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2009 Spirit of Excellence

Getting into the spirit

By David Burda | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
Modern Healthcare congratulates the winners and honorable mentions of the 17th annual Spirit of Excellence Awards, co-sponsored by Sodexo Health Care Services. FULL STORY »

Getting satisfaction (service -- winner)

Nancy Pollard, right, a patient advocate at Tanner Medical Center, explains to a co-worker the importance of compassionate care in the ICU, emphasizing touch. By Ed Finkel | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
To ease the inevitable tensions of a hospital stay while freeing medical staff to provide care, Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Ga., has hired eight patient advocates to serve as liaisons between patients, their families and caregivers. FULL STORY »

An idea with heart (quality -- winner)

Mary Washington Hospital staff assist a patient with instructions on care. By Ed Finkel | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
Time is brain. That simple but critical equation—knowing that approximately 2 million brain cells die every minute during a stroke—has driven 442-bed Mary Washington Hospital in implementing its successful drive to become a Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Center during the past 1½ years. FULL STORY »

Healthcare, in any language (community -- winner)

Proyecto Salud y Esperanza members give a Zumba dance demonstration during a local parade. By Ed Finkel | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
A combination of health education, walking groups, yoga classes and aerobics to a Latin beat benefited nearly 300 Latina women of child-bearing age in the Barrio Logan/Logan Heights section of San Diego during its first two years. FULL STORY »

When workers are happy ... (team -- winner)

During a staff meeting, one employee team performed a Dr. Seuss-inspired skit. By Ed Finkel | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
During the past three years, Starlight Community Services in Oakland, Calif., has reduced its employee turnover rate to 12.2% from 28%, quintupled the size of its staff and boosted employee satisfaction to 94% from 67%. FULL STORY »

Community effort (C.A.R.E.S. -- winner)

A view of the back of the hospital, where workers were cleaning up the water. By Ed Finkel | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
Neither rain, nor more rain, nor a historic flash flood—which dropped six inches of rain in an hour, left its building powerless and forced the evacuation of all 197 patients— kept the staffers of Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital from their appointed rounds. FULL STORY »

Rehab group tends its flock (service -- honorable mention)

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network’s outpatient services team improved scores. By Ed Finkel | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
During the past five years, the outpatient division at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network in Allentown, Pa., has doubled its annual revenue and improved Press Ganey Associates customer-satisfaction scores from the 70th percentile to consistently above the 90th percentile. FULL STORY »

Tracking death trends (quality -- honorable mention)

Nurses reviewing patient charts for Core Measure Compliance at Bon Secours. By Ed Finkel | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center has reduced inpatient mortality by 12% overall for nonhospice patients and by 24% for nonhospice, nonintensive-care-unit patients during the past year by tracking and identifying trends in mortalities and developing action plans to reverse those trends. FULL STORY »

Kaiser says break a leg (community -- honorable mention)

In a skit, actors portraying vegetables encourage healthy food choices. By Ed Finkel | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
To inspire children, teens and adults to make healthier life choices—on issues such as healthy eating, physical activity, smoking, drug abuse, stress management and conflict resolution—Kaiser Permanente has offered an educational theater program since 1985 built on evidence-based prevention education. FULL STORY »

Ask questions, get an answer (team -- honorable mention)

Candidates ask nursing leader Tony Dreyer, far right, questions about his unit. By Ed Finkel | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
It might sound a little like speed dating. But Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center says it hired more than 100 nurses last year to fill a major shortage through four three-hourlong “Green Carpet” events that centered around 10-minute interviews with each of four nursing leaders. FULL STORY »

Promoting prevention (C.A.R.E.S. -- honorable mention)

The SUHI continued its outreach at Chicago’s '09 Puerto Rican Day parade. By Ed Finkel | December 14, 2009 | Basic Web Registration
Eliminating disparities in rates of asthma, breast cancer, diabetes, obesity and smoking prevention has been within the sights of the Sinai Urban Health Institute, or SUHI, part of Chicago's Sinai Health System, since its creation in March 2000. FULL STORY »
 
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