Volume 17, No. 3, Summer 2009
Cape Cod and Falmouth Hospitals got the award, the only two hospitals in Massachusetts to be so honored, as a matter of fact.
But the real winner was the patient, a particularly fragile case. Name of N. Vironment.
The recognition for Cape Cod Healthcare’s flagship hospitals is the 2008 Healthy Hospital Award presented by Ascent Health Solutions. And it’s based on great results from CCHC’s programs for utilizing remanufacturing and reprocessing equipment, every device, they stress, meeting stringent Food and Drug Administration standards.
Through system-wide reprocessing efforts, the hospitals reduced medical waste by 11,864 pounds which, obviously, has a direct and positive impact on the environment.
At the same time, by purchasing and utilizing remanufactured devices, CCHC saved $459,018 that could be used for improving patient care.
As Dr. Richard Salluzzo, CCHC’s president and CEO, explained, “Supplies are the second largest expense category for hospitals, so controlling these costs is critical. Just as important, we believe strongly in doing our part to help the environment. We are delighted that our commitment has been recognized with this award.”
According to its web site, Ascent Healthcare Solutions “helps hospitals act more environmentally responsible and improve the quality of healthcare through more sustainable resource allocations. We do this by reprocessing and remanufacturing delicate and costly devices that are marketed in North America as ‘single use’ by the original manufacturer and often needlessly thrown away.”
The Ascent Healthy Hospital Award is given for “outstanding performance in reducing environmental harm and improving overall hospital quality through FDA-approved medical device remanufacturing and reprocessing.”
Falmouth Hospital Honored Nationally for Stroke Care
Falmouth Hospital has received the “Get With the Guidelines” Gold Performance Achievement Award from the American Stroke Association for its strict adherence to practices that best treat and prevent this devastating condition. The hospital is one of just 175 around the country to receive the award this year, out of 1,580 eligible hospitals nationwide.
“The American Stroke Association commends Falmouth Hospital for its success in implementing standards of care and protocols,” said Dr. Lee H. Schwamm, vice-chair of the national “Get With the Guidelines” Steering Committee.
The award acknowledges the hospital for maintaining at least 85 percent over a consecutive 24-month period on certain measures, such as aggressive and appropriate use of medications and educational efforts.
Falmouth Hospital Stroke Nurse Coordinator Jean Estes said the hospital adhered to 100 percent of the measures from January 2007 to January 2009, and the success is still ongoing thanks to what she described as a total team effort.