Kathy J. Eichner

Background

• Consultant with thirty-five years of healthcare experience and fourteen years as a consultant for Joint Commission Resources
• In depth experience in application of The Joint Commission standards for the Hospital, Critical Access Hospital, Behavioral Health, Ambulatory, and Disease Specific Care Certification programs 
• Utilizes clinical experience gained in a myriad of diverse critical care nursing roles, as well as operational skills and expertise gained in management positions at all levels of healthcare
• Combines quality improvement and patient safety expertise with Robust Process Improvement and Yellow Belt certification while consulting with organizations for sustained improvement
• Enhanced speaking and presentation skills and expertise providing education to staff and leaders of all levels regarding accreditation, quality, and patient safety  
• Recognized leader with special focus on enhancing operational processes and the identification of quality and safety vulnerabilities

Ms. Kathy Eichner works with clients to achieve and sustain compliance with The Joint Commission standards, CMS Conditions of Participation, and operational process improvement by bringing her extensive experience in leadership, management, safety, performance improvement, regulatory compliance, outcomes management, and case management to her role as Principal Consultant for Joint Commission Resources. A certified Joint Commission Yellow Belt and Change Agent, Ms. Eichner collaborates with her clients to identify and achieve optimal performance and compliance in all healthcare settings including hospitals, ambulatory centers, home care, behavioral health, and disease specific care programs. Ms. Eichner has provided services for a diverse set of organizations including hospital systems, academic teaching centers, children’s hospitals, behavioral health facilities, community hospitals, the Department of Defense, Indian Health Services, and various ambulatory organizations

Prior to Joint Commission Resources, Ms. Eichner served as both Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Quality and Utilization Management in a five-hospital health care system. In these roles, she provided leadership and expertise to the system for patient care operations oversight and Joint Commission accreditation readiness and regulatory compliance, and performance improvement. Previously, Ms. Eichner also served as System Director Case Management for this five-hospital system and Director of Collaborative Practice for a community hospital, during which time she was responsible for development and oversight of case management, regulatory compliance, collaborative pathways, clinical outcomes improvement, and access management. Ms. Eichner’s clinical experiences include intensive care, bone marrow and solid organ transplantation, pediatrics, trauma, and burn management and rehabilitation.

Professional Experience

• Chief Nursing Officer, North Central Baptist Hospital, San Antonio, TX, USA  
• Vice President, Quality and Accreditation, Baptist Health System, San Antonio, TX, USA   
• System Director of Case Management, Baptist Health System, San Antonio, TX, USA  
• Director of Collaborative Practice, Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA 
• Director of Surgical and Orthopedic Nursing, Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, MO, USA 
• Nurse Manager, Trauma, Vascular and Transplant Unit, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
• Administrative Nursing Supervisor, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
• Nurse Manager, Medical and Respiratory Intensive Care Units, University of North Carolina Hospital, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
• Asst. Nurse Manager, North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center, University of North Carolina Hospital, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
• Variety of administrative and staff roles in critical care 

Professional Affiliations or Certifications

• American Association of Nurse Executives
• Certified Joint Commission Professional (CJCP^®)
• Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ)
• RPI^® Certified Yellow Belt, The Joint Commission
• National Association Healthcare Quality  
• Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing

Education

• Master of Science in Nursing, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA