Message from Administration
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April 2012
This month I hope you are celebrating the positive increases we are seeing in our patient satisfaction scores. We continue to see improvements in our Emergency Department and we are also seeing significant improvements in patient satisfaction in the hospital and Urgent Care. We have a number of initiatives to support improved patient care and the most fundamental is ‘rounding’ on a regular basis with each patient. Each nursing unit is working to improve rounding and communication, including the regular updating of the patient room whiteboards. The visits to inpatients by our Ambassadors, John Weakly, Sue Warwick and Jerry Plows, is also helping us to make great strides in the overall perception of patient care. Patients feel the positive energy and appreciate the consistent communication by our care teams. Keep up the good work and please take time for a ‘Moment of Excellence.’ You are making a difference!
April has been a busy month due in large part to the increased restrictions caused by the gastrointestinal illness we are seeing in the community. Thank you to our Infection Prevention, Nursing, Environmental Services teams, and the entire hospital family. Your coordinated efforts have helped to manage the needs of our patients and residents during a challenging time. And keep up the good hand hygiene – it always makes a difference in patient/resident care.
I want to remind everyone to continue to be diligent about patient privacy. You should only access patient information when you are directly responsible for the patient’s care and treatment. Recently we had to terminate an employee who violated patient privacy and our trust. We take patient confidentiality very seriously and monitor it regularly.
We celebrated the opening of a new eight-station dialysis unit in Hamilton, New York, with a ribbon cutting this month. We worked closely with Community Memorial Hospital to establish a program for the residents of Hamilton and the surrounding area. The new center demonstrates how different organizations can partner for the benefit of the communities they serve.
This month we also celebrate and thank our volunteers who contribute more than 60,000 hours of service annually supporting our patients, residents and hospital family. We appreciate their time, talents and energy. They make a valuable difference each and every day.
Congratulations to Jane Gwise, president of our Volunteer Association and Angie Roche, clinical coordinator of our Stroke Program. Jane is being recognized as Outstanding Volunteer and Angie as Outstanding Healthcare Leader at the Genesis Healthcare Recognition luncheon in May. It’s a well deserved and special recognition!
As you may already know our Adirondack Community Physicians New Hartford Medical Office has moved to its new location in Crossroads Plaza. On May 3rd we will be officially naming the new office - The William F. Krause, MD, New Hartford Medical Office. We want to honor Dr. Krause who has practiced medicine and cared for the Mohawk Valley community for more than 40 years. He is a special doctor who cares deeply for his patients and their families. He has been instrumental in making the Adirondack Community Physicians program what it is today - a care delivery program recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Patient-Centered Medical Home that supports excellence and quality care for its patients. Please join me in extending to him our gratitude and debt of thanks for his continuing service.
Sincerely,
Scott H. Perra, FACHE
President/CEO
