The newly opened SSM St. Clare Health Center hosted 14 Chinese delegation representatives yesterday in an effort to help their country learn more about health care facilities in the United States and key ways to enhance quality care.
They toured the hospital, a private patient/family suite and the emergency department. The delegation is from the Shenzhen Municipality
and included professionals from industries such as government, electronics,
engineering and finance.
The delegation was in St. Louis for the American Society for Quality (ASQ)
World Conference held at America’s Center May 24-26. SSM Health Care
Chair/CEO Sister Mary Jean Ryan spoke at the conference on Monday.Two
members from ASQ visited SSM St. Clare today (May 26).
The group from China wants to gain insight from health organizations that
have earned honors and recognition for quality. They chose SSM Health Care
as a model organization because it won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Award in 2002, which is the nation’s highest award for quality. Through an
interpreter, Sherry Hausmann, SSM St. Clare Health Center president, spoke
to the group the Baldridge Award experience and how SSM St. Clare has been
built from the ground up to achieve a new level of care.
The delegation next travels to Coral Springs, Fla., which is a 2007 Baldrige
Award recipient.