News From Elmhurst Memorial: Awards and Honor

American Heart Association Honors Hospital

Elmhurst Memorial Hospital was recently honored with two awards from the American Heart Association. The hospital received the The Get with the Guidelines - Heart Failure Bronze Quality Award and the Mission: Lifeline Receiving Center - Bronze Level Recognition Award.

The first award related to the hospital reaching a goal of treating heart failure patients for a minimum 90 days with 85 percent compliance to standard levels of care, according to a news release.

The second award relates to the hospital’s commitment and success in implementing a high standard of care for heart attack patients.

“Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare is dedicated to making our care for heart failure patients among the best in the country,” Laura Eslick, executive director of Cardiovascular and Emergency Services at Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare said in a news release. “Implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure program and the Mission: Lifeline program will help us improve the long-term outcome for these patients.”

Elmhurst Memorial is Wired and Innovative

Hospital and Health Network recognized Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare among 290 hospitals and health systems in its 15th Annual Most Wired Survey. Over the years EMHC has adopted technologies to improve patient documentation, advance clinical decision support and evidence-based protocols meant to reduce the likelihood of medication errors, while providing key information to its clinical and technical teams, the organization said in a news release.

“This year’s Most Wired organizations exemplify progress through innovation” Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association said in a news release. “The hospital field can learn from these outstanding organizations ways that IT can help to improve efficiency.”

Among some of the key findings this year:

• Sixty-nine percent of Most Wired hospitals and 60 percent of all surveyed hospitals report that medication orders are entered electronically by physicians. This represents a significant increase from 2004 results when only 27 percent of Most Wired hospitals and 12 percent of all hospitals responded, “Yes.”

• Seventy-one percent of Most Wired hospitals have an electronic disease registry to identify and manage gaps in care across a population compared with 51 percent of total responders.

Health Care’s Most Wired Survey, conducted between Jan. 15 and March 15, asked hospitals and health systems nationwide to answer questions regarding their IT initiatives. Respondents completed 659 surveys, representing 1,713 hospitals, or roughly 30 percent of all U.S. hospitals.

The July H&HN cover story detailing results is available at www.hhnmag.com.

Elmhurst Memorial Honored by American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer recently honored Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare with the 2012 Outstanding Achievement Award, according to a news release. The health system was one of only 79 accredited cancer programs across the country to meet standard and qualification to win the award.

The commission, established in 2004, was created to recognize cancer programs, which strive for excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients. EMHC was honored with the award after an on-site evaluation. The health system was commended for its level of compliance with seven standards representing the scope of the cancer program, and it also received a compliance rating for the remaining 29 standards, according to EMHC.

The purpose of the award is to raise the bar on quality cancer care, with the ultimate goal of increasing awareness about quality care choices among cancer patients and their loved ones.  In addition, the award is intended to:

• Recognize cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.

• Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care.

• Facilitate dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices.

• Encourage honorees, like EMHC, to serve as quality-care resources to other cancer programs.

“We applaud the commitment of Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare’s oncology staff for working together to meet and exceed the high standards set forth by the Commission on Cancer,” Jean Lydon, R.N., associate vice president of Patient Care Services and director of Oncology Services for Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare said in a news release. “We take great pride in our cancer programs and are honored to be recognized for all our hard work and commitment to providing the highest level of care to our patients.”

EMHC will open its new 32,000 square foot Elmhurst Memorial Center for Cancer Care this fall. The center will feature treatment rooms, medical offices and comfortable spaces for patients and visitors.