Awards and Recognition
Carteret General Receives Innovator Award
Carteret General Hospital received the 2005 Ralph E. Snyder Innovator Award in Healthcare Quality Improvement presented by the Medical Review of North Carolina (MRNC) Inc.
The centerpiece of the award focused on the implementation of Carteret General’s Joint Excellence Program.
With a population of 64,000 permanent residents, Carteret County is a growing coastal community whose primary industries are tourism and retirement. Carteret General Hospital recognized a few years ago that to continue to be a successful healthcare organization we must be committed and passionate about improving the quality of our patients’ outcomes. Based on a vision to be the best hospital in eastern Carolina, Carteret General Hospital embarked upon a Journey to Excellence that included the Joint Excellence Program.
Through the Joint Excellence Program, patients who are having hip or knee surgery are now offered enhanced ways to return to the quality of life they deserve.
The Joint Excellence Program focuses on improving quality of life for patients having hip or knee joint replacement surgery. The goals promote positive patient outcomes shown by increased patient satisfaction and decreased length of stay in the hospital.
Edwin Loftin, VP Patient Care Services, states, “We are honored to be recognized with the Snyder Award. Our Orthopedic Surgeons along with Hospital Staff have been instrumental in developing this program for total joint replacement patients. Patients know what to anticipate and are more prepared for a quick recovery.”
“We are able to assist ours patients back to an active and healthy lifestyle even before they have surgery” says Cindy Jones, Director Outreach Programs. “Kelly Burton, RN, Liz Moore, RN Case Manager, and Allison Stebner, LPN work closely with patients, staff and physicians to ensure patient success.”
The program includes a Total Joint Excellence Education Session that was first held on October 1, 2004. Thirty patients participated in the program during the first quarter and shared 100% satisfaction with staff. One patient stated, “The Total Joint Excellence Program Prep Class was very informational and I felt completely prepared for my hospitalization.”
Liz Moore, RN, Case Manager shares, “The Joint Excellence Prep Class includes all departments that will help care for our patients including Physical Therapy, Dietary, Home Health, Nursing and Case Management. Knowing what to expect before hospitalization, during hospitalization and after discharge helps patients have a smoother, faster return to their normal activities, homes and community.
In addition, as part of the Total Joint Excellence Program patients are encouraged to wear their own clothes while hospitalized, which is normally 3 – 5 days. Patients are also invited for lunch in our education room. Physical Therapy visits and works with patients twice a day. The Total Joint nursing staff are referred to as “coaches” rather than nurses since they focus on motivating and teaching patients. Coaches instruct patients throughout their hospitalization and work towards a safe discharge to home or to short term rehabilitation.
At the time of discharge, patients receive a “congratulations” gift bag and a thank you note. The feedback shared with us by patients indicates what we need to improve and what we did well. The nursing staff of Third North Surgical make follow-up phone calls approximately one week after discharge. The intent of the phone call is to decrease the early stress of being at home after joint replacement and see how things are going.
Currently, the Joint Excellence Program is the framework being utilized to initiate other patient focused performance improvement programs such as Congestive Heart Failure, Diabetes, and Respiratory Care. As the Hospital Administrative team planned the goals for 2006, each goal is linked to one of the Hospital’s Points of Patient Care Excellence: Vision, Team, Service, Quality, and Finance. The growth of our multidisciplinary patient focused excellence teams is one of the visions for the future.
As Carteret General Hospital’s Journey To Excellence evolves so do our programs and services, knocking down the barrier walls and finding success in long-term patient improvement. Carteret General Hospital has given staff the empowerment and opportunity to be self-directed caregivers focused on community wellness and creating community loyalty. The CGH Journey to Excellence created the opportunity for staff to think outside the box and challenge each other to change the way health care is delivered in Carteret County.
The Hospital culture is now one that provides an environment built around service. The Joint Excellence Team is using a different approach to patient care and achieving amazing outcomes as recognized by the Snyder Award.
For more information about the Total Joint Excellence Program at Carteret General Hospital, contact the department at 808-6354 or TJExcellence@ccgh.org.
Carteret General Hospital is a 135-bed hospital serving Eastern North Carolina. The Hospital offers a full range of acute care, diagnostic and outpatient services including a comprehensive Cancer Center, CGH Imaging Center, Emergency Department and Birthing Center. Educational and Pursuit of Excellence Programs for Diabetes, Joint Surgery, Congestive Heart Failure, Stroke and Breast Cancer enhance the Hospital’s specialty services to a level that you would only expect at larger facilities. For additional information about Carteret General Hospital, call 252.808.6000 or visit our website at www.ccgh.org.