Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Community Healthcare - (Page 4)

GOLD H onLine Going for the Hospitals use best practices to improve safety for patients ow do you choose the best hospital for the care you need? One important way is to look into its track record on quality and safety. There are several national professional organizations that are committed to the improvement of the quality of care and the monitoring of outcomes for patients. To ensure that they are following nationally recognized practices to deliver quality care, hospitals, including those of Community Healthcare System, voluntarily seek accreditations from these professional organizations. Community Hospital, St. Catherine Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center use best practices and continually work to improve safety, prevent adverse events, monitor and improve performance, and meet or exceed patient expectations. “The accreditation process involves self-assessment by the hospitals, as well as review by expert external surveyors who are also healthcare professionals,” says Nancy Moser, vice president of Compliance, Quality and Risk Management for Community Healthcare System. “This self-assessment or evaluation process is completed by hospital staff before a certificate or gold seal is awarded and results in elevated levels of care and service,” she says. by ElisE sims What to Look for as a Patient Looking for the seal of accreditation can help you make an informed choice. Accreditation confirms that a hospital has undergone a thorough review of its policies and practices and delivers consistent, quality patient care. One internationally recognized accrediting symbol in healthcare is the Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval™. Hospitals that have attained the gold seal, including Community Hospital in Munster, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, have met the highest and most rigorous performance standards to obtain this distinction. Joint Commission accreditation does not begin and end with the on-site survey. It is a continual process. Each time a nurse rechecks a patient’s ID badge before administering medication or every time surgical team members call “time out” to verify they have the right patient, the right procedure and the right appendage or site, they are practicing quality standards. For a complete listing of accreditations, quality awards and patient safety designations earned by the hospitals of Community Healthcare System, and to find out how they affect your care, visit our website at www.comhs.org. Find Out Why You Should Choose an Accredited Hospital thinkstock 4 Vim & Vigor • FALL 2 012 http://www.comhs.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Community Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Community Healthcare
Contents
Community Message
Care Packages
Going for the Gold
When Less Is More
30 Days to Better Sleep
I Can’t Ask My Doctor That!ers
He Said, She Said
Hold On to Your Health
Still A Screening Star
Your Joints: An Owner’s Manual
Weighing Your Options
No Greater Gift
Weather Alert
Virtual Health
Stretch It Out
SPOTLIGHT ON: St. Mary Medical Center
SPOTLIGHT ON: St. Catherine Hospital
SPOTLIGHT ON: Community Hospital
Finding a Dream Job

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Community Healthcare