Originally published: 2025-12-23T19:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.
The silent superheroes of quality improvement
At VA Augusta Health Care System (VAAHCS), a dedicated team works behind the scenes to enhance patient safety and care quality, much like the agents in the movie “Men in Black.” These health care professionals are always on the lookout, identifying and resolving issues with unseen precision to ensure Veterans receive the best possible care.
Embedding improvement in every aspect
VAAHCS’s Organizational Improvement Analyst roles include analyzing performance metrics across units to pinpoint areas needing enhancement. This approach allows the team to foster improvements across different teams, ensuring each unit moves toward optimal performance.
Staff members conduct in-depth consultations with unit teams to devise and implement actionable solutions. By trimming down data, identifying root causes and strategizing improvements, they uphold a high standard of care and eliminate challenges, much like how the MIB agents remove extraterrestrial threats without the public’s knowledge.
Incorporating evidence-based practices
Similar to the way the MIB agents communicate and collaborate, VAAHCS teams convene to share best practices. This collaborative spirit ensures that all units benefit from collective expertise, enhancing overall performance.
The team integrates advice from key stakeholders—such as infection prevention experts and wound care specialists—into conversations with nurse managers and other frontline teams. This direct communication ensures that evidence-based practices are swiftly adopted. Celebrating every achievement and improvement fosters a positive and motivational environment.
The role of organizational improvement analysts
One of these behind-the-scenes heroes is Elainna Reid, an organizational improvement analyst at the downtown VAAHCS campus. Reid and her team focus on maximizing the impact on Veteran care. Their data-driven strategies translate to better patient outcomes, bringing immense fulfillment when their work results in real-world improvements.
Meet our organizational improvement analysts
Patricia Carr: OIA for Geriatrics and Extended Care. Carr partners with Community Living Center (CLC) providers, nursing leadership, staff and ancillary departments to continuously engage in quality improvement, earning a five-star rating for the CLC.
Tara O. McKenzie: OIA for Mental Health. McKenzie serves as a consultant and liaison, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to improve practices that align with accreditation requirements and organizational metrics. She led the coordination and execution of a live tracer event focused on improving the safe transport of Veterans on involuntary mental health holds from our downtown Emergency Department and Acute Medicine units to our Uptown Acute Inpatient Mental Health unit. The successful outcome of this initiative directly led to the facility’s adoption of this process, significantly expanding access to critical mental health services within our system.
Dr. Terrie Hazel: OIA for Primary Care and Rehab. Hazel identifies gaps and vulnerabilities in inpatient and outpatient care services, ensuring quality care across the board.
Elainna Reid: OIA for Acute Care and Emergency Department. Reid leads quality management and performance improvement initiatives, serving as a consultant, collaborator, data analyst and change agent. She was key in reestablishing the facility’s designation as a Limited Hours Stroke Facility.
BE FAST: Enhancing stroke care
A tangible result of the Organizational Improvement Analyst’s efforts can be seen in their stroke care enhancements when the team identifies a misalignment and works to properly realign. Now, from Monday to Friday during limited hours, they provide stroke intervention services, including administration of the lifesaving drug Tenecteplase, significantly improving patient outcomes and reducing the need for transfers.
When a Veteran presents with stroke symptoms, the local provider contacts the NTSP triage line. If deemed a candidate for intravenous thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy, the NTSP neurologist consults via video conferencing, guiding the local team through the necessary procedures.
During National Healthcare Quality Week, Oct.19-25, the entire High Reliability Organization Quality and Patient Safety (HRO QPS) team dressed as “Men in Black” to symbolize their covert operations, ensuring the best outcomes for Veterans.
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Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.
