• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
CHOC Provider Blog

CHOC Provider Blog

News and Information for our Provider Community

  • Refer a patient
  • Browse articles
    • Provider index
  • CME opportunities
  • CHOC Docs website
  • CHOC Health hub
  • Subscribe

Increasing Performance Excellence at CHOC: Meet Sharon Nielsen Wilson

July 11, 2019

You are here: Home / Healthcare / Increasing Performance Excellence at CHOC: Meet Sharon Nielsen Wilson

CHOC has tapped a seasoned healthcare leader to further increase performance excellence across the pediatric healthcare system.

In her role as executive director of performance excellence, Sharon Nielsen Wilson will find ways to improve and enhance how CHOC patients and families are served across the organization at all levels. Further, Sharon is tasked with facilitating, understanding and supporting change throughout the organization.

“I am thrilled for this new opportunity at CHOC, and I look forward to building upon a strong culture of service and performance excellence to help propel CHOC forward as it strives to become the destination for children’s health,” Sharon said.

Sharon Nielsen Wilson, executive director of performance excellence

Bringing a clinical background as well as a dozen years of experience in improving systems and workflows, Sharon joined CHOC in May 2019 from Kaiser Permanente. She began work there in 2006 as a registered nurse and most recently served as director of performance improvement for its facility in Harbor City, Calif.

Sharon holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and is currently pursing a master’s degree in quality assurance. She is also certified in change management through Implementation Management Association (IMA) and quality insurance through CSUDH.

We caught up with Sharon recently to learn more about her role and what she hopes to accomplish at CHOC.

What is Quality Improvement and why is it important to a healthcare organization?

Quality Improvement (QI) is a proactive and systematic approach to improve processes and systems.

QI models present a systematic, formal framework for establishing QI processes in your practice. Understanding and properly implementing QI is essential to a well-functioning practice and is necessary for improving efficiency, patient safety or clinical outcomes.

Examples of common QI models include:

  • IHI’s Model for Improvement: Thismodel uses plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles to test interventions on a small scale. The model combines two popular QI models: Total Quality Management (TQM) and Rapid-Cycle Improvement (RCI).
  • Six Sigma: A method of improvement that focuses on reducing variation.
  • Lean: An approach that reduces waste by decreasing non-value-added work in systems and processes.

How can all CHOC associates take an active role in improving performance excellence?

Associates can take an active role by taking advantage of the certification programs and partnership CHOC’s Performance Excellence team will be offering beginning this fall and together effectively identify, plan and execute improvement projects, deliver successful results and spread changes across the entire system.

The certification programs Performance Excellence will be offering are tailored to each level in the organization. The programs will help build a more solid foundation of knowledge and skills in the art and science of improvement within CHOC.

What do you see as key performance strengths for CHOC – and how can we build upon them to further enhance how we serve patients and families?

I see our associates’ engagement and dedication to CHOC’s mission as some of key performance strengths here at CHOC. Some ways to build on these strengths is to invest in our workforce and infuse performance excellence into our culture. As we continue to build reliability and efficiency into our processes and systems, we will be able to remove frustration and the potential for error and add value to the way we serve one another, our patients and their families.

Related Topics
Healthcare Sharon Nielsen Wilson CHOC
Related Articles
  • Bounce house injuries continue to jump

    A CHOC-led study on the frequency of bounce house injuries reveals the safety concerns and the need for prevention tactics.
  • CHOC serves as leading voice for innovative pediatric healthcare practices

    In a webinar with U.S. News & World Report, Dr. Anthony Chang discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic propelled medical innovation at CHOC.
  • Innovative protocol studies treatment for rare pediatric PTCL and NK/T-Cell lymphoma

    CHOC helps develop innovative treatment protocols for PTCL and NK/T-cell lymphoma, which are now available for patients.

Footer

.

Referrals can now be placed online through the CHOC Referral Portal. Learn more about referring patients to CHOC.

About CHOC

Our pediatric healthcare system is dedicated to preserving the magic of childhood.

  • Ways to subscribe
  • Provider Connection Newsletter Archive
  • Find care
    • Refer a patient
    • Find a provider
    • Programs and services
    • Locations
  • Visit CHOC.org
    • About CHOC
    • Donate
    • Careers
    • Events
    • Press room
  • Policies and legal

CHOC Clinical Events

  • Pediatric Colorectal Issues for the Pediatrician
  • Educación de salud mental de CHOC – Padres/ Comunidad general | Educación de la primera infancia: Consejos para una buena noche de sueño: higiene del sueño para niños
  • CHOC Mental Health Education Program | School-Based Staff | Integrating Art and Music into The Classroom

CHOC Health Hub

  • Large chest mass poses big challenges: Freddy’s NICU story
  • Overcoming sudden cardiac arrest: Henry’s story 
  • Your guide to mental health resources from CHOC
  • 7 stress relief techniques for kids 
  • How to recognize stroke symptoms in children

Copyright © 2022 CHOC | www.choc.org | A 501(c)(3) Organization
1201 W La Veta Ave, Orange, CA 92866 | (714) 997-3000

These articles are not intended to replace the relationship you have with a physician or another healthcare practitioner. For specific medical advice, diagnoses and treatment, please consult your doctor. This website may include links to other websites which provide additional information that is consistent with the intended purpose of this publication. Linking to a non-CHOC site does not constitute an endorsement by CHOC of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the site.