One of the positions at KKV and other federally qualified health centers that often seems shrouded in mystery is QA/QI, otherwise known as Quality Assurance/ Quality Improvement.  

The role of a QA/QI officer is to ensure that patients can access quality care when they need it and the providers continue to improve upon their services. She works closely with our Chief Financial Officer to ensure that services are cost effective, and resources go to where they make the most difference. She also makes sure that KKV has accurate data regarding health outcomes.

Last October, KKV hired Kelsey White as the new quality officer. Originally from North Carolina, she discovered KKV as a volunteer at Hoʻoulu ʻĀina. Kelsey holds an MPH in Maternal Child Health and an MSW in Community, Management and Policy Practice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she also received HRSA-supported training as a Leadership in Public Health Social Work Education Fellow. Most recently, Kelsey coordinated the Immigrant Health Access Project at UNC Greensboro’s Center for New North Carolinians, supporting a team of multilingual Community Health Workers to promote culturally and linguistically responsive care for immigrants and refugees.  

As the new Quality officer, Kelsey regularly meets with KKV’s medical operations team to discuss processes that they want to change or refine. A recent topic was a texting platform to send patient appointment reminders. The position calls for always asking questions about how processes can be improved in the clinic. Kelsey is also responsible for receiving concerns from patients and must work to understand and resolve them. She interacts with insurance providers to advocate on behalf KKV's patients and their care needs. 

“My favorite thing about this position,” Kelsey reflects, “is to be in a room of people, learning together with a greater purpose in mind.”  After completing the recent UDS (Uniform Data System) report, her sights are now set on the PCMH (Patient-Centered Medical Home Model) so that KKV can receive recognition from our governing body, the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA). She also looks forward to exploring workflows, to have a better understanding of patient experiences. “To start at Hoʻoulu ʻĀina, and then become the QA/QI Officer, I came to have a better understanding of what health can be,” Kesley says. “I am looking forward to doing more community-bridging work for KKV.”