Kathy J. Eichner

Background

• Consultant with over forty years of healthcare experience and twenty 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 health care.
• 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 safety.
• Recognized leader focusing on enhancing operational processes and the identification of quality and safety vulnerabilities.

Ms. Kathy Eichner collaborates 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 array of organizations including hospital systems, academic teaching centers, children’s and specialty hospitals, behavioral health facilities, community hospitals, the Department of Defense, Indian Health Services, and various ambulatory organizations.

Prior to joining Joint Commission Resources, Ms. Eichner served as a 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, regulatory compliance, and performance improvement.

Ms. Eichner also served as a System Director Case Management for two health systems and Director of Collaborative Practice for a community hospital. Ms. Eichner’s clinical experiences include intensive care, bone marrow and solid organ transplantation, pediatrics, trauma, and burn management and rehabilitation. 

Professional Affiliations and 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