St. Francis News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12/16/2016 12:00:00 AM CENTRAL
Updated: 12/16/2016 5:39:25 PM CENTRAL
For more information, contact Michael Morris.
St. Francis Receives Quality Award

(Shakopee, December 16, 2016) St. Francis Regional Medical Center, based in Shakopee, Minn., received the 2016 Bob Killeen Award at the Dakota Scott Workforce Development Board (WDB) annual legislative and awards event held Dec. 16 at Mystic Lake Hotel Casino. The award recognizes companies for their quality practices.

St. Francis' culture of continuous quality improvement incorporates concepts from Lean and Kaizen. Front line staff help identify ways to improve the standard work and as a result the work is always changing and improving. These initiatives are kept visible on 11-by-17 inch sized sheets of paper (referred to as "A3") in a strategic deployment room. The hospital also uses departmental improvement boards where lead staff are encouraged to introduce, discuss, collaborate and solve projects through daily huddles. The impact of the continuous improvement initiatives has been demonstrable in gains achieved in all organizational pillars including growth, quality/safety, finance, community, people, and service.

Bob Killeen, Sr. was a long-time labor representative who previously served on the Workforce Investment Board. He was a leader at recognizing the importance of quality practices and worked diligently to advance the use of quality processes.

The Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board oversees employment programs and WorkForce Centers in Dakota and Scott Counties including sites in Burnsville, Shakopee and West St. Paul.

St. Francis Regional Medical Center is a not-for-profit Catholic hospital located in Shakopee, Minn. serving communities in Scott, Carver and Dakota Counties. St. Francis has 761 employees and ranks in the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide for care and quality. The hospital provides medical, surgical, emergency and urgent care in addition to many specialties including a Family Birth Center, orthopedic and spine, oncology, cardiology and rehab and sports medicine. St. Francis is jointly owned by Allina Health, Park Nicollet Health Services and Essentia Health.