Women in Healthcare: Leading with Quality-A Conversation with Stephanie Mercado of NAHQ

This Episode:This MGMA Women in Healthcare podcast episode, hosted by Adrienne Lloyd, welcomes Stephanie Mercado to the show. Mercado is the CEO and executive director of the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ). She joined the NAHQ in 2013 and has helped the organization achieve over 300% revenue growth and almost double its membership since then. In 2023, Modern Healthcare named Mercado one of the "100 Most Influential People in Healthcare".Highlights:In the conversation, Mercado emphasizes that quality and safety encompass more than just regulatory compliance - they should be viewed as a business strategy that utilizes standard and reliable problem-solving techniques. When faced with dynamic issues, tools like failure mode effects analysis (FMEA) and the situation-background-assessment-recommendation (SBAR) framework can help structure thinking and planning. Mercado also stresses the importance of resilience among healthcare leaders. Despite the uncertainty, focusing on continuous improvement through patience and small wins can move the quality agenda forward. Professionals can better manage stress and drive positive change by clarifying roles, unpacking concerns, and embracing an iterative mindset.Main Takeaways:Quality improvement methods give healthcare workers a "toolkit" to effectively address opportunities and challengesTools like FMEA and SBAR provide neutral frameworks to identify issues, plan solutions, and bring teams together  Viewing quality as a long-term business strategy leads to more reliable outcomes than short-term compliance Adopting resilience through patience, adaptability, and celebration of incremental progress enhances successRoles clarification and unpacking sources of anxiety can help manage stress inherent to healthcare leadershipEpisode Sources:  Adrienne Palmer LloydConnect with Adrienne on LinkedInAdrienne’s Services & More Stephanie MercadoConnect with Stephanie on LinkedIn MGMA Resources:MGMA StatAsk an AdvisorMGMA MembershipMGMA ConsultingWE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOUTo see other episodes of the Women in Healthcare Podcast, watch the video versions on YouTube, or apply to be on an upcoming episode, please visit: https://bit.ly/womeninhealthcarepodcast Sponsors:Your staff is buried in phone calls. Patients are frustrated. And you're losing revenue to no-shows. There's a better way. GoTo Connect for Healthcare is a unified, AI-powered communication platform built to support your HIPAA compliance, streamline scheduling, reduce staff burden, and help your team do more with less. Because when communication works, care works. Learn more and get a personalized demo.Allied Medical Waste is the premier medical waste and document shredding company for medical groups all over the United States. On average, Allied helps medical groups save up to 50% on their monthly costs. Allied is known for their great service and impeccable response times. Reach out today for a free quote! Allied has a special offer for all MGMA members: the first 2 months FREE of charge! Connect with us at [email protected] or call (801) 328-8581.