Presenting the "Iowa MHA Huddle" E-Bulletin

After receiving a half-dozen entries during a contest among the MHA students for naming of the new quarterly e-bulletin for the Program, Bailey Price, a candidate for the MHA degree, May ’17, won the prize for suggesting the winning entry. Dr. Gentry had an opportunity to chat briefly with Bailey about “The Huddle.” 

Dan: Congratulations Bailey on having your entry selected for the title of the new quarterly e-bulletin for our Iowa MHA program. It was hands-down the overwhelming choice. Personally, because of my own work in the patience experience and environment of care, I loved it immediately. Where did you get the idea, what inspired you? 

Bailey: It was such a nice surprise to have my entry chosen! Initially thinking that the title of the newsletter would have “HMP” in the name, I brainstormed healthcare-related words that started with the letter “h” because I’m a big fan of alliteration. Having discussed team and department huddles in various classes in the MHA program, the term’s connotations with healthcare professionals coming together to share important information instantly clicked.

Dan: Have you had any direct experience with patient safety, quality assurance/improvement, or any care team huddles in your practice experience so far?

Bailey: During my internship last summer at Grinnell Regional Medical Center, I had the opportunity to attend the quality improvement team’s monthly meeting, see a clinical care huddle, and view a department’s huddle board. I also had the opportunity to meet with the Director of Patient Experience and Quality and learn about her work at the hospital. These experiences definitely piqued my interest in this area of healthcare, and I hope to gain direct experience in future roles. Looking back to before I started the MHA program, I experienced some informal, unplanned huddles in the emergency department where I volunteered when the nurses, doctors, ER techs, and the charge nurse would need to quickly exchange information and plan for a particular patient’s care.

Dan: Are patient safety and quality improvement areas you'd like to work in as an early careerist in healthcare management following graduation? 

Bailey: Patient safety and quality improvement are both primary areas of interest to me as an early careerist. The creative problem solving required for quality improvement is very appealing to me, as is the opportunity to directly impact patient care for the better. If I encounter a process being completed inefficiently, whether it’s in the customs line at the airport or in the healthcare setting, I feel compelled to improve it, so I think this area of healthcare is a natural fit!

Dan: In addition to having the pleasure of seeing your entry at the top of this masthead each quarter, you received a $50 gift card to Java House/Heirloom Salad Co. That was several months ago so I assume, you being a graduate student, you've already used it? (laughing) Any favorites from there?

Bailey: Heirloom Salad is one of my favorite restaurants in Iowa City, so the gift card was definitely a motivator to submit my entry! My go-to order at Heirloom is the half fiesta salad. If I need a little caffeine boost when I’m working at the hospital, I will get a cappuccino from Java House. They also have great almond croissants.

Dan: Thank you for spending a little time with me Bailey. And thank you so much for the very creative, pitch-perfect suggestion of The Iowa MHA Huddle for this new quarterly e-bulletin for alumni, students, preceptors and mentors, faculty and staff, and friends of the University of Iowa MHA Program.