List of acronym definitions would be helpful in strategic plan

To the editor,

There is nothing that bugs me more than acronyms. Meeting report, technical books, newspapers, whatever you read there is bound to be an acronym that you don’t have the foggiest idea of what it means.

And that goes for this EARH-SP. They never thought about that one; it stands for the East Adams Rural Hospital Strategic Plan (2011-2015).

It is the plan “Achieving excellence through exceptional quality.” What is wrong with providing some “exceptional quality” with a list of the meaning of an acronym? At least give the meaning the first time it is used.

I wonder what the commissioners’ score is on this list taken from the plan? (acronyms are listed first, with ‘used in connection with’ following)

SWOT – analysis exercise

EMR – in clinics

ER – in clinic and ER

JCAHO – standards

CMS – standards

RHQN – standards

RM – program

PSI – program

PA – building PA practices

AR – /collections

DOH – state DOH

PA-C – follows Marnie Boyer

WAMI – Rural residency track with WAMI

MGMA – MGMA 75th percentile

ED – a local ED and new facility

RIW – committee

IT – system needs

Rex Lyle, Ritzville