In April 2021, UPMC Western Maryland instituted a new provider focused quality improvement and recognition program. This initiative, known as the STAR program, is built around four pivotal focuses in the care delivery model: Service Excellence, Teamwork, Accountability, and Respect.

Each month one of these four ideals are chosen as the focus of an improvement process. Each month a STAR practice and STAR challenge are set by which providers can accrue points. High performers are recognized at the end of each month.

April’s focus was Service Excellence. The STAR practice was sitting down with a patient to explain how improvement goals are determined in the hospital setting and to have collaborative sessions with patients to establish goals for discharge and prevention of readmissions. The STAR challenge included a Care Coordinator for a day of discharge discussion to discuss barriers for success once patients were discharged home.

The program has had great success in its first month, with participation of both inpatient and outpatient providers. One provider, however, stood out from the rest. Dr. Chris Haas, Interventional Cardiologist, was recognized for exceptional participation in the Service Excellence Challenge for the month of April.

“I am honored to be the first recipient of this award, and the STAR program is sure to usher in a new era of recognition and appreciation for our physicians here at UPMC Western Maryland,” Dr. Haas said. “My colleagues are dedicated professionals that work tirelessly to provide our community with the highest quality health care, and although a little bit of recognition for this is not necessarily a motivating factor in what we do, it is nonetheless greatly appreciated.”

May’s theme for the STAR program is teamwork. The teamwork challenge is to find a way to better communicate patient questions and concerns to other team members to have a collaborative approach to solving problems and answering questions. Providers are already being educated using the STAR Cart which travels around the facility with a mobile educational tool for providers.

The STAR program is just another way that UPMC Western Maryland strives to continue to provide exceptional health care.