Gaston Memorial Hospital: Driving Quality Improvement with Data, Guidelines, and Real-Time Feedback

At Gaston Memorial Hospital, a not-for-profit facility in Gastonia, N.C., adherence to evidence-based practice guidelines, multidisciplinary committees engaged in root-cause analysis, and strong leadership combined to produce near-perfect compliance with evidence-based process-of-care ("core") measures in four clinical areas. Hospital leaders also stressed the importance of working closely with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), participating in a demonstration program led by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and identifying physician champions in reducing the variance in practice patterns and adhering to best practices.