NEWBERRY — Newberry County Memorial Hospital has earned the following South Carolina “Certified Zero Harm Award” from the South Carolina Hospital Association in recognition of the facility’s excellent work in preventing hospital-acquired infections:

• Surgical Site Infections – Knee Replacement for 36 months

• Surgical Site Infections – Colon Surgery for 18 months

• Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections – ICU for 30 months

• Surgical Site Infections – Abdominal Hysterectomy for 45 months

Since 2014, SCHA has given out Zero Harm Awards to acknowledge hospitals that are on the forefront of preventing medical errors, which by some estimates is the third leading cause of death in the United States, with an economic impact that could reach 1 trillion dollars annually.

“We are extremely proud to be the recipient of four Zero Harm Awards this year,” said Bruce Baldwin, CEO at Newberry Hospital. “Our physicians, leadership and staff are all committed to continually improving processes that will provide safer, quality care to our patients.”

Thanks to a collaboration with The Duke Endowment and The Joint Commission Center for Transforming Health, SCHA and South Carolina hospitals have taken part in a statewide effort to create a culture of high reliability and reduce harm in our facilities by implementing robust, evidence-based practices that are making a positive impact on patients and the safety and quality of care.

To earn a Certified Zero Harm Award, hospitals must experience no preventable hospital-acquired infections of a specific nature over an extended period of time. All hospital data used for the awards is independently verified by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and recognizes the exceptional achievement the hospital or hospital unit has made to the safety and quality of care within their facilities.

Lorri Gibbons, vice president for Quality and Safety at SCHA, said the awards are part of the Association’s efforts to guide and support the state’s hospitals in creating and sustaining highly reliable healthcare. “Highly reliable” care is defined as dependable, high quality and safe care over a long period of time, something which is key to eliminating medical errors in hospitals.

Newberry County Memorial Hospital has earned South Carolina “Certified Zero Harm Award” from the South Carolina Hospital Association in recognition of the facility’s work in preventing hospital-acquired infections in four different areas.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_SCHA-2301.jpgNewberry County Memorial Hospital has earned South Carolina “Certified Zero Harm Award” from the South Carolina Hospital Association in recognition of the facility’s work in preventing hospital-acquired infections in four different areas. Courtesy photo

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