ICAHN announces 2020 ICAHN Hospital “IMPACT” Award winners

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE AWARD VIDEO

2020 ICAHN Hospital "IMPACT" Award Winner:

Jersey Community Hospital for its Medication Assisted Treatment Clinic and Counseling Program

Jersey Community Hospital recently received the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network’s 2020 “IMPACT” Award for its Medication Assisted Treatment Clinic and Counseling program during virtual annual conference ceremonies, held November 17th via Zoom.

Participants vying for the award were encouraged to submit innovations implemented at their respective hospitals which initiated a new approach to improve patient relationships, implemented a new process flow or life-safety improvement, found a creative way to motivate and inspire staff, or fostered a successful community project.

Jersey Community Hospital had several goals in mind when they wrote the HRSA RCORP-MAT Expansion Grant, which they ultimately received in September 2019. The goals of that grant included establishing sustainable Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) clinic and counseling services, coordinating medical and social services necessary for patients to achieve and sustain recovery, providing community education to increase the awareness of MAT and reducing the stigma associated with it, and serving as a location for community support groups.

The first patient was seen in the MAT clinic in November 2019, and through the end of August 2020, a total of 49 patients had been treated from six different providers.

“Prior to the program, individuals in Jersey and Greene counties did not have access to a local MAT clinic. The individuals would have to travel to surrounding counties, which was often a barrier which contributed to individuals not wanting to receive help,” said Beth King, CEO, Jersey Community Hospital. “In a six-month period, 38 non-fatal overdoses and four definitive fatal overdoes were reported for these counties. Overdoses in these counties were ranked in the top 5% in the state of Illinois, and we knew we needed to do something about that.

“By implementing the MAT clinic, the community as a whole has developed a deeper bond around the issue of opioid and substance use disorders,” she continued. “Working together has made a significant impact. Between March and July of this year, there was only one fatal overdose reported in Jersey and Greene counties. We never want even one fatality, but this number was down significantly and that was important to us.”

The number of non-fatal overdoes for March through August was 21, which again is a significant decrease. “While we still have a lot of progress to make,” she added, “the decreases show that the community is pulling together to address this epidemic and is showing that the stigma attached to opioid and substance use is being addressed.”

“We are particularly excited about Jersey Community Hospital’s success. They are saving lives and doing incredibly important work,” said Pat Schou, ICAHN Executive Director. “They are certainly deserving of this honor.”

2020 "IMPACT" Honorable Mention Award Winners:

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital for its "Greening the OR" Project

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Lincoln, recently received the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network’s “IMPACT” Award honorable mention for its “Greening the OR” project during virtual annual conference ceremonies, held November 17th via Zoom.

Participants vying for the award were encouraged to submit innovations implemented at their respective hospitals which initiated a new approach to improve patient relationships, implemented a new process flow or life-safety improvement, found a creative way to motivate and inspire staff, or fostered a successful community project.

In 2019, Dolan Dalpoas, CEO, ALMH, launched a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt project after realizing its hospital was well below national benchmarks for recycling surgical waste. Project goals for waste reduction and improved processes included control measures for medical plastic waste diversion, reprocessing of single use devices, installation of a fluid waste container system, and implementation of monitored anesthesia care principles.

“Hospitals can drive long-term cost savings and efficiency improvements through smart, incremental and sustainable practices,” said Lynne Metz, Director of Hospitality, ALMH. “The Operating Room averages up to 60 percent of a hospital’s revenue, 40 percent of the organization’s total supply costs, produces more than 30 percent of the facility’s waste, and two-thirds of its regulated medical waste.

“One of the greatest challenges for greening the operating room can be convincing the surgical teams who rely on empirical data and consistencies in structure and process, to consider changes in their respective practices,” Metz added. “Utilizing data, communication, and collaboration across disciplines, Mr. Dalpoas and his team were able to make monumental changes while not only maintaining quality patient care but also supporting colleague and environmental health.”

Due to the implementation of this project, ALMH reduced thousands of pounds of waste with the use of its new rigid sterilization containers; worked with a third-party re-processor to safely collect medical devices for significant cost savings and waste reduction; installed a fluid management system to replace single-use disposable suction canisters, reducing chemical exposure for colleagues and waste disposal costs; and reduced the use of anesthetic agents and greenhouse gases with the utilization of sustainable anesthesia practices.

Practice Greenhealth announced ALMH as a 2020 recipient of the “Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award,” the most prestigious environmental achievement in healthcare. Additionally, ALMH received a “Greening the OR” Circle of Excellence Award celebrating hospitals who have not only earned an award for all around sustainability achievement, but who have also been identified as a top scoring program for the OR category of sustainability.

Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital for its External Transfer Project

Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital, Sandwich, recently received the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network’s “IMPACT” Award honorable mention for its External Transfer Project during virtual annual conference ceremonies, held November 17th via Zoom.

Participants vying for the award were encouraged to submit innovations implemented at their respective hospitals which initiated a new approach to improve patient relationships, implemented a new process flow or life-safety improvement, found a creative way to motivate and inspire staff, or fostered a successful community project.

In FY2019, 64 percent of patients treated in the Northwestern Medicine Valley West Emergency Department that required subsequent hospitalization were retained within the health system for hospital care. The goal of the External Transfer Project is to increase staff and physician awareness of safety implications related to transfers outside of the health system and retain at least 70 percent of patients seeking treatment at NM Valley West Emergency Department within the health system by the second quarter of FY2020.

As a critical access hospital, NM Valley West Hospital does not offer some specialty care providers on-site. This lack of specialty resources means patients must be transferred outside of their community to a higher level of care. Transferring patients outside the health system may result in potential errors related to handoff and a loss of continuity of care. There can also be loss of revenue and referrals within the health system.

“The target audience is patients seeking treatment at the Emergency Department. Staying with our health system promotes teamwork and communication by having an integrated EHR (electronic health record) that all members of the care team can access to assure continuity of care while also preventing any unnecessary delays, exposure, and costs related to repeat diagnostic testing,” said Beth Mosher, Director of Clinical and Administrative Operations, NW Valley West Hospital. “Patients are put at ease when they know the same individualized care they receive at our facility will be the same care they receive upon transfer.”

As of August 2020, the NM Valley West Hospital ED exceeded its target of 70 percent to finish the month at 87 percent. This improvement has reduced errors in handoffs, improved continuity of care, and increased patient satisfaction for teamwork and communication. Another benefit has been patients that had doctors outside of the health system have often switched to providers affiliated with Northwestern Medicine’s health system.

“More patients within our community have experienced our health system vision of ‘World Class Care Close to Home.’ Patients now know their primary and specialty providers have access to all their records and tests. Patients are happy to find out that post-hospitalization they may see their specialists locally and not need to seek care far from home,” said Mosher. “The impact of having specialty access to a world healthcare system for a rural population of 7,000 is immeasurable.

“This project epitomizes our hospital’s values of teamwork, safety, and putting our patients first,” she added. “It is an outstanding example of how, as a health system, we can come together and not only provide quality care for every patient, but go above and beyond, ensuring the care they receive is seamless. Patients get to experience what it is like when team members are working together to ensure safety, quality, and overall wellness. This project has raised the bar for what providing patients first care means.”