NEWS RELEASE

August 16, 2007

                                                                   For More Information, Contact
Lynda Dorweiler,
Quality Management Director
(712) 792-8285

St. Anthony Adopts Patient Safety Quality Measures Initiatives

In response to national trends toward Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Best Practices, St. Anthony Regional Hospital has adopted the Patient Safety Quality Measures Initiatives.

 
The purpose of the Patient Safety Quality Measures Initiatives is to improve patient safety and ensure best outcomes by adopting nationally recognized evidenced-based clinical best practices (for heart failure, pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction, and surgical care), and tracking performance through quality measures established by the Center for Medical & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA).

St. Anthony reports its performance to CMS on a quarterly basis.  Meeting and exceeding these quality measures ensures that patients receive quality care and that their healthcare providers receive appropriate reimbursement.

 The Patient Safety Quality Measures Group (QMG) was recently formed to identify opportunities for interventions, develop standardized tools/orders set, and oversee facility-wide implementation with emphasis on teamwork and timely feedback.  Key staff members from various clinical departments were selected to participate in work groups and brainstorming sessions.  The multi-disciplinary collaboration resulted in the development of the standardized congestive heart failure orders set.  This order set is due to be implemented in the near future.  The QMG will be focusing next on pneumonia.

Members of St. Anthony’s Patient Safety Quality Measures Group include Leigh Davis, Dee Schoessler, Vicki Stork, Jill Rath, Pat Dahlin, Linn Schrage, Joyce Ryberg, Vickie Boes, Teresa Torkelson, Dr. Jedd Hagen, Clarissa Sweeney, and Lynda Dorweiler.

Approximately 65 nurses from the medical/surgical/pediatric unit, the emergency room, and the cardiac care unit recently attended the Patient Safety Quality Measures training.