All for None: Eliminating HAIs through knowledge‚ collaboration and leadership

Dr. Phillip Kibort

Dr. Phillip Kibort is vice president medical affairs and chief medical officer of Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

He attended the University of Minnesota‚ as well as Hebrew University in Jerusalem as an undergraduate‚ and received a Bachelor’s degree in Near East History. He attended the University of Minnesota Medical School where he also did his pediatric residency. This was followed with a pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at University of California Los Angeles. In 1994 he moved into an administrative role at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics‚ as director of ambulatory services‚ then vice president of system advancement. He received an MBA at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis‚ MN‚ in 1998. Since 2001 he has been in the role of vice president medical affairs and chief medical officer. His responsibilities include oversight of quality‚ safety‚ peer review‚ research‚ medical education‚ physician leadership development‚ credentialing as well as being the president of Children’s Minnetonka‚ an ambulatory surgery center in the Twin City suburbs. He has been a member of the AAP‚ AGA‚ and ACPE.

Dr Kibort has written‚ presented‚ and published on issues of management and quality in healthcare. He teaches quality assurance/improvement/control to healthcare providers at the University of St. Thomas in the Twin Cities.

Avinash Malshe

Avinash Malshe is Associate Professor of Marketing in the Opus College of Business at the University of St Thomas‚ MN. Avinash received his Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and he has been teaching at St Thomas for seven years. Prior to his academic career‚ Avinash worked as a Brand Manager in Pharmaceutical industry with Pfizer Inc. in their South Asia operations.

Avinash is an active researcher. His primary research interest is in the area of marketing strategy – specifically‚ the interface between sales and marketing functions and its impact on strategy creation and implementation. He also studies marketing strategy processes and issues related to business ethics. His work is published in renowned marketing and business journals. He has also co-authored a book chapter in a marketing thought piece titled “The Service Dominant Logic of Marketing” that discusses cutting edge research areas in marketing.

Avinash is the first recipient of the Susan E. Heckler Research Excellence Award in the Opus College of Business at the University of St Thomas.

John P. Conbere

John Conbere is Professor in Organization Development at the University of St. Thomas‚ in the Organization Learning and Development Department. He is also a visiting professor at National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Kiev‚ Ukraine‚ and Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3‚ Lyon‚ France. Conbere earned his BA at Brown University; M.Div. at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge‚ MA; and M.Ed. and Ed.D in Human Resource Development at the University of Minnesota. He has been a Fulbright Senior Scholar‚ and an International Scholar in the Academic Fellowship Program of the Open Society Institute & Soros Foundation. He is on the Editorial Board of the OD Practitioner and the Scientific Advisory Board for conferences at ISEOR (Socio-Economic Institute of Firms and Organizations) Lyon‚ France. He is a past Vice President and board member of the Association for Conflict Resolution and Society for Professionals in Dispute Resolution. Conbere is also President of SEAM‚ Inc.‚ which specializes in consulting using the Socio-Economic Approach to Management.

Alla Heorhiadi

Dr. Alla Heorhiadi teaches in the Organization Learning and Development Department at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota. She earned a Ph.D. in Economics and Ed.D. in Organization Development. Dr. Heorhiadi has vast experience in areas of cross-cultural business communications and negotiations‚ managing interpersonal and intrapersonal conflict‚ and developing reflective practitioners. She has taught conflict management in the USA‚ France‚ and Ukraine.

With her colleagues from the UST School of Education she has conducted evaluations of the outcomes of the Physician Leadership College and the effectiveness of conflict management programs at the Transportation Security Administration. In addition to teaching and research‚ she does consulting in areas of conflict resolution and organization development for organizations in the USA and abroad.

Daniel McLaughlin, M.H.A., former CEO Hennepin County Medical Center

Daniel McLaughlin‚ M.H.A.‚ is the Director of the Center for Health and Medical Affairs in the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis Minnesota. He is active in teaching‚ research and speaking at the University with a special emphasis on health care operations and policy. He is the author of a number of textbooks and management guides published by the American College of Healthcare Executives.

From 1984 to 1992 Mr. McLaughlin was the administrator and CEO of Hennepin County Medical Center – the level 1 Trauma center in Minneapolis MN. He served as the chair of the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems and served on President Clinton’s Task force on Health Care Reform in 1993. In 2000 he helped establish and direct the National Institute of Health Policy at St. Thomas. He holds degrees in electrical engineering and health care administration from the University of Minnesota.

James Haddican, CFO Gillette Children's Hospital, St Paul, MN

James L. Haddican has been the Chief Financial Officer at Gillette Children's Hospital, Saint Paul, MN since 1999. He is responsible for all internal and external financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, auditing, contracting, and bank relations. The departments reporting to him include Finance, Revenue Cycle, Reimbursement, and Information Technology. James was a 2008 Twin Cities Business Healthcare CFO of the Year finalist. Past jobs have included Director of Financial Planning and Analysis (Assistant CFO) at Regions Hospital—Health Partners, Saint Paul, MN and Director of Finance for The Wilder Foundation, Saint Paul, MN.

Denise Castelli

Denise Castelli is an athlete who knows no boundaries. The 26-year-old New Jersey native graduated from the University of New Haven in Connecticut‚ where she was a Dean’s List student‚ and was the Center Fielder on her college softball team. Just a few short months before graduating‚ Denise suffered a broken leg while playing in a college softball game. A leg infection ensued‚ keeping Denise on the sidelines for the next 15 months. After suffering through more than 30 surgeries to combat the infection‚ Denise had her right leg amputated below the knee. Almost two years have passed‚ and Denise is back on track and with the help of the Challenged Athletes Foundation‚ pursuing her dreams of being the best athlete she can be. Denise recently worked as a ball person at the U.S. Open‚ where she was chosen to cover the Serena Williams/Caroline Woziacki semi-final match on Arthur Ashe Stadium. These days‚ Denise is working with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on his CNN Fit Nation project. She is currently training for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in September. She does all of this while pursuing another goal – to change the way the world views disabilities.

Project Zero

Project Zero is a multi-disciplinary task force brought together to improve hospital processes to increase patient safety and decrease hospital acquired infections (HAI’s). The task was defining problems, identify stakeholders, set improvement goals, and monitor progress. The operating was a high priority as infections have devastating impact on patients, the significant costs that are associated with treating, and projected reporting of infection rates to the public. Research has demonstrated collaborative efforts result in best outcomes so the team was made up of surgeon champions, nurses, surgical techs, sterile processing, anesthesia, environmental services, infection prevention personnel, and OR management. Various other groups within the hospital system were asked to join on projects that directly involved their departments or required their expertise.

Surgical site infections for the treasure valley system were higher than expected and placed the hospital in the 50th percentile. A goal was set to decrease St. Luke’s HAI by 50% in the first 6 months, with the ultimate goal to be in the 10th percentile, which was zero infections. Drew guidance from other leading institutions/organizations in the US, reviewed data from randomized/non-randomized clinical trials, and used expert opinions when topics were discussed with little data.

Through collaboration we have decreased overall infection rate from 1.1 percent to 0.5 percent in less than a year. The work for project zero will never end and our goals are constantly being reevaluated to strive for zero.

Scott Hedding, MBA, FACHE

Scott has 30 years of experience in Healthcare working as both contracted and in-house manager and director. He currently is responsible for two hospitals and 18 clinics at ProHealth Care Hospital Division in Waukesha, WI. He presented to Wisconsin APIC in 2008 on "Green Cleaning" and has been a member of AHE since 1998.

Patti Costello‚ Executive Director‚ AHE

Patti Costello is the executive director of the Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE)‚ a professional membership group of the American Hospital Association (AHA) in Chicago. Ms. Costello has been with AHA for 18 years‚ spending the first six as the Director of Education at the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) followed by Director of Education and Product Development for the American Society for Healthcare Central Service Professionals and the Association for the Healthcare Environment. She became the executive director of AHE in 2001.

Ms. Costello has been a contributor to numerous trade publications and periodicals in the fields of sterile processing‚ central supply‚ environmental services and commercial foodservice safety. She served as contributing author to the National Restaurant Association’s foodservice and ServSafe manuals and the AHA sterile processing technician training manual. She has conducted over 250 hands on workshops and seminars at the national and chapter level on topics such as employee engagement‚ managing change‚ the role in the environment in the transmission of infection‚ foodservice sanitation‚ safe alcohol service and staffing the department. Ms. Costello has extensive practical expertise and experience in both healthcare and foodservice operations. Her professional passions are giving voice to environmental services professionals and their front line teams as well as collaboration and teamwork across the continuum of care to improve outcomes.

Deborah Spratt

Deborah Spratt‚ MPA‚ BSN‚ RN‚ CNOR‚ NEA-BC‚ CRCST‚ CHL‚ is currently the Manager of Sterile Processing at the Canandaigua VAMC in Canandaigua NY. She has held recent staff‚ manager‚ and director roles in perioperative services at a university teaching hospital‚ community hospital and an ASC. She contributed to the AORN publications‚ Ambulatory Surgery Principles and Practices‚ and Leadership in Action-A Manager’s Guide to Success. She is one of several authors of the book Operating Room Management. Ms. Spratt has testified as an expert witness in the areas of ambulatory/office-based surgery and OR nursing practice and was a member of the New York State Department of Health’s Committee on Quality Assurance in Office Based Surgery‚ and the Procedural and Site Verification Panel. Ms. Spratt is a member of AONE‚ ANA‚ IAHCSMM and is the AORN President.

Linda Groah

Linda K. Groah‚ RN‚ MSN‚ CNOR‚ CNAA‚ FAAN‚ has been the CEO/executive director of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) since March 2007.

A veteran perioperative nursing executive‚ Linda has devoted her career to perioperative nursing practice‚ education‚ and executive management. She has authored numerous articles for trade journals and text books on subjects ranging from clinical perioperative nursing‚ to administrative issues in management and leadership in health care and nursing. Linda has also introduced and piloted several patient safety initiatives including implementation of the “Just Culture” concept‚ which is now a national health care standard.

Awarded AORN’s Award for Excellence in Perioperative Nursing in 1989‚ Linda was inducted in 2000 as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. In 2005‚ she received Nursing Spectrum magazine’s California and US Nursing Excellence Award for Leadership. In 2006‚ she was named one of San Francisco’s 100 most influential women in business. In 2011 Becker’s named her as one of the 10 most influential leaders for quality care in healthcare.

Most recently Linda served as the treasurer for the Nursing Organization Alliance‚ and as Chair of the Bylaws Committee for the American Academy of Nursing. Currently she is Vice Chair of the Nursing Alliance for Quality Care‚ a member of the editorial board of Nursing Spectrum and a member of the Board of Directors for the Anesthesia Foundation for Patient Safety.

Charlotte L. Guglielmi

Charlotte L. Guglielmi is the perioperative nurse specialist at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston‚ where she has been a perioperative nurse for 36 years. She received her diploma in nursing from Quincy City Hospital School of Nursing‚ Quincy‚ Massachusetts‚ BSN from the University of Massachusetts‚ Boston‚ Massachusetts and a MA in Ministry from St. John’s Seminary‚ Brighton‚ Massachusetts. Guglielmi was the 2010 – 2011 AORN President. She is a champion for patient safety particularly focused on high performance teamwork. Guglielmi has published several articles and book chapters and has given multiple presentations on the regional‚ national and international levels. She was the 2001 recipient of the AORN Award for Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Clinical Practice.

Katrina Crist, MBA, CEO Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology

Ms. Crist joined the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) as Chief Executive Officer in June of 2011. She was instrumental in developing the APIC Strategic Plan 2020 to organize the association's mission and goals around a plan to advance toward healthcare without infection. APIC proposes to advance its mission to create a safer world through prevention of infection and embrace its vision through patient safety, implementation science, competencies and certification, advocacy, and data standardization.

Prior to joining APIC, Ms. Crist served as Executive Director with the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS), a professional membership organization representing the interests of organ and cell transplant surgeons in the United States. During her tenure, she worked closely with the members and federal agencies to develop regulatory standards for solid organ transplantation and advance living organ donation. In 2007, Ms. Crist helped establish the National Living Donor Assistance Center, an unprecedented nationwide system to provide greater access to transplantation for persons who want to donate organs, but cannot otherwise afford the travel and subsistence expenses associated with donation.

Prior to joining ASTS, Ms. Crist served as Executive Director with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Center for Islet Transplantation at Harvard Medical School, a multidisciplinary research center designed to fast track a cure for Type 1 diabetes using a semibusiness model approach. Leveraging Harvard's seven teaching hospitals, the Center for Islet Transplantation developed higher levels of collaboration and shared resources to more rapidly advance basic research to translational research to clinical trials.

Ms. Crist has a Master of Business Administration from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts from Purdue University. She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives (GWSAE). Ms. Crist has authored a number of articles and abstracts. She has received multiple awards including two highest performing team awards from the Boston University Executive MBA program and a Silver Telly Award to ASTS for leading the production of a living kidney donor video. She was awarded the Civilian Desert Shield and Desert Storm Medal from the Department of Defense for her volunteer service transporting troops with Pan American World Airways during the first Gulf War.

Mary Lou Manning

Mary Lou received her baccalaureate and masters degrees in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania‚, post-masters nurse practitioner in pediatric oncology from Widener University and doctorate in health education from Temple University. In 2007 she joined the Thomas Jefferson University‚ Jefferson School of Nursing (JSN) as Associate Professor and Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program. Prior to joining JSN‚ she held clinical and leadership positions at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and academic appointment at the University of Pennsylvania. At CHOP she served as Executive Director‚ Center for Quality and Patient Safety‚ and for over 12 years was Director of Infection Prevention and Occupational Health. She is certified in infection prevention and control and a Fellow in the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). Mary Lou is Past-President of the Philadelphia Delaware Valley Chapter of the Association for Professionals for Infection Control and Epidemiology‚ Inc. (APIC)‚ served on APIC’s Education Committee and is currently a member of APIC’s Board of Directors. She is also on the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Infection Control. Mary Lou is a former Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellow‚ 2011 Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania finalist for Excellence in Education and 2012 regional finalist for Nursing Spectrum‚ Nurse.com Excellence Awards‚ Education and Mentoring. Throughout her career Mary Lou has complemented her clinical practice with a keen interest in leadership and interprofessional care and education. She is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences most recently at the 2012 Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Research Congress in Brisbane Australia.

Bruce Bird

Bruce T. Bird began his healthcare career more than 30 years ago as an Operating Room Technician, Surgery with the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. Also, he has served as a Supply Cart Coordinator, Supply Coordinator and Special Projects Coordinator for the Surgery Department at the facility. He became Manager of Central Processing in 1983. In 1994 he was Director of Central Processing, responsible for 6 central processing departments located on three different campus locations for Intermountain Health Care's Urban Central Region. He is currently Central Processing Manager for Intermountain's Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City. Bruce is the current president of the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM). He served as president of IAHCSMM and as its secretary/treasurer in years past. He has served on various professional panels, committees and, boards.

Sharon Greene-Golden

With more than 25 years in Central Sterile Supply‚ Sharon Greene-Golden‚ CRCST‚ FCS, currently serves as sterile processing manager for Bon Secours-Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News‚ VA‚ a position she’s held since 2005. Prior to her current role as IAHCSMM President-Elect, Greene-Golden – who has been an active IAHCSMM member since 1993 – served as IAHCSMM Executive Board member in 2005 and 2009 and as IAHCSMM Secretary/Treasurer from 2006-2008. From 2005-2007‚ she also served as committee chairperson for the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation.

Greene-Golden has received numerous IAHCSMM awards and distinctions‚ including the Golden Slipper Award in 2004‚ the Bertha Yanis Litsky‚ Ph.D.‚ Educator of the Year Award in 2008‚ and IAHCSMM Fellowship Status in 2009. She has contributed to a number of healthcare articles‚ and has presented at national‚ regional and local IAHCSMM meetings. Greene-Golden has also presented internationally at the Aesculap Academy in Germany and at the 12th World Sterilization Congress in Portugal in 2011.

Greene-Golden holds an Associate’s degree in Health Care Management‚ and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Care Administration in May 2012.

Andrew Streifel

Andrew J. Streifel is a Hospital Environment Specialist with the Department of Environmental Health & Safety at the University of Minnesota. He is a registered Environmental Health Specialist in Minnesota. He is currently serving on the Maintenance Committee for the SSPC 170: ASHRAE Standard for Ventilation of Health Care Facilities.

Mr. Streifel is also serving on the revision committee for the 2010 edition of the FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities. He has served on this committee since 1994 and has participated in the development of the 1996, 2001, and 2006 & 2010 editions.

Mr. Streifel has served on the Special Project committee that authored the HVAC Design Manual for Hospitals and Clinics. He was an author on ASHRAE published articles on Ventilation for the Protection of Immune Compromised Patients-1988, Construction Impact on Indoor Air Quality-1995 and Air Leakage Analysis of Special Ventilation Hospital Rooms-2008. Mr. Streifel has assisted University of Minnesota Institute of Technology & School of Public Health as technical advisor on filtration, patient room airflow studies and particle management projects. He also serves on the National Air Duct Cleaners Association Standards Committee. In addition, he is an author in over 50 articles, published in the academic and professional journals, related to ventilation and water quality in health care. Mr. Streifel was invited to join the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America as well as invited speaker to four SHEA annual meetings.

During work as a health care consultant, he has been involved in the investigation of over 80 clusters of infection related to hospital air quality. He has served as a consultant in over 400 hospitals worldwide on a variety of indoor air quality issues, water microbial contamination and has investigated clusters of bacterial infections due to unsanitary clinical practice. His current research interests involve sanitation validation and ventilation optimization without compromising safety in healthcare facilities.

E. Patchen Dellinger‚ MD

Dr. Dellinger graduated from Swarthmore College and from Harvard Medical School. During surgical training at the Beth Israel Hospital‚ Boston‚ MA‚ he completed an ID Fellowship at Tufts. He is past president of SIS‚ a fellow of the IDSA and of SHEA. He was first author of the IDSA “Quality standard for prophylactic antimicrobial use in surgical procedures” and an author of the IDSA “Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of skin and soft-tissue infections‚” and currently represents IDSA to SCIP. He is a member of the American Surgical Association‚ the Society of University Surgeons‚ the American College of Surgeons‚ and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. He was on HICPAC from 2004-07. He represents SIS in the current effort to produce a coordinated surgical antibiotic prophylaxis guideline jointly from ASHP‚ SIS‚ IDSA‚ and SHEA. He served on the Working Group on preventing surgical site infection as part of the second Global Patient Safety Challenge “Safe Surgery Saves Lives” of WHO which resulted in the Surgical Safety Checklist. He has been performing general and bariatric surgery at the Univ of Washington since 1977 where he is Professor‚ Vice-Chair‚ and Chief of the Division of General Surgery. He is an Associate Medical Director of the University of Washington Medical Center and Chief of Staff. He is on the management committee of the Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program (SCOAP) and chairs the Surgical Checklist Initiative for Washington State sponsored by SCOAP. He has authored and/or coauthored more than 170 papers and chapters and he serves on the editorial boards of Surgical Infections and Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

Dr. Dellinger’s work in the area of evidence-based practice includes his time on HICPAC‚ his authorship of IDSA guidelines for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis and for management of soft-tissue infections‚ his authorship of joint guidelines for prevention of Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections (CLABSI) jointly sponsored by HICPAC‚ Society for Critical Care Medicine‚ Surgical Infection Society‚ and Infectious Diseases Society of America‚ and his authorship of the Guideline for treatment of intra-abdominal infections‚ a joint guideline from the Surgical Infection Society and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He is currently on the working group that is producing the next Antimicrobial Surgical Prophylaxis Guideline for the American Society for Health System Pharmacists‚ the Surgical Infection Society‚ the Infectious Diseases Society of America‚ and the Society for Health System Epidemiology of America (SHEA). He is a member of the writing group for the new HICPAC guidelines for prevention of surgical site infections which is actively working on the next guideline. He is an original member of the Technical Expert Panel that advised CMS for the SCIP infection prevention guidelines and continues to work on that panel.

Robert Sawyer‚ MD

Robert Sawyer finished his undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan in 1984 and Graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1986. He performed his general surgery residency at the University of Virginia from 1986-1994, including a three-year basic and clinical science surgical infectious disease research fellowship. Dr. Sawyer completed a multi-organ transplant fellowship at the University of Michigan from 1994-1996, and joined the staff of the Department of Surgery at the University of Virginia in 1996, performing a Surgical Critical Care Residency in 2002-2003. He was promoted to Professor of Surgery and Public Health Sciences in July 2006. In 2008 he became Chief of the Division of Acute Care Surgery and Outcomes Research. Dr. Sawyer is currently co-director of the University of Virginia Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit, the director of the surgical nutrition service, and medical director of the LifeNet Health organ procurement organization. He has over 200 publications relating mostly to surgical infections, critical care, transplantation, and nutrition, and has mentored more than 30 research residents and post-doctoral students. In 2012 he started service as President of the Surgical Infection Society.

Diane Pinakiewicz

Ms. Pinakiewicz is President of The National Patient Safety Foundation‚ where she has served on the Board of Directors since its inception in 1997‚ the first five years as an officer. She also serves as President of the Lucian Leape Institute at NPSF. Her commitment to patient safety stems from her many years in the health care industry where her business background has been focused on systems to improve patient care.

Ms. Pinakiewicz has served as an executive at a major oncologic academic medical center in New York‚ as a senior hospital-based executive for a major for-profit hospital chain‚ Chief Administrative and Financial Officer at a disease management company which she led through an acquisition‚ Vice President of Managed Care Programs at a major hospital system‚ Senior Consultant at a firm specializing in health care‚ and Senior Director of the Strategic Health Care Leadership Unit at a major pharmaceutical company. She has been on the faculty of multiple programs including Harvard’s program for Executives in Managed Care‚ and has lectured extensively on patient safety‚ financial and organization implications of managed care‚ value-based partnering in healthcare and consumer internet strategies for pharmaceutical companies. She holds multiple appointments with national patient safety and quality improvement organizations. She has published on the topics of patient safety‚ value-based partnering and managed care financial strategies.

Ms. Pinakiewicz holds an MBA and Sloan Certificate in Hospital and Health Care Administration from Cornell University and a BA from Mount Holyoke.