Boone Memorial Hospital receives Gold Honors Achievement for quality care from WVHA

The West Virginia Hospital Association recognized Boone Memorial Hospital for outstanding work in its Commitment to Excellence Honors Program. Boone Memorial received the highest level of honor possible, Gold.

The objectives of the Honors Program are to:

• Reward successful efforts to develop and promote quality improvement activities.

• Inspire hospitals to be leaders in improving the health of West Virginians.

• Raise awareness of nationally accepted standards of care that are proven to enhance patient outcomes.

The Honors Program will be updated annually to reflect the quality improvement topics on which the WVHA Quality Committee has recommended hospital action in the pursuit of excellence during the program year.

For each topic area, hospitals will be recognized for their engagement and/or implementation of work in that area.

Level 1 Engagement recognizes hospitals that are actively engaged in planning activities and are moving towards implementation. While Level 2 Implementation recognizes hospitals that have adopted practices, implemented policies, or are actively working to sustain a previously adopted policy or program.

Boone Memorial Hospital achieved Level 2 (Implementation) in each of the following topic areas, due to the commitment and direction made by the BMH leaders listed below:

* Influenza Vaccination: Blitz Turner, FNP-BC (Employee Health)

* Antibiotic Stewardship: Sarah Dotson, PharmD (BMH Pharmacy)

* Care Transitions: Stuard Haugen, RN (Inpatient Nursing Manager)

* Emergency Department Information Exchange (EDie): Adam Richardson, RN (ER Nursing Manager)

* Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN)/CMS Quality Improvement Project: Rebecca Bannister, RN (Infection Prevention)

* Opioid Stewardship: Janet Newsome, RN (Utilization Review)

* Patient and Family Engagement: Trena Hopkins, MSW, LGSW (Social Services)

* WVHA Discharge Data Program: Susan Shreve (Director of Revenue Cycle)

"There is an exuberant amount of work that goes into meeting the high level of standards required to receive this prestigious honor for making patients our top priority and promoting quality initiatives," said Chief Nursing Officer and Program Lead, Terri Castle, RN. "The leaders listed above are involved in a lot of behind the scenes work that often goes unnoticed. They attend various meetings, handle data abstractions, implement new processes, quality safety initiatives, adopt new policies and more. They truly are the ones to thank for being recognized and honored."

The West Virginia Hospital Association (WVHA) is a not-for-profit statewide organization representing 63 hospitals and health systems across the continuum of care. The WVHA supports its members in achieving a strong, healthy West Virginia by providing leadership in healthcare advocacy, education, information and technical assistance, and by being a catalyst for effective change through collaboration, consensus building and a focus on desired outcomes.

Members of the Association believe it is essential, in the interest of West Virginia citizens, to have a strong healthcare system that supports and improves the health status of those people served by our hospitals, as well as the economic condition of the state. The Commitment to Excellence Honors Program (Honors Program) is a way hospitals can be recognized for the outstanding work they do in pursuit of these goals.

“The WVHA is very proud of our honors program award winners and the commitment to excellence demonstrated by our member hospitals and health systems in serving West Virginians,” said Jim Kaufman, West Virginia Hospital Association President and CEO, in a news release.

"It's important for our facility to show this level of commitment by going above and beyond to continue extending quality care to all of our patients," said Virgil Underwood, Chief Executive Officer at Boone Memorial Hospital.

For more information about the West Virginia Hospital Association, visit www.wvha.org

For more information about Boone Memorial Hospital, visit www.bmh.org

*Pictured Above: Chief Nursing Officer, Terri Castle, RN and Chief Executive Officer, Virgil Underwood