KATHY KLIGE, BSN, RN, C
Director-Cardiovascular Services
Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center
Plainfield, New Jersey
Ms. Klige oversees Cardiovascular Services for the acute care hospitals within Solaris Health System. Her areas of responsibility represent the continuum of cardiac care including pre-hospital emergency services, noninvasive cardiac and vascular diagnostics; invasive cardiac diagnostics with 2 full service Cardiac Cath Labs that also provide primary percutaneous coronary intervension, elective interventional cardiac cath services at Muhlenberg as part of the Atlantic C PORT Elective Research Project in association with John Hopkins University Medical Center, as well as Cardiopulmonary Inpatient and Outpatient Rehabilitation.
Ms. Klige started the first Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) program in the region at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in 1976, bringing emergency care to a community that is at high risk for cardiac disease but with limited resources and access to health care. Through Kathy’s efforts for the past thirty-four years, the community’s cardiac disease management has improved and allowed for participation in the C PORT demonstration project researching the feasibility of performing elective angioplasty safely and effectively in a cath lab with off-site cardiac surgery back up. Ms. Klige recommended that Solaris Health System hire an Advanced Practice Nurse to oversee this project, a recommendation above and beyond the study’s requirements. Ms. Klige encouraged this approach to assure optimal results recognizing the significance of the APRN as an integral part of the Cardiac Team. Under Ms. Klige’s leadership, Muhlenberg is recognized for the best “door to Balloon time” in New Jersey and the top 10% in the United States. She provides nursing and operational direction to her employees as they strive to deliver quality cardiovascular services safely and efficiently while interacting with patients, families, and physicians to assure customer satisfaction. Kathy’s ability to lead in this manner has positively influenced staff retention and satisfaction.
Ms. Klige demonstrates an ability to use health care resources effectively and efficiently. She has gained efficiency in turnaround time, interpretation and reading time by cardiologists resulting in improved patient care. She has participated in a project to integrate a data management system with picture archiving in cardiac diagnostics and provided clinical standardization in Cardiac Care across the system in both technology and practice. As part of Ms. Klige’s concern for clinical quality, she advocates for patient safety through processes that assure standards of care and performance are consistently met. She has designed and implemented a communication process for the reporting of critical results from technical to professional nursing staff with a thirty-minute timeline.
Ms. Klige is a MAGNET Leadership Champion and involved in developing a document for Force 10 – the Healthcare Facility and the Community. She is also actively involved in assuring that the Solaris Health System is in compliance with the National Patient Safety goal addressing Outpatient Medication Reconciliation. In addition, Ms. Klige is a member of many professional organizations and health system committees.