QUALITY INDICATORS AT ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL
Deciding where to seek health care for you and your loved ones can be one of the most difficult decisions any person has to make. Determining what information should be considered in making that decision can be just as confusing and difficult.
To help people with their decision-making process please find listed below quality measures related to Heart Attack Care and Pneumonia Care at St. Joseph’s along with a description of what St. Joseph’s Hospital is doing to address patient safety.
The quality indicators of Heart Attack Care and Pneumonia Care are measured to meet national guidelines for excellence in the treatment for each condition. St. Joseph’s outcomes are better than the national average. To see St. Joseph’s data in comparison to the national average please review St. Joseph’s participation in the “National Voluntary Hospital Reporting Initiative” at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) web site located at www.cms.hhs.gov and www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov. Please note that this information on these websites is based on a cumulative average and may differ from St. Joseph's website which is based on actual rates.
Heart Attack Care - A heart attack occurs when blood flow into the heart is interrupted.
Click Here for Heart Attack Care Measurements
Pneumonia Care- Pneumonia is a lung infection acquired in the community
Click Here for Pneumonia Measurements
A COMMITMENT TO PATIENT SAFETY AT ST. JOSEPH’S
The Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation has set specific goals to improve the safety of patients. St. Joseph's Hospital has addressed each of the goals:
1. Goal: Improve the accuracy of patient identification.
St. Joseph's Response We use two patient identifiers to make sure that we identify the correct patient. We ask the patient name and date of birth. This is verified on the paperwork as we admit patients, give medications, draw blood or perform tests and procedures.
Prior to the start of any procedure, all staff take "time out" to verify that the patient is the correct patient for the correct procedure on the correct site.
2. Goal: Improve the effectiveness of communication among caregivers.
St. Joseph's Response: Verbal orders are only used when absolutely necessary. If a verbal order is given by a physician, the order is written down and read back to verify that it is correct. We have standardized abbreviations throughout the organization. National recommendations for eliminating ambiguous or problem prone abbreviations are implemented.
3. Goal: Improve the safety of using high-alert medications.
St. Joseph's Response: Defined concentrated electrolytes have been removed from patient care units. These high risk medications are only issued by the Pharmacy after review of the order. The number of drug concentrations have been standardized through out all areas. Drugs are stored in a manner which avoids look alike, sound alike medications located near one another.
4. Goal: Eliminate wrong-site, wrong-patient, wrong procedure surgery.
St. Joseph's Response: A strong preoperative and pre-procedure verification process has been established with ongoing monitoring to ensure that the correct patient has the correct procedure or surgery. Surgical/procedure site marking is routinely completed and monitored for any procedure in which the site involves laterality or multiple digits/locations.
5. Goal: Improve the safety of using infusion pumps.
St. Joseph's Response: All infusion pumps used at the hospital have free-flow protection.
6. Goal: Improve the effectiveness of clinical alarm systems.
Saint Joseph's Response: All of the equipment has the appropriate preventative maintenance completed as required. Audibility is also monitored to ensure that alarms will be responded to appropriately.
7. Reduce the risk of healthcare acquired infections.
St. Joseph's Response: The staff wash their hands or use an alcohol based product between patient encounters to clean their hands and prevent carrying infection. Alcohol based disinfectant dispensers are located throughout the hospital for convenience of use. Patients are provided with information regarding steps they can take to prevent infections. Infection Control Update is part of annual staff education.
