NHA Quality Improvement Residency Program
2026 QI Residency Program
Registration is now open for the 2026 Quality Improvement Residency Program!
Cost for Enrollment
Non-CAH/RHC Participant: $2,000
CAH/RHC Participant: $1,500
This reduced fee is made possible thanks to partial scholarships provided by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Office of Rural Health FLEX Grant.
Registration:
Registration Deadline is January 30th, 2026. Space is limited, so please register early to secure your seat.
Session Dates:
Session 1 | February 25-26, 2026 | NHA Headquarters, Lincoln, NE
Session 2 | April 22-23, 2026 | Community Hospital, McCook, NE
Session 3 | June 24-25, 2026 | Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, NE
Session 4 | August 26-27, 2026 | Columbus Community Hospital, Columbus, NE
Session 5 | October 7-8, 2026 | NHA Headquarters, Lincoln, NE
Lodging
Participants will be responsible for travel and lodging expenses. A block of rooms will be reserved under the name of the Nebraska Hospital Association for the nights relative to each session. You will be notified of the lodging information and the deadline date for reservations.
About The Program
The Quality Improvement Residency Program was created by the Rural Quality Improvement Steering Committee to strengthen the skills and confidence of emerging quality leaders in Nebraska’s rural hospitals.
Comprised of statewide quality, safety and health-care partners, the committee identified the need in 2018 for a structured, introductory program that offers foundational training along with opportunities for mentorship and peer networking. Through this collaborative approach, the program aims to build a strong pipeline of quality professionals prepared to lead improvement efforts across rural communities.
The Nebraska Hospital Association gratefully acknowledges the Steering Committee, speakers, and contributors for their commitment and expertise.
At the end of this program, participants will:
- Understand core principles of quality and performance improvement within rural hospital settings.
- Prepare for regulatory surveys, accreditation processes and mandatory data reporting.
- Apply best practices in quality improvement, data collection, interpretation and evaluation.
- Utilize patient safety tools, risk-management strategies and patient/family engagement techniques.
- Support emergency management, infection prevention, and medical staff quality functions.
- Contribute to population health and care-continuum efforts in response to evolving reimbursement structures.
