2009
VHA Northeast Top Ranking for Patient Satisfaction
VHA Northeast reported that The Westerly Hospital ranked in the top 15% of hospitals nationally on patient satisfaction survey results submitted to Medicare. Among the top performers from the VHA Northeast Region in alphabetic order were Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass., Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, Mass., Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, Conn., Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass., Miriam Hospital, Providence, Newport Hospital, Newport, R.I. Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Mass., Westerly Hospital.
Cancer Program Receives Outstanding Achievement Award
The Westerly Hospital’s Cancer Program received the 2008 Commission on Cancer “New Program Outstanding Achievement Award (OAA).” The Hospital received this distinction follow an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor during Hospital demonstrated a “Commendation” level of compliance with seven standards including cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services, research, community outreach, and quality improvement.
Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) designated Westerly Hospital as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement, which is part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s expansion of its Blue Distinction® designation.
Since 2006, the Blue Distinction program has recognized facilities that meet objective, evidence-based thresholds for clinical quality, developed in collaboration with expert physicians and medical organizations. The program provides BCBSRI members with a credible means of identifying hospitals that meet their individual healthcare needs for select procedures and conditions.
The selection criteria used to evaluate facilities were developed with input from a panel of expert physicians. More information on selection criteria is available on www.bcbs.com.
The additional Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip replacement designation for Westerly Hospital will bring the nation’s number of Blue Distinction designations, for all healthcare areas, to more than 1,600—and this number is expected to increase in the coming years.
"Pink Ribbon” Facility Distinction
Because of our commitment to fighting breast cancer, in 2009, The Westerly Hospital received the merit of being a certified “Pink Ribbon Facility,” a distinction awarded only to an elite group of healthcare facilities. Since March, 2009, women who undergo routine mammograms at The Westerly Hospital have had the latest diagnostic technology available to them, digital mammography. By offering women digital mammograms, Westerly Hospital hopes to increase the number of area women who follow recommendations for regular screenings.
Organ / Tissue Donation Referrals
In 2009,The Westerly Hospital achieved a99% compliance rate from the New England Organ Bank (NEOB) for organ / tissue donation referrals. Our referrals resulted in eight tissue donors and a 23% conversion rate. The average rate for the NEOB designated service area is 21%.
Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Award
The Westerly Hospital was recognized with a gold-level Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Award by The Rhode Island Breastfeeding Coalition and the Rhode Island Department of Health for providing a lactation room for employees (and patients and visitors too) near the Hospital’s Women’s Health Center. The services of lactation consultants working in the Health Center are also available to those employees who experience difficulty in nursing. Westerly Hospital has a written Nursing Working Mothers Policy that is distributed and promoted to employees which allows for a flexible work schedule to accommodate nursing mothers who need to pump. Additionally, breastfeeding benefit information is shared with employees through an internal newsletter and an information packet given to new employees. The Westerly Hospital was one of only two organizations Rhode Island were the only organizations to receive the Gold status in helping to create a supportive and comfortable environment for our employees to breastfeed.
Hospital Honored with Worksite Health Award
In 2009, The Westerly Hospital was honored with a Worksite Health Award by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. The Westerly Hospital was among other local companies presented with an “Exemplary” award, the highest status awarded, for encouraging employees to lead a healthy lifestyle through company-sponsored wellness programs and policies including: health awareness, intervention, and occupational health and safety.