care facilities, providers continually strive to maintain the quality of care within their facilities. Two methodologies frequently employed to achieve this goal are quality improvement and risk management. While tasked with the same goal, they are very different in execution.

Quality improvement work is frequently done within a quality assurance committee that may be triggered by an adverse event, while risk management is focused on mitigating organizational exposure to risk and liability especially when adverse and unforeseen situations transpire. A risk manager may respond to an adverse event by rapidly investigating and executing containment plans of the unforeseen occurrence; a quality representative may respond to an adverse event by conducting a causal analysis to identify appropriate interventions or process improvement opportunities to prevent future reoccurrence.

During this webinar, experts from ECRI and Eskaton will examine the unique relationship between quality assessment and performance improvement (QAPI) and risk management programs to leverage adverse event investigation and analysis to take appropriate remedial actions without fear of legal repercussions.

Learning objectives

During this webinar, our experts will:

• Recognize the various quality related terms and activities that take place in aging services organizations
• Identify the unique and complimentary roles of risk management and quality
• Explore how to leverage quality programs with risk management support for maximum performance improvement with legal protections
• Evaluate policy and processes for adverse event management for quality improvement, safety, and risk management

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Celena T. Romero, PhD, MBA, RD, LDN, CPHQ, CPASRM
Senior Risk Manager Consulting, ECRI
In her current role, Dr. Romero is responsible for implementing quality, resident safety, and risk management initiatives for aging services providers at ECRI. Services provided to these organizations include root cause analysis evaluation and facilitation, on-site and web-based risk assessments, in-person and remote educational seminars, and personalized consultation within ECRI services membership and the Patient Safety Organization. Dr. Romero’s career spans twenty years working in various healthcare environments as a Registered Dietitian and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality. Past work experience includes PACE program quality assurance performance improvement initiatives, coordinating government and commercial pay for value/improvement programs, patient safety event data analysis, medical record review, quality improvement project collaboration, and healthcare award/recognition programs.

Tom Garberson
General Counsel, Eskaton
Tom leads Eskaton, a Sacramento-based nonprofit aging services provider of assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing locations across Northern California through risk management efforts while supporting the executive team across a diverse range of levels of care, regulatory environments, and legal and business challenges. Prior to moving in-house, Tom was a partner in a boutique medical malpractice defense firm, where he represented providers and organizations across the healthcare and aging services spectrum in litigation, trial, appeals, and various other legal needs.