In Part 2 of our delirium-focused series, Key in to Quality returns to Mayo Clinic Arizona, where a startling statistic revealed that two-thirds of workplace assaults involved confused patients. Behind the numbers were moments of staff trauma and missed care opportunities. This episode follows the multidisciplinary team that turned insight into action: creating a Kaizen event, developing practical tools, and embedding delirium prevention into everyday workflows.

Heidi Lindroth, M.D. shares her research on delirium, while Jennifer Sweilem, M.S.N., R.N. and Nicole Lies walk us through their powerful implementation journey. Discover how deliberate quality improvement efforts led to better patient care, increased delirium detection, and fewer incidents of workplace violence.

Whether you're starting small or scaling system-wide, this episode offers actionable strategies and inspiration to improve safety, empathy, and quality care.

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

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Addressing Delirium: A Path for Preventing Workplace Violence

How can healthcare workers truly feel safe when they’ve been conditioned to believe enduring workplace violence is “just part of the job”? On this Key In to Quality podcast episode, we dive into an often-overlooked issue that directly impacts hospital safety: delirium.

Our guests Chris Scheuler, manager of the Mayo Clinic Arizona Workplace Violence Prevention Program, and Beth Terrio, a patient safety specialist from Mayo Clinic in Arizona, reveal how delirium can escalate situations, leading to confusion, fear, or even violence among patients.

Learn how their team at Mayo Clinic Arizona discovered a common thread linking various safety incidents to delirium, prompting a cultural shift in how these events are managed. Chris and Beth also discuss the role of data in addressing workplace violence and establishing a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program.

Gain insights on how to recognize and address workplace violence incidents proactively while fostering a supportive culture that leads with empathy and reinforces boundaries.

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

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Patient safety experts Dr. Abigail La Nou, Jami Zwiefelhofer, and Katie McFadyen, share valuable insights and strategies for creating a workplace where healthcare professionals can express themselves without fear of judgment, disagree, ask questions, and acknowledge mistakes without worrying about repercussions.

The podcast emphasizes the need to flatten hierarchies in medicine to promote open communication, empower all team members to speak up, and ultimately provide the best care possible.

This episode serves as a call to action for healthcare professionals to make a meaningful difference in their workplace and gives practical tips on how you can contribute to a culture of psychological safety in your organization or practice.

#Mayokeyintoquality @DrTimMorg #qualityimprovement #patientsafety

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

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In this episode of Key In to Quality, hosts Dr. Tim Morgenthaler and Sheri Nemec explore how Mayo Clinic is revolutionizing quality improvement (QI) education through the flipped classroom model. Joined by Dr. Pablo Moreno Franco and Sandy Booth from Mayo Clinic’s Quality Academy, the discussion unpacks how this interactive, learner-centered format engages clinicians, residents, and administrators alike.

By providing instructional content ahead of time and dedicating classroom sessions to collaboration and real-world project work, this model equips participants to immediately apply QI concepts to patient care. The flipped classroom has also created a ripple effect across the organization. As graduates carry these skills into their departments, they foster a culture of excellence, mentorship, and continuous improvement. Whether you're a healthcare educator, QI instructor, or administrator, this episode offers practical insights and inspiration for rethinking training methods in your institution.

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Guests: Quality Academy contact email mayoclinicqualityacademy@mayo.edu

Dr. Pablo Moreno Franco  LinkedIn (37) Pablo Moreno Franco, MD | LinkedIn   

Sandy Booth  LinkedIn (37) Sandy Chester Booth | LinkedIn

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality

Most of us are familiar with therapy animals, but have you ever wondered what the research says about how these animals can positively impact the patient experience? In this episode of the Key In to Quality podcast, co-hosts Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler and Sheri Nemec sit down with Whitney Romine, Animal-Assisted Services Manager at Mayo Clinic, to explore how animal-assisted services are transforming healthcare.

Research has shown that animal-assisted services, when implemented correctly, can reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and enhance the overall patient experience. In Whitney’s role, she has been integral to building Mayo Clinic's unique program, which is fully integrated into patient care and supported by dedicated staff.

Tune in to hear real examples of how animals at Mayo Clinic have contributed to positive patient outcomes and learn about various resources available for healthcare and volunteer organizations interested in leading animal assistance initiatives.

Whether you are a healthcare practitioner, administrator, volunteer or patient, this discussion will help you better understand the benefits of animal-assisted services and learn best practices for establishing or expanding animal-assisted interventions in a healthcare setting.

(34) Whitney Romine, MPH, C-AAIS, KPA-CTP | LinkedIn

Mayo Clinic Department Instagram: @mayoclinicanimalassistedsrvs

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

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Every day, patient safety events and near misses happen in health care. But are we truly learning from them? In this episode of Key In To Quality, Mayo Clinic’s Jennifer Cowart, M.D. Chair, Patient Safety in Florida and Joe Nienow, manager of Mayo Clinic Patient Safety Systems, share how a team of experts turned a clunky, outdated incident reporting system into a transparent, user-friendly engine for patient safety improvement.

You’ll learn how the Safety Electronic System Oversight Team (SESOT) led a multi-phase, enterprise-wide transformation that involved over 80,000 staff members. From simplifying workflows and integrating with the electronic health record to visualizing trends and using AI to surface insights, this episode explores what it takes to evolve from passive reporting to proactive learning.

Key takeaways include how to build a culture of safety, balance simplicity with insight, and make safety data accessible and actionable for all staff. Whether you're working in quality improvement, patient safety, or leadership, this episode offers practical lessons on using data, design, and collaboration to make care safer for everyone.

#Mayokeyintoquality #patientsafety #safetyculture #digitalhealth #EHRintegration

Guest: Jennifer Cowart, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-cowart-b0860494/

Guest: Joe Nienow

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

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Needlesticks and bloodborne pathogen exposures are more than just workplace injuries. They’re personal, emotional, and preventable. With thousands of cases reported annually in U.S. hospitals, addressing this issue is critical to staff safety and organizational culture.

On this episode of Key In To Quality, Melanie Swift, M.D., Associate Medical Director for Occupational Health, and Seth Clarenbach from Mayo Clinic’s staff safety team, discuss how Mayo is tackling this challenge head-on through policy, engineering, and culture change.

Learn how the multidisciplinary "BEEPERS" committee uses frontline insights and injury data to identify patterns, improve sharps container design, and champion best practices like hands-free passing in surgical settings. The conversation also highlights persistent barriers, like underreporting and risk normalization, and what organizations can do to shift that mindset.

This episode offers key takeaways for healthcare leaders, occupational safety teams, nurses, and quality improvement professionals committed to creating a safer healthcare environment.

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

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Workplace culture, data insights, and emotional connection all play a critical role in how patients and staff experience care. At Mayo Clinic, understanding and improving these elements is essential to advancing quality.

On this episode of the Key In To Quality podcast, Sunanda Kane, M.D. Chief Patient Experience Officer at Mayo Clinic, returns to share how her team is tackling the complex interplay between patient satisfaction, staff well-being, and data-informed decision-making.

Learn how Mayo Clinic has trained over 21,000 staff members in experience-centered care, established a conduct work unit to address rising incidents of workplace violence, and partnered with Qualtrics to analyze patient feedback through advanced AI and real-time dashboards. Dr. Kane also highlights how gathering emotional, story-driven insights from patients can lead to actionable improvements across the system.

This episode offers practical strategies for anyone working to create a more human, safe, and responsive healthcare environment. It’s especially valuable for patient experience leaders, quality improvement professionals, hospital administrators, and anyone passionate about building trust through care.

Host: Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timorgenthaler/

Host: Sheri Nemec| https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-sheri-nemec-a627982a/

#mayokeyintoquality