TRMC lands in the top 5 percent

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center is tops, top five percent to be exact, when it comes to patient safety at hospitals around the country.

“Here in the community, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center was the only hospital in the region to receive the award,” HealthGrades regional account executive Molly Virden said as she presented the 2011 Patient Safety Award to TRMC CEO Greg Stock. “Nationwide, you are in the top five percent for patient safety. Here in the community, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center was the only hospital in the region to receive the award. For patients, family and employers, that is a comfort to know.”

HealthGrades, an independent source of physician information and hospital quality outcomes, analyzed 40 million Medicare patient records from 2007 to 2009 for patient safety indicators such as foreign objects left in a body after a procedure, excessive bruising or bleeding resulting of surgery, bloodstream infections from catheters and bed sores. Using these indicators, HealthGrades identifies hospitals performing in the top five percent in the nation.

“We help patients make informed decisions,” Virden said. “More than 200 million people visit our site each year. This hospital is really taking care of its patients. Patient safety is a habit and culture of everyday life at this hospital.”

“This award is a step in continuous improvement,” Stock said. “How good are we? We are one of the top hospitals in the country.”

Stock credited hospital workers, IT improvements in the hospital’s emergency room and process improvements at the hospital as he accepted the award.

“Everything we do at this hospital, there are not just a few people doing it – board members, doctors and staff [are working together],” Stock said. “This is an award for every individual who works at this hospital. It involves people across departments to improve patient safety.”

In addition to the IT work in the emergency room, customer satisfaction in that department of the hospital is also at an all-time high.

“We have 94 to 95 percent customer satisfaction rating in our emergency room,” Stock said before reading comments from some of the hospital’s customers. “We have reduced our waiting time and work together to make a great patient experience. We make sure that patients are cared for clinically in the best way possible.”

“Patient safety is important,” Stock said. “If we were in their situation, we would want the best care. For those who work here it’s the gratification. You feel good when you go home and know you make a difference in the community.”

Two employees among those making a difference are Laura Gros, RN, in patien t navigation in the hospital’s cancer center and Jason Ledet, RN, director of inpatient rehab.

“The first step in patient safety is to properly identify your patient,” Gros, who has been with the hospital six months, said. “I work with educating patients by helping them to understand their diagnosis and treatment process. If they are better informed, they have a better outcome. The award is exciting. We offer a quality patient experience all the way around.”

“The community knows that they are coming to a hospital that keeps patient safety tops when a crisis develops,” Ledet, who has worked for the hospital for more than 16 years, said. “We see patients after they break a hip or have a stroke and we also do stroke awareness presentations in the community.”