Anderson program accepted as best practice
Published 11:45 am Thursday, December 14, 2017
- Submitted photoAnderson Interdisciplinary Falls Prevention Team, front row from left: Christy Bell, RN; Brandy Jackson, RN; Jessica Clark, RN; Fanci Vaugh, RN; Melia Goodman, RN. Center row from left: John G. Anderson, President and CEO; Betty Cryer, VP Nursing, Beverly Bush, RN; Sky Joiner, Registered Dietitian; Ashley Dikes, Information Technology; Donna Herrington, Director of Legal and Risk Management; Vickie Skinner, Director of Nursing Anderson-South; Wanda Cooper, VP Professional Relations. Back row from left: Angela Kingery, Director of Inpatient and Outpatient Rehabilitation; Connie Lee, Director of Quality; Chris Myers, Risk Manager and Patient Safety Officer; John Hampton, Director of Environmental Services. Not pictured: Dr. Scot Bell, Chief Medical Officer; Jason Cain, RN; Diane Nobles, RN; DeAnna Richmond, RN; Cassandra Gibbs, RN; David Howell, Radiology Services Manager; Sandra Jones, RN.
Anderson Regional Medical Center’s participation in a nationwide effort to enhance patient safety in healthcare facilities led to the development of a best practice model that is now being used at hospitals across the country. ARMC was one of ten hospitals selected to participate in this program sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and funded by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid).
The program focused specifically on reducing patient falls, a concern of hospitals nationwide. Patient falls in hospitals may sometimes result in injury, leading to increased and unintended hospitalization. AHRQ reports that close to one-third of falls can be prevented.
Chris Myers, RN, BSN, LHRM, CHSP, Anderson Regional Health System’s Risk Manager and Patient Safety Officer, said, “Any patient of any age or physical ability can be at risk for a fall. Patients sometimes experience physiological changes due to a medical condition, medications, surgery, procedures, or diagnostic testing, causing them to become weak or confused and more susceptible to falling. Our goal is to minimize these occurrences and set the bar nationwide for reducing preventable falls.”
Over the past year, a multidisciplinary team at Anderson met regularly to develop a falls reduction program that manages a patient’s underlying fall risk factors and optimizes the hospital’s physical design and environment. This team included representatives from all departments that interact with patients including nursing, rehabilitation, respiratory, dietary, housekeeping, and others.
“With Anderson providing more than 60,000 patient days of care a year, it is paramount that we continue our efforts to improve the patient care experience,” said John G. Anderson, President and CEO of Anderson Regional Health System. “We are extremely proud of our team members who developed this ‘Best Practice Falls Prevention Program’. Due to their dedicated work, the program model will have a direct and lasting impact on patients here and across the country.”
About Anderson Regional Health System
As the most comprehensive health system in East Mississippi and West Alabama, Anderson Regional Health System is the established leader in offering premier medical services. With two hospitals, a cancer center, and a network of clinics, Anderson’s healthcare professionals are committed to the mission of providing a heritage of healing and improving life for the people they serve.
