Quality Award Demonstrates Meridian's Commitment to Patient Safety

Meridian Health demonstrates a commitment to providing patient safety as one of our nurses checks for two patient identifiers, which is one of the Joint Commission on Accreditation Health Care Organization's patient safety goals.

The physicians and nurses aren't the only ones looking out for patients at Meridian Health. The hospital system's computer-based physician order entry system (CPOE) also helps ensure patients receive safe, quality care.

When Meridian physicians order a test or treatment via the CPOE, they can double-check their decision against "best practice" guidelines, which are scientifically proven guidelines for achieving the best outcome for patients. As a result, more patients are receiving "best practice" care when they visit Meridian.

Meridian's innovative CPOE system is just one reason why the hospital system recently received the prestigious John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality. This national award recognizes major achievements in improving hospital patient safety and quality. Meridian was one of only three health care organizations in the nation this year to receive the Eisenberg Award.

A History of Improving Quality
"At Meridian, we believe that quality patient care is a journey, not a destination," says Doug Bechard, M.D., senior vice president of Clinical Effectiveness. "For us, it's about supporting a culture of quality improvement that continues to grow. As soon as we reach one quality goal, we see another goal on the horizon to work toward."

Meridian Health has a strong record of exploring new procedures, methods, and technologies to improve patient safety, says Dr. Bechard. For example, Meridian was among the first hospital systems in the United States to use a CPOE system.

Initially launched in 1998, Meridian's CPOE allows physicians to enter orders for patient tests, medications, and procedures via a computer. This has greatly increased the likelihood that a physician's handwriting will be correctly interpreted, causing patients to receive the right test or treatment.

"The CPOE's built-in intelligence system also automatically checks a physician's orders against the patient's personal health information," says Dr. Bechard. "It then alerts the physician if there is a potential danger, such as an allergy to a prescribed medication."

All Staff Are Committed To Safety
In addition to the CPOE system, Meridian has taken several other steps to ensure patient safety and quality:

• As part of a system-wide patient safety campaign, all Meridian employees pledged their commitment to ensuring the safety of every patient.
• Physicians and staff in all Meridian's intensive care units are participating in a national collaborative project to improve the care of very sick patients.
• Meridian has joined 2,000 other hospitals in a national campaign to prevent avoidable deaths.
• Committees made up of Meridian physicians continually identify and adapt scientifically proven best practice guidelines to help ensure patients are receiving the best possible care.

The Eisenberg quality award is bestowed by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) and the National Quality Forum (NQF).