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The latest population health data from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control highlights an often overlooked fact: millions of Americans are living with daily pain. The Blessing Surgery Center team and Dr. Muhammad Sami Iqbal have responded - adding pain procedures to the menu of care available at the Surgery Center as of July 3, 2024. In addition, earlier this year the team added another robot to its stable of assistive technology - the Velys for total knee replacement, used by Dr. Darr Leutz. On the journey to reaching our Zero Harm goal, the Surgery Center team is delivering a surgical site infection prevalence rate goal of .18%, nearly 50% below the goal target rate. And speaking of reaching goals, the Surgery Center GI Team is close to exceeding its goal of having 3 out of 4 patient satisfaction domains at the 90th percentile. We recognize the caregivers of the Blessing Surgery Center for their willingness to expand their knowledge-base and skill set to bring patients the latest and safest care, and doing it with a commitment to exceptional customer service.
This spring the Heart & Vascular Center team increased the number of patients who have received a new heart valve through the minimally invasive Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement or TAVR procedure to 200. The team's first TAVR procedure took place in December 2019. The 100th was done in June 2022, and the 200th was in April 2024. TAVR replaces failing heart valves. For many years that required open heart surgery. Some people are not candidates for surgery due to other health conditions. That's where TAVR can be a real life-saver for patients. It is a minimally invasive procedure, during which a new heart valve is placed via a catheter using X-ray guidance. No open-heart surgery required. In addition, the team recently achieved the accomplishment of discharging most TAVR patients from the hospital in one day compared to 3-5 for those who undergo surgical valve replacement. Thank you for the exceptional teamwork that makes Blessing the Provider of Choice for heart care in the region.
Our Infection Prevention department has recognized our pharmacy team with a Zero Harm award for its work to reduce infections by monitoring cultures and recommending antibiotics based on antimicrobial stewardship practices. Each of our pharmacists completes a nearly yearlong antimicrobial stewardship certification program to ensure our patients receive antibiotics only when necessary. And when an antibiotic is appropriate, that the patient receives the right drug at the first dose at the right time for the right duration to reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance. This makes us unique because not all hospital pharmacies have an antimicrobial stewardship program this extensive. We are grateful for our pharmacists' commitment to keeping their knowledge on the cutting edge to protect us from "super bugs" that cannot be treated easily and for their contribution to reaching our Zero Harm goal.
Blessing Health is committed to helping employees achieve their career goals. To that end, we recognize six of our coworkers who recently graduated from the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Institute in Quincy and Hannibal. During the program, participants attend sessions on a wide range of topics - including local history, non-profits, entrepreneurship, manufacturing and government - and gain firsthand knowledge of critical community issues by engaging with local experts. Our graduates were Kiona Wright, Organizational Development; Taylor Hockman, Information Systems; Rachel Vogel, Quality and Performance Improvement; Kristen Powell, Marketing; Abby Whiston, Patient Access; and Krystle VonderHaar, General Surgery Office Manager at Blessing Health Hannibal.
The Illini Community Hospital team was recently recognized by the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network for being among the top 10 critical access hospitals in the state for patient satisfaction. Upon receiving the award, Illini leader Holly Jones recognized that exceptional patient satisfaction was an organizational goal, and that she was proud of the commitment of her staff in exceeding patient expectations. In addition, Holly noted that several service lines within Illini have patient satisfaction rates between 90 and 98%.
For kids, a bicycle is freedom. But without the proper training, it is also an accident waiting to happen. For years Blessing Health Hannibal and Hannibal Clinic Health Services - assisted by wonderful volunteers - have hosted Ride Cool, featuring a safety obstacle course and helmet giveaway. Thank to Dr. Susan Meidl, the rest of the Blessing Health Hannibal team and community volunteers - including the Hannibal Early Bird Kiwanis - for making safety a part of the summer fun in Hannibal and surrounding communities.
One of our "mission critical" services is behavioral health. Helping our communities maintain mental health is as important as improving their physical health. We offer the only inpatient adult and child adolescent units in the region as well as an extensive outpatient care menu including the BEST Self Center's partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs. In addition, the Behavioral Health team is active in the community, sharing life-changing information with the people where they are in their journey. During May, Mental Health Month, the team turned up its passion - sharing its message of help and hope with fellow employees as well. We thank them for their tireless efforts to reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health care and their compassion for those in need.
Our Hospice and Home Care departments are now each accredited through 2027 by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) with a recommendation for continued Deemed Status. Accreditation is awarded to organizations that demonstrate compliance with ACHC standards and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Conditions of Participation. ACHC says that this is an achievement that reflects the commitment of the hospice and home care teams dedication to delivering safe, high-quality care to those they serve. The surveyors commented specifically on witnessing the home care and hospice teams' ability to connect with their patients.
The Blessing Health Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic team of providers - part of our Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery service line - specializes in the care of cleft lip, cleft palate and other head and facial bone disorders, collectively known as craniofacial disorders. This team has earned "Cleft Palate Team" approval from the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association for meeting its standards, making it one of 200 approved teams in the US and Canada. The next closest ACPA approved teams are in Springfield, IL; St. Louis, MO and Iowa City, IA. The ACPA team approval process ensures that cleft and craniofacial care is provided in a coordinated and consistent manner, follows the proper sequence and takes place within the framework of the patient's overall developmental, medical and psychological needs. Teams are comprised of experienced and qualified professionals who work in interdisciplinary and coordinated system to provide strong and reliable communication between team members, families and referring providers. Congratulations and thank you to our nationally recognized team - led by Dr. Arshad Muzaffar - for its skill and commitment to this life-changing care and the incredible impact it has on the lives of children and the families who love them.
Happy Hospital Week to one and all! Blessing staff will be enjoying an outstanding meal served up by the Food & Nutrition team at the Hospital Week picnics, as well as activities such as a stroke education display put together by our Stroke Team. Because of the work of the team and the dedication of every caregiver in every department, we are a nationally accredited stroke center and recognized by the American Stroke Association for meeting or exceeding national guidelines for care and education. Last year more than 370 people came to Blessing Hospital for stroke-related care, nearly 230 community residents took advantage of stroke-related health screenings and 970 people received stroke education through printed materials and in-person presentations.
