P&C Global Practices: Corporate Performance, Organization & Human Capital, Strategy & Innovation
Elevating Healthcare Through Strategic Collaboration
A world-renowned academic medical center engaged P&C Global to elevate its already distinguished record in clinical excellence by launching a transformative, system-wide quality and patient safety initiative. This engagement was not prompted by crisis, but by vision—specifically, a commitment to redefining what top-tier healthcare can and should deliver in an increasingly transparent, outcomes-driven environment.
Through a strategic collaboration spanning several years, P&C Global’s Strategy & Innovation and Organization & Human Capital practices designed and implemented a comprehensive board-to-bedside framework. This initiative aligned governance structures, empowered frontline staff, and instilled a culture of continuous improvement across the enterprise.
Opportunities to Lead Through Quality
The institution had long been recognized for its excellence in care, education, and research. Yet its leadership, nevertheless, identified an opportunity to move from isolated improvement initiatives to a more integrated, enterprise-wide model of quality and safety. Several converging factors pointed to the strong need for a more holistic approach.
Internally, while the incidence of serious adverse events remained relatively low, leadership recognized that progress had reached a plateau. These events, though addressed individually, pointed to broader opportunities for systemic improvement in care delivery, communication, and standardization across the enterprise.
Externally, the environment was shifting rapidly. Public reporting of safety events was increasing. National rankings were becoming more competitive. Patients and payers alike were demanding not only excellence, but demonstrable consistency. To remain at the forefront, the organization recognized the need to reinforce its values and performance expectations at every level—from board governance to bedside care.
Leadership recognized that quality and safety could no longer be delegated to isolated departments or initiatives. What was required was a fully aligned system that embedded quality as a strategic and cultural imperative across all roles and functions. This vision presented a unique opportunity: to design and implement a model of clinical care and patient safety that would distinguish the institution on both national and global stages.
Our Approach: Driving Change from Board to Bedside
P&C Global partnered closely with the institution to structure a multi-year transformation with three distinct but integrated phases:
1. Governance and Vision Alignment
In the first year, we supported the creation of a dedicated Quality and Patient Safety Committee within the Board of Trustees. A new system-wide Chief Quality Officer role was established—later evolving into Chief Value Officer—with direct reporting to the CEO, signaling that quality metrics were now equal in stature to financial and operational measures.
A network of physician Quality Officers was embedded at both hospital and department levels, providing clear lines of responsibility and reporting. This structure enabled every clinical area to align operational performance with enterprise-level strategic objectives.
2. Structural Empowerment and Cultural Transformation
Over the next two years, interdisciplinary Clinical Pathway Committees were launched to standardize care for high-impact conditions such as sepsis and cardiac surgery. These teams—comprised of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and administrators—used data to eliminate variation and reduce preventable harm.
Simultaneously, the institution introduced a system-wide “Just Culture” philosophy and launched a Quality Academy to train thousands of staff in Lean, Six Sigma, and human-factors engineering. Unit-level huddles and safety briefings became daily routines. Senior leaders conducted rounding to listen to frontline concerns, while caregivers participated in leadership councils to co-drive improvements.
Quality and safety expectations were integrated into job descriptions, performance evaluations, and incentive structures. A Chief Patient Experience Officer role was added to underscore the linkage between safety, outcomes, and patient experience.
3. Execution and Continuous Improvement
In the third phase, the institution focused on rigorous execution and sustained momentum. Quality metrics such as infection rates, readmissions, and safety event trends were tracked via dashboards visible from the C-suite to nursing stations.
Monthly executive reviews, unit-level briefings, and real-time reporting tools enabled swift identification and response to trends. A central Clinical Quality Advisory Council integrated all pathway committee outputs and reported to the board quarterly. Peer benchmarking and internal best-practice sharing ensured that policies and practices scaled quickly across the system.
Results that Redefined Excellence
The outcomes of this transformation were both measurable and mission-defining:
- Adverse Events Significantly Reduced
The flagship campus experienced a 24% year-over-year reduction in serious adverse health events within the first year of the initiative. This improvement was driven by targeted efforts such as the “Save Our Skin” pressure ulcer prevention campaign and the system-wide standardization of surgical safety protocols. Across the broader enterprise, similar downward trends were observed, with several categories of reportable events eliminated entirely for extended periods. - Exceptional Patient Experience
Patient satisfaction scores, as measured by Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), rose into the top national decile. By 2024, eleven hospitals within the system earned 4- or 5-star patient experience ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Patients consistently praised staff attentiveness and the seamless coordination of care, citing a culture of compassion and trust. - Deep Workforce Engagement
Over 5,000 staff members earned “Quality Fellow” certifications through the institution’s Quality Academy. Physician-led quality improvement initiatives doubled, and new recognition programs such as the “Diamond Quality Fellow” awards celebrated sustained front-line innovation. Staff engagement surveys reported marked increases in perceptions of support for quality work, and nursing turnover rates declined. - Sustained National Leadership
The institution reached—and retained—the #1 national ranking in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for multiple consecutive years. All nine eligible hospitals received “A” grades for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group, positioning the system in an elite category of enterprise-wide consistency. It also secured Vizient’s Bernard A. Birnbaum Quality Leadership Award and Healthgrades’ Patient Safety Excellence and Outstanding Patient Experience Awards. - Enduring Infrastructure and Capability
The establishment of a permanent Office of Quality, supported by real-time analytics and an annual strategy refresh process, ensured that the gains were not episodic. They were designed to be—and have proven to be—sustainable.
This transformation delivered measurable and enduring results: a safer environment for patients, a more engaged and empowered workforce, and a reinforced position at the top of national performance benchmarks. By aligning strategy, structure, and culture around a unified vision of excellence, the institution not only advanced its mission—it set a new standard for what is possible in healthcare quality and patient safety.
Partner with P&C Global for Transformational Results
Is your organization ready to redefine excellence in clinical quality and patient safety?
Contact P&C Global to learn how we can elevate your institution’s outcomes, reputation, and legacy—one system-wide transformation at a time.
