Bartlett Regional | HouseCalls | Late Fall 2016

12 HouseCalls Late Fall 2016 Bartlett Regional Hospital (BRH) was one of 10 Alaska hospitals to receive a 2016 Chasing Zero Award from Mountain-Pacific Quality Health in Anchorage. The awards were presented during Mountain-Pacific’s Fall Patient Safety Conference on Oct. 7 at the BP Energy Center. “I am thrilled to accept this award,” says Bartlett Infection Preventionist Kim Vermedal. “Zero infections are what we chase every day.” Vermedal notes that she accepted the award on behalf of the BRH team. “This award is an achievement and celebration for all of the staff at BRH who work every day to prevent hospital- acquired infections.” Reducing infections, improving care Each hospital demonstrated a commitment to providing high-quality patient care. Recipients had to reach a measurement of at least 45 days without two of three health-care–associated infections (HAIs) or reach 90 days or more without one of three HAIs. The three HAIs measured were catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated blood stream infections and Clostridium difficile infections. Every winner surpassed the award measurements and went at least 120 days or more without an infection for one or more HAIs. “We have worked to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and as of today we have gone over 400 days without that type of infection,” Vermedal says. “Those infections can occur when a patient has a Foley catheter inserted. If a catheter is medically needed, we make sure to remove it as soon as possible.” “Health care landscapes are changing, and with the presence of highly infectious diseases affecting our communities and with increased government mandates in reporting, we applaud these hospitals for providing the highest quality of hospital care in Alaska. It most likely rivals or exceeds care you would find throughout the United States,” says Sharon Scudder, Mountain- Pacific Alaska Director. This is not the first such award for Bartlett. A Chasing Zero 2012–13 award is on display in the Infection Control office. “This award is reflective of the culture of safety that all staff caring for patients are committed to,” says Director of Quality Denise Plano. “Congratulations to all involved for the excellent care they provide.” FOR THE WIN: Kim Vermedal, Bartlett Infection Preventionist Bartlett Regional Hospital accepts Chasing Zero Award About Mountain-Pacific Mountain-Pacific is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and holds federal and state contracts that allow it to oversee the quality of care for Medicare and Medicaid members. Mountain- Pacific works within its four-state region (Montana; Wyoming; Alaska; and Hawaii, which includes the U.S. Pacific Territories of Guam and American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) to help improve the delivery of health care and the systems that provide it. Learn more at www.mpqhf.org . Award recipients Ten hospitals received the Chasing Zero Award: w w Alaska Regional Hospital, Anchorage. w w Bartlett Regional Hospital, Juneau. w w Central Peninsula Hospital, Soldotna. w w Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Fairbanks. w w Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, Palmer. w w SEARHC/Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital, Sitka. w w PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center, Ketchikan. w w Petersburg Medical Center, Petersburg. w w Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center, Kodiak. w w Wrangell Medical Center, Wrangell. All Alaska hospitals are eligible for Hospital Quality Awards. Award-winning hospitals range from small, rural hospitals to large, urban hospitals.