Collaborating for Impact: Highlights from the VCSQI 2025 Summer Quarterly Meeting
- Sherri White
- Jun 9
- 4 min read
On June 5, 2025, healthcare leaders, researchers, and clinicians from across the Commonwealth gathered virtually for the Virginia Cardiac Services Quality Initiative (VCSQI) Summer Quarterly Meeting. The evening was rich with data, insight, and meaningful dialogue — a reflection of VCSQI’s ongoing mission to advance cardiovascular care through regional collaboration and innovation.
Leadership Reflections and Organizational Strategy
Dr. Robert Lancey, Chair of the VCSQI Board, offered a warm welcome and reflected on the collaborative progress made so far in 2025. He praised the development of the VCSQI Balanced Scorecard — a strategic tool designed to track organizational progress and drive accountability.
The scorecard reflects two primary focus areas:
1. Quality & Data Management
Objective: Enhance protocol alignment, data transparency, and shared learning.
2. Financial Stewardship
Objective: Ensure sustainability and growth through accountability and partnership.
3. Workforce and Member Engagement
Objective: Expand leadership, foster DEI, and invest in workforce and member sustainability.
4. Research & Education
Objective: Promote scholarly collaboration and professional development.
The Scorecard is more than a checklist — it is VCSQI’s roadmap for continued relevance, equity, and innovation in cardiovascular care.
Current Progress:
Marketing & Outreach: Telling the VCSQI Story
Also featured during the meeting were the exciting marketing initiatives designed to amplify VCSQI’s visibility and support broader engagement with stakeholders, funders, and future members.
Dr. Robert Lancey and Sherri shared a suite of new tools created over the few months, which align closely with the Scorecard’s goals under the Finance and Workforce and Membership categories.
Highlights included:
Annual Report: A professional, visual report showcasing VCSQI’s work, ideal for partners and sponsors.
Marketing Video ("Commercial"): Featuring live footage from the Spring Quarterly Meeting, this new video introduces VCSQI in an accessible, engaging format.
Promotional Brochure: A printed companion piece that outlines the mission, services, and ways to get involved.
Partner & Promote Page: A newly launched section on the VCSQI website under “Become a Member,” giving current partners and advocates access to downloadable outreach tools.
“We hope you’ll share these tools with your teams and communities,” Sherri said. “The more we tell our story, the more people understand our impact.”
These resources not only reflect the values and vision of VCSQI — they also empower every stakeholder to become an active ambassador in promoting better cardiovascular outcomes across the region.
Elevating Public Health through Academic Collaboration
Eve Dallas, CCP of the University of Virginia, introduced the VCSQI–UVA MPH Internship Program, emphasizing its role in integrating public health students into cardiovascular quality improvement work. Her presentation underscored the transformative potential of academic–clinical partnerships, especially in advancing data-driven solutions to population health challenges.
Advancing Equity: The Launch of VCSQI's DEI Webpages
A significant highlight of the Summer Quarterly Meeting was the introduction of VCSQI's new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) webpages, presented by Dr. Halima Walker and Skye Ferris, MPH Candidate and VCSQI Intern. These resources are a testament to VCSQI's commitment to fostering an inclusive environment in cardiovascular care.
Key Features of the DEI Webpages:
For Providers: Offers tools and guidelines to help healthcare professionals deliver culturally competent care. This includes best practices for communication, understanding patient backgrounds, and addressing implicit biases.
For Patients: Provides accessible information to help patients understand their care options, rights, and ways to engage actively in their healthcare journey.
Resource Library: A curated collection of articles, toolkits, and training materials aimed at promoting equity in healthcare settings.
Interactive Elements: Features such as feedback forms and discussion forums to encourage ongoing dialogue and continuous improvement.
Over the next few weeks, these pages will be translated in multiple languages to make available to potential patients seeking resources.
These webpages are designed to be dynamic, with regular updates and additions based on user feedback and emerging best practices in DEI.
Research Spotlight: Comparing LVAD Surgical Approaches
Dr. Sean Noona, a cardiac surgery resident at the University of Virginia, presented an in-depth analysis exploring surgical strategies for patients requiring Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs). His research, conducted in partnership with VCSQI institutions, focused on comparing outcomes and cost-effectiveness between sternotomy-based (S-LVAD) and thoracotomy-based (T-LVAD) implantation approaches.
Key Takeaways from the Presentation:
Purpose of the Study: Dr. Noona’s team aimed to evaluate whether the newer, less invasive thoracotomy approach provides comparable or improved outcomes when compared to the traditional median sternotomy, which has long been the standard for LVAD implantation due to its superior visibility and access.
Clinical Background: The rise of centrifugal, magnetically levitated LVADs has made less invasive methods like thoracotomy increasingly attractive — especially for reducing surgical trauma and improving recovery time in advanced heart failure patients.
Data & Methodology: The research utilized VCSQI’s rich dataset to analyze:
Clinical outcomes including survival, readmission rates, and complications
Resource utilization and cost metrics tied to hospitalization and post-op care
Early Insights: Dr. Noona shared that the data suggests thoracotomy approaches are associated with potential cost savings and comparable safety profiles, though further analysis is needed to confirm long-term outcomes.
Collaboration Acknowledgement: He expressed deep gratitude to the VCSQI member hospitals and his co-residents, stating, “Collaborating with VCSQI has been a tremendous benefit for our academic development and for improving real-world care strategies.”
Implications for Practice: This study could influence future surgical decision-making and referral patterns for advanced heart failure care in Virginia and beyond — especially as healthcare systems aim to optimize both outcomes and costs.
A Meeting Fueled by Engagement and Collaboration
Throughout the evening, participants were encouraged to engage freely — unmuting, chatting, and contributing to Q&A sessions following each presentation. This culture of open dialogue remains one of the hallmarks of VCSQI meetings and plays a critical role in shaping statewide best practices and policy alignment.
CME and Continued Learning
The meeting was approved for 2 hours of CME credit through the UVA CME Village portal, reinforcing VCSQI’s commitment to continuous professional education. For those who could not attend live or wish to revisit key moments, recordings and presentation materials are now available on the VCSQI Meeting Portal.
Looking Ahead
As VCSQI continues to grow its impact across Virginia and beyond, meetings like this one serve as powerful reminders of what’s possible when passionate professionals come together with a shared purpose. Thank you to all presenters, participants, and partners who made the Summer Quarterly Meeting a success.
Stay tuned for updates on upcoming initiatives, and don’t forget to share your feedback via the Summer Meeting Feedback Survey.
Did you miss the recent Quarterly Meeting or want to watch again? Visit https://www.vcsqi.org/meetings/2025-summer-quarterly-meeting for meeting recording and material.
Together, we’re driving the future of cardiovascular care — one meeting, one innovation, and one collaboration at a time.
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